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Do you ever feel like you were born too late? Join us as we count down our picks for the most underrated and unforgettable bands of the 1980s whose recorded legacy still resonates today! Our countdown includes acts like "The Cult," "The Church," "Ultravox," "A Flock of Seagulls," "Oingo Boingo," and more! Which band do you think deserves more recognition? Let us know in the comments!
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00:07Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for those 1980s groups whose
00:13recorded legacy still resonates for us today. We'll be attempting to focus on groups whose
00:18output, popularity, and acclaim are mostly isolated to that decade.
00:3230. Fifth Angel
00:35There's a joyously difficult-to-categorize musical sensibility behind Seattle's Fifth Angel,
00:41an 80s group that predated that area's reputation for dour, flannel-clad grunge rock. The vibe here
00:48is instead focused almost entirely on melody, while never quite coming across as hair metal or glam.
01:01This is thanks primarily to the old-school guitar pyrotechnics from players like James Byrd,
01:07Ed Archer, and Kendall Bechtel — the latter two of which contributed to Fifth Angel's
01:12outstanding second LP, Time Will Tell.
01:22This effort from 1989 was preening and polished, to be sure, but also economically composed and
01:29packed with memorable songs and excellent lead vocals from frontman Ted Pilot.
01:38The band's still active today as well, and remains an underrated element from the 80s
01:43riff-rock landscape.
01:5029. Leatherwolf
01:53Employing three guitars within the framework of a rock or metal band isn't exactly commonplace today,
01:59never mind back in 1981, when California's Leatherwolf formed in Huntington Beach.
02:12This was what initially brought attention to Leatherwolf around this time,
02:16but the group's powerful songwriting chops soon proved enough to earn them a record deal with
02:21North Island Records.
02:30Those two major label recordings remained astoundingly unique recordings for the time,
02:35melding intelligent riff arrangements with vocals and song structures that placed
02:39Leatherwolf ahead of the proverbial pack.
02:50They even contributed Alone in the Night to the soundtrack of 1988's Return of the Living Dead
02:55Part II, and remain active at the time of this writing.
02:58Are we the men who sold the world?
03:05Number 28. Tesla
03:07You wouldn't be incorrect for commenting how there seems to be a theme running through
03:12this list thus far.
03:18A connecting thread of musically-involved 80s rock and metal bands that may have been
03:24lumped in with hair metal, while also offering more meat on the bones of their albums.
03:29Tesla was absolutely one of these bands, a group that had more in common with someone like,
03:34say, Aerosmith and Twisted Sister.
03:44Guitarists Frank Hannon and Tommy Schio ripped it up with ease,
03:48while frontman Jeff Keith possessed an enviable set of pipes.
04:00Tesla probably shouldn't be spoken of in the past tense, however, since this veteran
04:05rock band is still out there kicking ass and taking names on the summer concert circuit.
04:10Love is walking outside the door.
04:15Number 27. Johnny Hates Jazz
04:18The 80s were a great period for pop music that employed revolutionary sounds of the modern synthesizer.
04:25Thanks so much for your promises, they died the day you let me go.
04:31And yes, it may be true that synth-pop was pervasive during this decade, but the cream still
04:37tends to rise to the top, right? Johnny Hates Jazz achieved chart success with their hit single,
04:42shattered dreams, but there's honestly a lot to love about this British group than just the
04:47song's immediate melodies and earworm chorus.
04:50And now you've given me, given me, nothing but shattered dreams.
04:56Johnny Hates Jazz wrote and recorded pop music without sounding immature or too saccharine.
05:02They pay for the love of a girl with a pure heart outgrown.
05:07Instead, tunes like Heart of Gold and, yes, Shattered Dreams come across as a cut above
05:13so many groups that were out there melding new wave rock and pop.
05:17I wish that I could turn back the clock
05:22Bring the wheel from time to the start
05:26Number 26. Thompson Twins
05:36They were one of the more successful synth-pop bands of the 1980s, a group with tunes that were
05:42bright and bold enough to stand out from a very crowded MTV landscape.
05:55Sure, the fact that the Thompson Twins were a striking visual act probably didn't hurt either,
06:00but songs like King For A Day, Hold Me Now, and Dr. Doctor would go on to become defining pop
06:06hits
06:06of the decades.
06:13Major 80s bangers that packed dance floors back in the day and which rule the nostalgia
06:18airwaves of terrestrial radio and retro-themed club nights of today.
06:30Number 25. Crimson Glory
06:33Florida's Crimson Glory certainly possessed a unique look back in the 1980s heyday,
06:39a shiny-mask gimmick that hid the faces of some fearsomely talented players.
