Did I mention the classic tunes yet?!?
VIII. The Birth of Superstar Careers, The Growth of Others
Loads of talented, superstar artists hit the scene for the first time in the '80s. Monikers that would quickly become household names and stay that way for decades first appeared on people's musical radars - names like Bryan Adams, Huey Lewis, Bon Jovi, Bruce Hornsby, & Stevie Ray Vaughan. Def Leppard's debut album was released in 1980, Metallica was born in 1981, and by the end of the decade, bands by the names of Guns 'n' Roses and Dream Theater would release their first recordings. The decade of the 1980's saw the birth of a plethora of classic musical acts that would remain massively successful and appreciated for decades to come.
But plenty of already-established musical giants saw both commercial success and artistic growth throughout the '80s, as well. Bands born in the '70s like Queen, Genesis, Rush, & Journey saw some of their biggest success yet. Artists like Elton John, David Bowie, Don Henley, & Eric Clapton continued to build and refine their remarkable musical legacies. Aerosmith got sober, got back together, and reachieved greatness with the release of Permanent Vacation. Billy Joel released a second Greatest Hits album, performed behind the Iron Curtain, and learned that he was broke after a career of hits (the product of mismanagement by trusted advisers and accountants) & decided to remedy the problem with 1989's Storm Front. Sting fronted The Police to some of the most monstrous success the world had ever seen only to break up the band at the top and begin one of the most successful and creative solo careers in music history. Van Halen lost their lead singer, got a new one, and proceeded to write more hits with the new guy than they had with the first. Like many of the bands born in the '80s, most of those who made the transition from the decade before would continue to achieve success even after the '80s were over, surviving the onslaughts of grunge, college acousti-rock, pop punk, Disney Channel- and billionaire-funded boy bands & divas, and the mediocrity brought on by digital recording. Even to the present day, if they're still alive, most of the artists mentioned here are still going strong, selling albums and selling out tours. If longevity is a mark of artistic greatness, many artists popular in the 1980's had greatness written all over them.
IX. The King Of Pop
For what it's worth, the greatest-selling album of all time was released in 1982. It's probably impossible to seriously discuss '80s music without taking time to discuss Michael Jackson's Thriller. Seven singles were released from the record and all of them charted in the Top 10 of Billboard's Hot 100. It only took a year for the album to become the top-selling album of all time, and the numbers are so large that total worldwide sales are estimated to be between 65 and 110 million copies (that's a big window). But more than the unparalleled commercial success the album achieved, the legacy the music itself left behind is remarkably notable. Many of the greatest-selling albums of all time are snickering embarrassments; albums that were epically flash-in-the-pan, purchased by people caught up in a pop culture trend who would most likely rather forget that they ever spent their money on them. But Thriller was different. It brought dance/pop music to a whole new audience of listeners who never knew they could enjoy it and it's probably safe to say that it broke down a few subconscious racial barriers, as well. It mapped out a blueprint for at least the next 30 years (bringing us to today) of how to do pop music right, and Jackson is still inspiring almost every dance/pop artist on the scene wise enough to pay attention (if they're not already busy shamelessly plagiarizing him, that is). Thriller was truly a seminal moment in music history, and yes, it occurred in the 1980's.
And let's not forget... Michael first broke out the Moonwalk in 1983.
X. A Rebirth Of Jazz
To end a rather ironclad defense of the music of the '80s with Michael Jackson and Thriller is probably profoundly logical and expected. But this is my blog and I'm gonna bring it home a little bit more.
One particular artist who's official recording career began in 1987 did more to bring jazz back home to the American mainstream than any other perhaps since Louis Armstrong. Harry Connick, Jr. released his first album at the ripe old age of 20 and went on to sell more number-one albums than any other artist in the history of the US jazz charts. Connick's first huge break into national stardom came when director Rob Reiner tapped him to supply the soundtrack for 1989's When Harry Met Sally..., with the album going on to achieve double-platinum sales and earn Connick his first of three Grammy Awards. From then on, Connick became the face of American popular jazz, reviving the tradition of classic acts like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, & Bobby Darin, and influencing the modern-day caretakers of swing like Michael Buble. His career has been both prolific and artistically diverse, with dalliances into funk, bop, and fusion, and Connick even found the time to carve out a successful acting career for himself, as well. His career is just another great addition to the history of American music that began in the 1980's.
So there you have it...
Sure, the 1980's had it's share of one-hit wonders, trendy nonsense, and pop culture rubbish. But, as I hope I've shown, there was plenty to make the music of the '80s not only memorable, but classic. For someone to define "80's music" in their heads as nothing more than hair metal, MTV, and Duran Duran is to both sell the decade and music history itself short. Sure, Culture Club and Kajagoogoo were ridiculous, but not any more so than Lady Gaga. For every Devo, we have a Far East Movement. For every Winger, a Daughtry. Every decade, every time, and every era of music has had its flash-in-the-pan success stories and eventually-embarrassing pop stars - the 80's were certainly not unique in that aspect. But, I would even venture to say that no decade since has made quite as timeless of an impact - grunge faded out and the American pop music culture has seemed to tried its hardest since to not make a lasting impact. Ask yourself - in the last 20 years, how many artists seem to have a timeless quality to them? How many of the modern-day hit makers will we still be listening to and enjoying 20 years down the road? How many American Idol finalists will still be selling out world tours when they are 45-years old? The music of the 1980's is, in reality, a lot more than we have allowed it be in our memories. Why we hold up the previous decades of rock 'n' roll as legendary and classic while dismissing the '80s remains a bit of a mystery to me, aside from the rather popular academic position that everything having to do with the decade - the politics, the economics, the movies, the fashions - has been unjustly relegated to the dark side of cultural memory. Whatever the case may be, I hope this blog has done at least a little to revive (or kindle) your appreciation for some of the great music that was given to all of us during those 10 years.
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