The Top 80’s Pop Music Artists
A comprehensive list of the top 80’s pop music artists, including Madonna, Duran Duran, Michael Jackson, and more.
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (/tʃɪˈkoʊneɪ/ chi-KOH-nay; Italian: [tʃikˈkoːne]; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. Referred to as the “Queen of Pop” since the 1980s, Madonna is known for pushing the boundaries of songwriting in mainstream popular music and for the visuals she uses onstage and in music videos. She has frequently reinvented her music and image while maintaining autonomy within the recording industry. Although having sparked controversy, her works have been praised by music critics.
Born in Bay City, Michigan
Madonna was born in Bay City, Michigan, on August 16, 1958. She is of Italian-American descent. Her mother, Madonna Louise Fortin, was a devout Catholic, while her father, Silvio Anthony “Tony” Ciccone, was a successful engineer who worked for Chrysler and General Motors. Ciccone later opened his own tool and die business in downriver Michigan. Madonna had two paternal brothers: Anthony and Martin, and three maternal sisters: Paula, Christine, and Jacqueline.
Began her career with a series of independently released singles
In 1982, Madonna signed with Sire Records, a label owned by Warner Bros. Records. She began her career with a series of independently released singles that established her as an innovative dance-pop artist and elevated her to stardom. Her first two studio albums, Madonna (1983) and Like a Virgin (1984), both achieved commercial and critical success.
Signed with Sire Records in 1982
In February 1982, Madonna signed a singles deal with Sire Records, a label owned by Warner Bros. Records. The first single she released was “Everybody”, which was co-written by Mark Kamins, who worked with her on the sessions for her debut album. The B-side to the single was another track from the album, “Burning Up”.
Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson was an American singer, songwriter, and dancer. He was born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, and died on June 25, 2009, in Los Angeles, California. He was the eighth child of the Jackson family, and the first child of Joseph and Katherine Jackson.
Jackson’s 1982 album, “Thriller”, is the best-selling album of all time
In 1982, Jackson released Thriller, which became the best-selling album of all time. The album produced seven singles, including “Billie Jean” and “Beat It”, both of which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Jackson became the first artist to have five singles from one album reach number one on the Hot 100. With the success of Thriller, Jackson became a global figure in popular culture for his contributions to music, dance, and fashion. His other albums, including Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), and HIStory (1995), also rank among the world’s best-selling albums.
The album produced seven singles, all of which reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100
The album, Bad, was produced by Jackson and Quincy Jones. It was released on August 31, 1987 by Epic Records, nearly five years after Jackson’s previous album, Thriller. The album was a critical and commercial success; it set a record for the most consecutive number-one singles (seven) on the Hot 100 chart, with “Bad”, “The Way You Make Me Feel”, “Speed Demon”, “Another Part of Me”, and “Dirty Diana”, as well as the number-two single “Man in the Mirror” and the number-five single “Smooth Criminal”.
Jackson won eight Grammy Awards for “Thriller”
“Thriller” won eight Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, and Best Engineered Recording. The album also won three American Music Awards.
Prince
Prince was one of the most popular music artists of the 1980s. He was known for his flamboyant fashion sense and his unique voice. He was a master of many genres, including pop, rock, R&B, and funk. He wrote and performed many of his own hits, such as “Purple Rain,” “Kiss,” and “When Doves Cry.” He was also a talented instrumentalist, playing the guitar, drums, and keyboard. He won seven Grammy Awards, an Oscar, and a Golden Globe.
Born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Prince Rogers Nelson (June 7, 1958 – April 21, 2016) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer and filmmaker. He was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and developed an interest in music as a young child. Prince recorded his debut album For You in 1978. His 1979 album Prince went platinum due to the success of the singles “Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?” and “I Wanna Be Your Lover”. His next album, 1980’s Dirty Mind, contained sexually explicit material. After his 1980 Controversy tour, he released the album 1999 in 1982.
From 1983 to 1991 he achieved greater critical and commercial success with a series of albums including 1999 (1982), Purple Rain (1984), Around the World in a Day (1985), Parade (1986), Sign o’ the Times (1987) and Batman (1989). In 1984 he launched The Time with Morris Day. The following year he formed The Revolution as his backing band and released Purple Rain, which became both a critical and commercial success. It sold more than 20 million copies worldwide and earned him an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score for the film of the same name.