06:45I'll be loved!
06:50This was a progressive-minded metal band that was at the forefront of America's
06:55underground of alternatives to the thrash and speed metal sounds of the day.
06:59Crying waves and howling, glory, towering shadows, burning down!
07:09Crimson Glory is frequently mentioned alongside artists like Fate's Warning, Dream Theater,
07:15Queensryche, yet it didn't really achieve the same levels of commercial success.
07:27This is a shame because albums like Transcendence or the group's self-titled debut are as strong
07:33as anything else being released from that era's power metal landscape.
07:50Crying on the corner, waiting in the rain, I swear I'll never, ever wait again.
07:57Isn't it funny how some artists become huge while others, perhaps equally deserving groups, languish in
08:04either obscurity or as cult classics? Quarterflash emerged from Portland, Oregon with an emotionally
08:11resonant bluesiness, a mixture of pop and rock with a vital approach to songwriting.
08:22The group achieved a hit with Heart In My Hearts, a tune that hung its creative hat upon
08:27Rindy Ross' melancholic vocals and stellar saxophone playing.
08:39Quarterflash honestly deserved more than just one major hit, however, as evidenced by their self-titled
08:45debut's platinum status. Quarterflash stood out from the 80s pop pack in the best possible way,
08:51and their albums remain wonderful listens to this day.
09:01Number 23. Killing Joke.
09:05It's a little bit of musical trivia that's gained some traction in recent years. Specifically,
09:10how Nirvana somewhat infamously nicked the main riff of Killing Joke's 80s for their own bit hits,
09:16come as you are. This speaks not only to Nirvana's musical influences, but also to how ahead of the
09:27curve Killing Joke was back in the day. The British band proved difficult to classify, since their music
09:43could just as easily evoke images of gothic grandeur as it did heavy, nasty industrial rock.
09:57There's a rigid and martial atmosphere to the riffing of Killing Joke, an approach that
10:02made them influential not only to grunge groups like Nirvana, but also to the thrash metal titans
10:08in Metallica.
10:19Number 22. Black and Blue.
10:27We return to Portland, Oregon once again for the next group on our list. But Black and Blue aren't
10:33exactly cut from the same musical cloth as Quarterflash. Instead, this guitar-heavy group
10:39balanced hair metal hooks with an aggression born from opening gigs for Kiss, Queensryche, and Rat.
10:45Hello! Hello! Miss Mystery! Here you are, so far from me!
10:52Black and Blue were edgier than most of their ilk, ripping out tunes like Chains Around Heaven that fit
10:58nicely alongside more melodic rockers, like their biggest hit, Hold On To Eighteen.
11:10Their chart success would enable Black and Blue to release four LPs throughout the 1980s,
11:16and even released an EP of new music as recently as 2025.
11:26Number 21. Talk Talk. Sometimes, all it takes is a little exposure. That's what happened back
11:33in 2003, when No Doubt recorded a cover of It's My Life by Talk Talk for their greatest hits album.
11:39It's my life. It'll never end.
11:46This cover not only reminded fans who liked both groups how good It's My Life was,
11:51but it also introduced the music of Talk Talk to an entirely new generation.
11:56It's my life. Don't you forget.
12:01A generation that could appreciate how this British rock group embraced everything from pop,
12:07post-punk, and new wave early in their career.
12:14Talk Talk wasn't just a synth or sophistapop group, but a collective of songwriters who
12:20knew how to compose big hooks and deliver them to the masses.
12:30Number 20. Icon.
12:40The glam metal movement sold a fantasy of big-haired party animals. True to their name,
12:46Icon understood the image, but also how to bring the heavy sound. Originally named School Boys,
12:53the Arizona outfit matured the catchy frills of glam with more traditional or extreme momentum for their
12:59acclaimed 1984 debut. They weren't entirely part of the oversaturated scene though, so subsequent albums
13:13incorporated arena rock elements to a mixed reception. Eventually, personal priorities like frontman
13:19Stephen Clifford's Religious Awakening prompted Icon to disband in 1990. Still, their cult following
13:26persists for the fiery musicianship that stood out in the golden age of glam metal.
13:38Icon reunited as a live act in 2008 and are looking to get back in the studio.
13:44Number 19. Fine Young Cannibals.
13:55Hades fans can't get their fill of the Fine Young Cannibals cover of Suspicious Minds,
14:00or the original classic, She Drives Me Crazy. Some may forget that these sophistapop pioneers were
14:07hardly a two-hit wonder. FYC's smartly composed cross between contemporary pop and R&B won their eponymous
14:151985 album, Excellent Reviews.
