Rock (1980s)


ABC [1982– ]

Afghan Whigs [1988– ]

Age of Chance [1987–1990]

GG Allin (1956–93)

Dave Alvin (1955– )

Phil Alvin (1953– )

Laurie Anderson (1947– )

Thomas Anderson

Angry Samoans [1980–1988]

Antietam [1985– ]

Steve Arrington (1956– )

Art of Noise [1984– ]

Artists United Against Apartheid [1985– ]

Sweet Pea Atkinson (1945–2020)

Au Pairs [1981–1983]

Aztec Camera [1983– ]

Babyface (1959– )

Bad Brains [1982– ]

Bad Religion [1982– ]

Philip Bailey (1951– )

Anita Baker (1958– )

Bananarama [1983– ]

The Bangles [1982–1988]

Lester Bangs (1949–82)

The Bats [1984– ]

The Beakers [1980–1981]

The Beautiful South [1989– ]

Regina Belle (1964– )

Sandra Bernhard

Jello Biafra (1958– )

Big Audio Dynamite [1985– ]

Big Black [1983–1992]

Big Stick [1988– ]

Birdsongs of the Mesozoic [1984– ]

Black Flag [1981–1986]

Blake Babies [1987–1991]

The Blasters [1980–1985]

Michael Bolton (1954– )

Boredoms [1988– ]

Bow Wow Wow [1981–1983]

Boy George

Billy Bragg (1957– )

The Brains [1980–1982]

Bobby Brown (1969– )

Julie Brown

T Bone Burnett (1948– )

Bush Tetras

Butthole Surfers [1983– ]

David Byrne (1952– )

Camper Van Beethoven [1985–1990]

Peter Case (1954– )

Nick Cave (1957– )

Exene Cervenka (1956– )

Change [1980– ]

Tracy Chapman (1964– )

Toni Childs (1958– )

The Chills [1987– ]

Chumbawamba [1986– ]

The Church [1981– ]

The Clean [1981– ]

Cleaners from Venus [1981–1990]

George Clinton (1940– )

Edwyn Collins (1959– )

Colorblind James Experience [1987– ]

Shawn Colvin (1956– )

Corrosion of Conformity [1983– ]

Cowboy Junkies [1986– ]

Marshall Crenshaw (1953– )

Cristina (1956–2020)

Julee Cruise (1956–2022)

The Cucumbers [1983–2004]

Culture Club [1982–1986]

Dag Nasty [1986–1992]

Danny and Dusty [1985– ]

Terence Trent D'Arby (1962– )

David and David

Danielle Dax

The dB's [1981– ]

Dead Can Dance [1984– ]

The Dead Kennedys [1980–1991]

The Dead Milkmen [1985– ]

DeBarge [1981–1985]

El DeBarge (1961– )

Carmaig DeForest

Defunkt [1980– ]

The Del-Lords [1984– ]

The Dentists

Depeche Mode [1981– ]

Descendents [1981– ]

DFX2

Dicks [1980– ]

Dinosaur Jr. [1987– ]

Dirty Looks [1980–1981]

Divinyls [1983– ]

Don Dixon (1950– )

D.O.A. [1980– ]

Thomas Dolby (1958– )

Anna Domino (1955– )

The Donner Party [1987– ]

Will Downing (1963– )

Dramarama [1985– ]

The Dream Syndicate [1982–1989]

Dumptruck [1983–1987]

Duran Duran [1981– ]

Sheila E. (1959– )

Echo and the Bunnymen [1980– ]

Bernard Edwards (1953–96)

Einstürzende Neubauten [1980– ]

Eleventh Dream Day [1988– ]

The Embarrassment [1979–1990]

The English Beat [1980–1983]

Erasure [1985– ]

Melissa Etheridge (1961– )

E.U. [1986–1996]

Eurythmics [1981– ]

Everything but the Girl [1984– ]

The Ex [1980– ]

Donald Fagen (1948– )

Jad Fair (1954– )

Falco (1957–98)

Tav Falco (1945– )

The Fatima Mansions [1989– ]

Feedtime [1985–1989]

The Feelies [1980–1991]

F/i

The Fibonaccis [1981–1987]

Fine Young Cannibals [1985–1990]

The Flaming Lips [1985– ]

Flipper [1982– ]

A Flock of Seagulls [1982– ]

Dredd Foole

Fra Lippo Lippi [1984–1987]

French Frith Kaiser Thompson

Mitchell Froom

Fugazi [1988– ]