In 1986 he made Under The Cherry Moon with The Revolution which was less successful than Purple Rain but still achieved platinum status. In 1989 he started work on Graffiti Bridge which was finally released in 1990 to poor reviews but still managed to achieve gold certification. Diamonds and Pearls from 1991 featured new band members Dez Dickerson (guitar) and Levi Seacer Jr. (bass)
After releasing 1992’s Love Symbol Album he sacked The Revolution leaving him without a backing band for the first time since 1981’s Controversy Tour. Following this he changed his stage name to an unpronounceable symbol (). He then began what would be a 3 year hiatus from recording releasing only 2 songs before resurfacing in 1996 with Emancipation a 36 song triple album which received mixed reviews but again achieved Platinum status.”
Signed a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records in 1978
In 1978, Prince signed a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records. After releasing two unsuccessful albums, For You (1978) and Prince (1979), he achieved mainstream success with his next album, Dirty Mind (1980). It contained sexually charged material, including the title track, “Head”, and the single “Uptown”.
Released his debut album, “For You”, in 1978
Prince is a legendary Minneapolis-based musician who released his debut album, “For You”, in 1978. He has been praised for his virtuosic guitar playing, flashy stage presence, and sexually suggestive lyrics. He has had numerous hit songs throughout his career, including “Purple Rain”, “Kiss”, and “1999”. Prince was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.
Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper’s 1983 debut album She’s So Unusual made her the first female solo artist to have four Top 10 singles (“Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” “Time After Time,” “She Bop,” “All Through the Night”) from a debut album on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Born and raised in Queens, New York
Cyndi Lauper was born and raised in Queens, New York. Her musical career started in 1977 when she was discovered by David Wolff, who signed her up with his label Portrait Records. She rose to fame quickly with the release of her first album She’s So Unusual in 1983, which became the first debut album by a female artist to achieve four top-five singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and “Time After Time” were both huge international hits, while “She Bop” and “All Through the Night” did well in the US.
Lauper’s debut album, “She’s So Unusual”, was released in 1983
Lauper’s debut album, “She’s So Unusual”, was released in 1983. The album reached number four on the Billboard 200 chart and spawned four hit singles: “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”, “Time After Time”, “She Bop”, and “All Through the Night”. These singles made Lauper the first female artist to have four top-five singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart from a debut album. Lauper won two Grammy Awards in 1984 for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocalist.
The album’s lead single, “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”, became a global hit
In 1983, Lauper’s debut solo albumShe’s So Unusualwas released. The album’s lead single, “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”, was a global hit. It remains one of Lauper’s signature songs and was nominated for Song of the Year at the 1984 Grammy Awards. She received three additional Grammy nominations for the album, including Best New Artist. In 1986, Lauper released her second albumTrue Colors. The title track, which features Steve Tyler on background vocals, peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and became Lauper’s second and final single to top the chart. The album earned Lauper a fourth Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female.
Duran Duran
Formed in Birmingham, England, in 1978
Duran Duran was one of the most successful pop bands of the 1980s. The group was composed of singer Simon Le Bon, keyboardist Nick Rhodes, bassist John Taylor, and drummer Roger Taylor. Duran Duran’s first album, Duran Duran (1981), produced two hits that reached the top five in the UK: “Girls on Film” and “Planet Earth.” These were followed by the album Rio (1982), which yielded the hits “Hungry Like the Wolf” and “Save a Prayer.” The band’s next album, Seven and the Ragged Tiger (1983), produced the No. 1 hit “The Reflex.”
The band’s debut album, “Duran Duran”, was released in 1981
The band’s debut album, Duran Duran, was released in 1981. The album peaked at number three on the UK Albums Chart and was certified Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). It also reached the top ten in several other countries, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. The lead single “Planet Earth” peaked at number 12 on the UK Singles Chart and was played on high rotation by MTV.
The album’s lead single, “Planet Earth”, was a top 10 hit in the UK
Duran Duran achieved mainstream success with their 1982 self-titled debut album, which reached number three in the UK. The album’s lead single, “Planet Earth”, was a top 10 hit in the UK. The band’s next album, Rio (1982), topped the UK charts and spawned several successful singles, including “Hungry Like the Wolf” and “Save a Prayer”. Duran Duran’s success continued with the albums Seven and the Ragged Tiger (1983) and Notorious (1986).
The band experienced a decline in popularity during the late 1980s but experienced a resurgence in popularity with their 1993 album Duran Duran (The Wedding Album), which reached number four in the UK. The following year, they released another album, Thank You (1995), which charted at number one in the UK. Their most recent album, Paper Gods (2015), peaked at number 10 in the UK.