14:271989's The Raw and The Cooked was an even bigger hit, with audiences praising the addition of Soul
14:32and New Wave. The chart-topping Grammy nominee and Brit Award winner was packed with hot singles,
14:38yet the lead one became the band's defining hit.
14:48FYC may have broken up over creative conflict just as they were picking up, but they're endlessly worth
14:54looking back on. The 80s sure didn't forget about these L.A. new wavers. Boingo Boingo was punk-influenced,
15:18prolific, and endlessly infectious, thanks to the charisma and eclectic songwriting of frontman Danny
15:24Elfman. Their live shows were the stuff of legend, and they contributed to many film and TV soundtracks,
15:31most notably the 1985 John Hughes comedy Weird Science.
15:42After the group broke up ten years later, Elfman developed his solo career as a score composer
15:48into one of the most celebrated in modern Hollywood. Many have said that this legacy has overshadowed that
15:54of his popular original project, and its massive rotation of talented musicians.
16:06But there's no arguing against Oingo Boingo being as good for your soul as ever.
16:20Number 17. Hanoi Rocks.
16:31Where many hair metalheads obscured the genre's glam rock roots,
16:35Hanoi Rocks brought them to the forefront. The Helsinki Hellions had the funky glitz and
16:41clever songwriting that were all the rage in the 70s.
16:53But with punk overtones and a heavy metal heft, they broke every rule of mainstream and alternative
17:00trends at the time. Consequently, they had a mostly cult following, until tragedy made the headlines.
17:07In 1984, drummer Nicholas Razzle Dingley died in a car wreck involving an intoxicated Vince
17:14Neal of Motley Crue. This sadly became a prominent footnote in Hanoi Rocks' legacy, following their
17:21initial breakup shortly thereafter. Nonetheless, between the classics and some legendary reunions,
17:27there's no leaving them out of the 80s glam mythos.
17:32Don't you ever leave me now. Don't you ever leave me, baby.
17:40Number 16. XTC.
17:49Rising with the advent of New Way, the Swindon Ensemble first gained cult and critical recognition
17:56with three albums in the 70s. By the 80s, though, the underground sound that XTC helped develop
18:03dominated the mainstream. Even then, their pop shift stood out on continued punk elements and
18:15progressive hooks. XTC won consistent acclaim and delivered many hits, culminating in the
18:21controversial Dear God in 1987. Along the way, a bad record deal with Virgin left the band in
18:35financial straits. Their labor strike in 92 proved ruinous for their popularity. But by the time they
18:42quietly disbanded in 2006, XTC were an 80s cult favorite that remains unlike any pop you've heard.
18:50I won't believe in heaven and hell, no saints, no sins, no devil as well.
18:55Number 15. Japan.
19:05Although they released more studio albums in the 70s, the British group Japan was made for the 80s.
19:12That was when their synthwave style was most commercially successful, particularly with 1982's
19:26ghosts. Japan still managed to find new and exciting ways to compose such music. But in 1982, internal
19:33conflicts collapsed Japan at the height of their status. It's just as well as they were facing
19:39accusations of capitalizing on the new romantic scene that they, in fact, influenced and rejected.
19:54Perhaps too highbrow for pop appeal. The band did return to the UK Top 40 when they briefly reunited
20:01under the name Rain Tree Crow. Japan has since maintained its cult following as architects,
20:07and a highlight of an infectious style.
20:16Number 14. The Time.
20:28Though Morris Day is credited alongside Prince with developing Minneapolis's eclectic musical
20:34signature in the 80s, the time is a force all their own. The thrilling fusion of funk, soul and rock
20:40was rivaled only by live shows exploding with elaborate musicianship and dance.
20:53The Time is considered the most critically and commercially successful act in Prince's creative
20:59community. This proved to be a double-edged sword. Day's creative input and legacy were overshadowed
21:06by his late friend, whose estate even tried to bar Day from using his own band's name in 2022.
21:19He's settled the legal dispute and continues to rock under the banner of Morris Day and The Time.
21:24Of course, the catalogue of their heyday is simply timeless.
21:29You wonder how to do it. It's just one simple rule. I'm just cool.
21:36Number 13. Big Country.
21:47The whole world was into in a big country when the similarly named band blew up the charts in 1983.
21:54They were actually a local phenomenon, particularly in their native Scotland. Big Country's unique fusion
22:00of New Way. Alternative and Celtic Folk yielded enchanting ballads that ran the gamut from heavy
22:07to heart-wrenching.
22:08I've never seen you look back, that's without a reason. Another promise falling through another season.