Jimmy G. and the Tackheads

Galaxie 500 [1987–1991]

Giant Sand [1985– ]

Johnny Gill (1967– )

Girls Against Boys [1989– ]

The Go-Go's [1981–1985]

The Golden Palominos [1983– ]

Government Cheese [1985–1995]

Great Plains [1984–1987]

Green on Red [1982–1993]

Guided by Voices [1987– ]

Guns N' Roses [1986–1993]

Guy [1988– ]

Half Japanese [1980– ]

Jimmy Hall

Jody Harris

Jerry Harrison (1949– )

Debbie Harry (1945– )

Grant Hart (1961–2017)

Bonnie Hayes

Heaven 17 [1981– ]

Nona Hendryx (1944– )

Don Henley (1947– )

Joe Henry (1960– )

Boo Hewerdine (1961– )

Richard X. Heyman (1951– )

Robyn Hitchcock (1953– )

Bruce Hornsby (1954– )

Hose [1983– ]

The Housemartins [1986– ]

Hüsker Dü [1981–1987]

Billy Idol (1955– )

Imagination

Indeep

Incorporated Thang Band [1986–1988]

Indigo Girls [1986– ]

Chris Isaak (1956– )

Isley Jasper Isley [1984–1987]

David J (1957– )

Janet Jackson (1966– )

Colin James (1964– )

Jane's Addiction [1987–1991]

Jason and the Scorchers [1982– ]

The Jayhawks [1986– ]

Jesus and Mary Chain [1985– ]

Joan Jett (1960– )

Eric Johnson (1954– )

Daniel Johnston (1961–2019)

Marti Jones

Katrina and the Waves [1983– ]

Kid Creole and the Coconuts [1980– ]

King Missile [1987– ]

The Kingbees [1980–1982]

KMFDM [1986–1999]

The Knitters [1985– ]

Lenny Kravitz (1964– )

Cyndi Lauper (1953– )

The Leaving Trains [1984– ]

Let's Active [1983–1988]

Lewis

Liliput [1980–1983]

David Lindley (1944–2023)

Arto Lindsay (1953– )

Linx [1981–1983]

Lio (1962– )

Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam [1985– ]

Living Colour [1988–1995]

Local Boys [1983– ]

The Long Ryders [1983– ]

Loop [1987– ]

Love and Rockets [1985–1999]

Love of Life Orchestra [1980– ]

Loverboy [1980–1989]

L7 [1985–2000]

Gary Lucas (1952– )

Lydia Lunch (1959– )

The Lyres [1981– ]

Kirsty MacColl (1959–2000)

Madonna (1958– )

Barbara Manning

Martha and the Muffins [1980– ]

Nick Mason (1945– )

Material [1981– ]

Sarah McLachlan (1968– )

Meat Puppets [1981– ]

Mecca Normal [1983– ]

Metallica [1983– ]

The Method Actors [1980–1981]

George Michael (1963– )

Michel'le

Ministry [1981– ]

Kylie Minogue (1968– )

The Minutemen [1980–1986]

Miriodor [1984– ]

Mission of Burma [1980–1983]

Mofungo [1982–1989]

Moondog

John Moore (1964– )

Junie Morrison

Morrissey (1959– )

Bob Mould (1961– )

My Bloody Valentine [1985– ]

Nastyfacts

Negativland [1980– ]

Ivan Neville (1959– )

New Model Army [1984– ]

New Order [1981– ]

Stevie Nicks (1948– )

Nightingales [1982– ]

Willie Nile (1949– )

Nine Inch Nails (1989– )

Nirvana [1989–1994]

Mojo Nixon (1957– )

NOFX [1988– ]

The Nomads

Sinéad O'Connor (1966–2023)

The Offspring [1989– ]

Oh-OK

Alexander O'Neal (1953– )

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark [1980– ]

Ozzy Osbourne (1948– )

Oxbow [1989– ]

Ozric Tentacles [1984– ]

Pajama Party [1989–1991]

Charlie Peacock (1956– )

Perfect Disaster [1985–1990]

Steve Perry (1949– )

Persian Gulf [1984–1986]

Pet Shop Boys [1986– ]

Peter and the Test Tube Babies [1983– ]

Bob Pfeifer

P-Funk All-Stars [1982–1983]

Sam Phillips (1962– )

Phish [1988– ]

Pixies [1987–1991]

Robert Plant (1948– )

The Pogues [1984– ]

Poi Dog Pondering [1989– ]

Buster Poindexter [1987– ]

Poison [1983–1993]