22:15Stuart Adamson's lyrical themes included heritage, class, conflicts, war, and more. The band's
22:22harder material in the 90s may not have drawn as much attention, but fans embraced their experimental
22:29and iconoclastic flair up to their breakup following Adamson's death in 2001.
22:42Formally reuniting in 2013, Big Country continues to provoke nostalgia for a time long before them,
22:50while remaining as relevant as ever.
22:54In a big country dream, stay with you.
22:58Like a lover's voice, park the mountainside.
23:03Number 12. Hoosker Do
23:12The 80s sound, admittedly, wasn't for everyone. It sure didn't appeal to Hoosker Do. Though,
23:19the power trio from St. Paul, Minnesota didn't just favor the rebellious punk of the 70s.
23:24They were looking ahead with a melodic yet experimental twist on the budding, hardcore scene. This style
23:31would come to be known as post-hardcore, and would have a key influence on the alternative rock
23:37explosion of the 90s.
23:38Stay up and still when I score, when I score, when I score, when I score.
23:47Alas, Hoosker Do missed out, having broke up in 88 due to tension
23:52and struggles with substance use disorder. The cult sensation's legacy can be found in their famous
23:58disciples and renowned solo work, but the music itself demands to be heard by punk and alternative
24:13bands.
24:15Number 11. Cocteau Twins
24:26If there was any question about the artistic value of 80s music's technical and stylistic trends,
24:33the Cocteau Twins put that to bed. The Scottish alt-rockers' haunting aesthetic was led by Elizabeth
24:39Fraser's ethereal vocals and Robin Guthrie's groundbreaking ambient engineering.
24:53This renowned artistry elevated contemporary Gothic rock and established the niche genre's aptly named
24:59Dream Pop. And yet nobody could sound quite like the Cocteau Twins. Unfortunately, the band fell apart
25:06with Fraser and Guthrie's relationship in 1997. Things ended on such bitter terms that the former
25:13romantic couple refused to work together decades later.
25:24Although they've independently had great success in several areas of the music industry,
25:29Cocteau Twins remain an entrancing gem.
25:32Number 10. ABC
25:42Synth pop was big business back in the 1980s, with Britain's ABC existing in our minds as one of the
25:50genre's unsung heroes. The arrangements here sound bigger than many of ABC's other contemporaries,
25:57lending songs like Be Near Me an impressive amount of orchestral oomph.
26:09Elsewhere, lead vocalist Martin Fry possesses a strong voice, one capable of delivering big,
26:15strong hooks while also containing a proper amount of sensitivity. The 80s, like any other decade,
26:22were full of one-hit wonders, but we feel like ABC's track record speaks for itself.
26:28These guys were a cut above the rest.
26:31Shoot that poison, I rode through my heart
26:34Shoot that poison, I rode through my heart
26:37Number 9. A Flock of Seagulls
26:48It's quite unfair that this pioneering English act from the New Wave movement is known more for
26:54its assortment of hairstyles than the quality of its music. After all, the discography of A Flock of
27:00Seagulls is actually quite full of interesting tunes for those willing to do a little digging.
27:05And I ran, I ran so far away
27:11Oh sure, I Ran So Far Away is a defining tune from the 1980s, but A Flock of Seagulls albums
27:18also
27:18retained deep cuts that showcased their musicality. Tunes like Space Age Love Song and The More You
27:24Live, The More You Love demonstrated the excellent synth and guitar interplay within the band's songwriting,
27:30and helped further distance A Flock of Seagulls from more fashion-focused acts of the day.
27:44Number 8. The Fix
27:53It's not by accident that this list contains a startling amount of musical talent from the United
27:58Kingdom. There was something of a second British invasion during the 1980s, as legions of new
28:04wave, post-punk, and heavy metal acts emerged from that area to take over the rest of the world. The
28:10Ficks weren't so easily pigeonholed into a genre, however, and this both helped and hurt them over
28:16the years. On one hand, they were a solid rock act, notching hit singles such as One Thing Leads to
28:31Another. On the other hand, there wasn't really a gimmick upon which to sell the fix overseas. The
28:37music speaks for itself, essentially, and we feel the band was actually a bit underrated.
28:43Do what they say, say what they mean, One Thing Leads to Another.
28:49Number 7. OMD, AKA Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark
29:01Now, here was a band whose choice of name definitely helped define their career. Orchestral
29:08maneuvers in the dark are probably better known by the acronym OMD, but this defiantly unhip
29:14electronic music duo achieved quite a bit of success during their career. That said, we still feel that
29:20there's gold to be mined beyond the obvious OMD hits like If You Leave.