The Pooh Sticks [1988– ]

Pop Will Eat Itself [1986–1996]

Pop-O-Pies [1982–1993]

Genesis P-Orridge (1950–2020)

The Posies [1988– ]

Pretenders [1980– ]

Prefab Sprout [1984–1990]

Primal Scream [1987– ]

The Primitives [1986–1989]

The Psychedelic Furs [1980– ]

Pulnoc [1989– ]

Pulp [1983–2001]

The Pursuit of Happiness [1988– ]

Pussy Galore [1986–1990]

Robert Quine (1942– )

Lee Ranaldo (1956– )

Rank and File [1982–1987]

The Rattlers [1979–1985]

The Rave-Ups [1985–1990]

Red Hot Chili Peppers [1984– ]

Red Lorry Yellow Lorry [1982– ]

Redd Kross [1980– ]

The Reducers [1984– ]

R.E.M. [1982– ]

René and Angela

The Replacements [1981–1991]

Revolting Cocks [1986– ]

Keith Richards (1943– )

Stan Ridgway

Will Rigby (1956– )

Robbie Robertson (1943–2023)

Rockpile [1979–1980]

Nile Rodgers (1952– )

Royal Crescent Mob [1986– ]

Royal Trux [1988– ]

Sade (1959– )

Walter Salas-Humara

Joe Satriani (1956– )

Scandal

Scrawl [1987– ]

The Screaming Blue Messiahs [1984–1992]

Screaming Trees [1986–2000]

Screeching Weasel [1987– ]

Scritti Politti [1982– ]

Sebadoh [1989– ]

The Selecter [1980– ]

Brian Setzer (1959– )

Phil Seymour (1952–93)

Michelle Shocked (1962– )

Shonen Knife [1983– ]

Shop Assistants

Shriekback [1983– ]

Shrimp Boat [1986–1993]

The Silos [1985– ]

Simply Red [1985– ]

Slayer [1983– ]

Slint [1989–1991]

The Smiths [1984–1987]

Snap [1987– ]

Soft Cell [1981–1985]

Sonic Youth [1982– ]

Soul Asylum [1984– ]

Soul II Soul [1989– ]

Soundgarden [1987–1999]

A Split Second [1987– ]

Stacey Q (1958– )

Chris Stamey (1954– )

Sting (1951– )

The Stone Roses [1987–1996]

Joe Strummer (1952–2002)

Poly Styrene (1957–2011)

The Subdudes [1989– ]

The Suburbs [1980–1987]

The Sugarcubes [1988–1992]

Superchunk [1989– ]

Swans [1983– ]

Matthew Sweet (1964– )

Swing Out Sister [1987– ]

Tears for Fears [1983– ]

Technotronic [1989– ]

10,000 Maniacs [1982– ]

That Petrol Emotion [1986– ]

Thelonious Monster [1987– ]

They Might Be Giants [1983– ]

The Thompson Twins [1981– ]

Tracey Thorn (1962– )

The Three Johns [1983– ]

Throwing Muses [1984–1997]

Timbuk 3 [1986– ]

The Time [1981– ]

Sally Timms (1959– )

Tin Machine

Tom Tom Club [1981– ]

Tony Toni Toné [1988– ]

Too Much Joy [1987– ]

Transvision Vamp [1988–1991]

The Traveling Wilburys [1988–1990]

Trio [1981–1985]

Tronics [1980– ]

Trotsky Icepick [1986–1994]

Trouble Funk [1981– ]

John Trudell (1946–2015)

True West [1983–1986]

The Trypes [1984– ]

Moe Tucker

Tina Turner (1938– )

Tuxedomoon [1980– ]

U2 [1980– ]

Luther Vandross (1951–2005)

The Vaselines [1986–1990]

Stevie Ray Vaughan (1954–90)

Holly Beth Vincent

Violent Femmes [1982– ]

Voice of the Beehive [1987– ]

Volcano Suns [1985– ]

Volebeats [1989– ]

The Vulgar Boatmen [1989–1995]

The Waitresses [1981–1983]

Was (Not Was) [1981– ]

The Waterboys [1981–1993]

Chuck E. Weiss (1952– )

Barrence Whitfield (1955– )

Webb Wilder

Victoria Williams (1959– )

Brian Wilson (1942– )

Womack and Womack [1983– ]

X [1980– ]

Yaz

Yo La Tengo [1986– ]

Young Fresh Fellows [1984–1993]

Zazou Bikaye

Various Artists


Introduction