29:33Band members Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphries knew how to make bass, synth, percussion, and voice
29:40sound big as hell, boasting hooks large enough to snag a whale. The music of Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark
29:46definitely sounds of its time, but we don't think that's a bad thing whatsoever. In fact,
29:52that's exactly why we love them.
29:59Number 6. LA Guns
30:08The commercial landscape of 1980s heavy metal, like any musical movement, possessed a myriad of
30:15subgenres. Not all glam was made equal, to be sure, with LA Guns existing within that special little
30:22microcosm known as sleaze metal. This was a rough and ready rock band who, alongside another group
30:35called Hollywood Rose, resulted in the formation of superstars Guns N' Roses.
30:45L.A. Guns did achieve chart success with the single The Ballad of Jane and put out a lot of
30:52music in
30:52the 90s. But we honestly prefer the less polished nature of their 1988 debut. That record contained
30:58rip-roaring jams like No Mercy, Sex Action, and One More Reason. It was a perfect midway point between
31:05dirty looks and big hooks.
31:16Number 5. Sabotage
31:24We know that the Trans-Siberian Orchestra are a big deal around the holidays, but there's
31:29also a connection to their metallic pedigree that reaches to the 1980s. We're referring to
31:35Sabotage, a group founded by brothers Chris and John Oliva.
31:46The former's generational skills as a guitar talent were tragically cut short by a drunk driver in
31:531993. But Sabotage's discography with him remains indispensable for metalheads who appreciate
32:00influences from classical music.
32:10The band continued along after both Chris
32:13Olivia's death as well as John Olivia's departure from lead vocals, with guitarist Al Petrelli
32:18eventually collaborating with John and composer Paul O'Neill on TSO. For our money, though, LPs like
32:25Gutter Ballet and Hall of the Mountain King are worth their weight in gold.
32:36Number 4. Ultravox
32:45New Wave never sounded so dramatic. Ultravox seemed to have studied hard during the How to Write a Great
32:52Chorus classes while in songwriting school. How else could one explain the epic grandeur
32:58of hits like The Voice, Him, or Dancing With Tears In My Eyes?
33:09The latter in particular highlights how mid-year's lead vocals take Ultravox to another level, as he
33:15soars with stately, insistent grandeur. Ultravox crafted 1980s pop as high arts, a melodically
33:22satisfying approach with impeccable hooks and note-perfection execution. The band may have
33:28experimented a bit during the 1970s, but it was the 80s where Ultravox's rise to musical prominence
33:39sound of the Chameleons.
33:44Number 3.
33:46The Chameleons
33:55Call it shoegaze or maybe post-punk, but there was definitely something special to the sound of
34:01the Chameleons UK. This English group's reverb-soaked journey into atmospheric rock had a bit of a malevolent
34:07streak. Specifically, albums such as Script of the Bridge would go on to influence heavier metal acts,
34:14such as Francis Alsest, groups that would be inspired by the Chameleons' ability to mope and rock in
34:20equal measure.
34:29Songs such as Don't Fall and Up the Down Escalator meld brooding, resonant vocals with edgy guitar licks
34:38and this feeling of aggression bubbling just below the surface. It's brilliant stuff.
34:46Number 2.
34:48The Church
34:54Some bands just exude an effortless amount of cool. Australia's The Church are definitely
35:00one of those bands. It's difficult to pinpoint anything specific about their sound other than it
35:06feels dreamlike and resplendent. They create a gorgeous tapestry of melodies and atmosphere that
35:12weave their web in a manner that doesn't quite feel like goth, nor traditional rock.
35:23Instead, the Church takes listeners upon a journey with songs such as their definitive hits,
35:28under the Milky Way. Truth be told, however, there's a lot to love about their discography,
35:34which has put out lots more material since their breakout decade. Whichever era true fans prefer,
35:40the Church is just a great band.
35:43They only make me feel like breathing in an unguarded moment.
35:50Number 1. The Colts
35:52They were a band able to continually reinvent themselves, while also never forgetting how to rock.
36:05The Colts started out in full goth mode under the moniker of Southern Death Colts,
36:10before the mid-80s saw a shift into full arena rock, Sturm Undrang.
36:15The night's let your feet, oh, we pressed your cheek.
36:23Truth be told, we love it all, including the work the Colt did during the 90s and beyond.
36:28That said, there was just something special about that holy trinity of albums between 1985 and 1989,
36:35Love, Electric, and Sonic Temple. The latter in particular saw anthems like Fire Woman
36:40send Colt into the stratosphere.
36:50Frontman Ian Astaberry howls like a man possessed, while embodying a dichotomous personality,
36:57stresses shamanism and hedonism in equal measure. And we're not worthy.
37:08Do you ever feel like you were born too late? Let us know in the comments!
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