10 Best '80s Female Artists

The 10 best '80s female artists would arguably have to include Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Whitney Houston, Pat Benatar, Tina Turner, Sade, Gloria Estefan, Donna Summer, Irene Cara and Sheena Easton. Take a look back at the classic music videos from any of these ladies and you are sure to see exactly why they have been chosen as the ten best '80s female artists.

All of the most popular songs from the ten best '80s female artists are continually played on radio stations across the country, even more than two decades after their release. This is a testament to the greatness and longevity of our ten best '80s female artists. Some of the recording artists on this list still continue to perform. Others, because of the level of fame they achieved, will probably be in the public eye for years to come. While it would be a daunting task to include all of the ten best 80s female artists' top songs, it is possible to cite some of their most popular tunes.

1. Madonna This '80s icon has sold millions of CDs around the world. While she is known for mega hits such as "Like a Virgin" and "Material Girl," Madonna has also ventured into acting, producing and writing.
2. Cyndi Lauper Cyndi Lauper's album "She's So Unusual" launched her career as a successful recording artist. Her hits include "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," "Time After Time" and "She Bop."
3. Whitney Houston Despite her troubles in recent years, this amazingly talented singer was one of the most popular performers of the 1980s. It is clear that talent runs in Ms. Houston's family. Her mother is acclaimed gospel singer Cissy Houston and her cousin is Dionne Warwick. Whitney Houston is one of the most awarded artists ever to grace a stage.
4. Pat Benatar "Fire and Ice" and "We Belong" are just two of Pat Benatar's hits of the 1980s. Ms.Benatar has won four Grammy Awards during the course of her career.
5. Tina Turner Tina Turner is an international rock star. Ms. Turner was once married to Ike Turner, but she left him in 1976 and began a solo career. Her 1984 album, "Private Dancer," featured the number one single "What's Love Got to Do With It" and also "Let's Stay Together."
6. Sade The soulful singer from Nigeria is also a talented songwriter. Sade's fans love her smooth, mellow sound. Some of her hit songs are "Paradise," "The Sweetest Taboo" and "Your Love Is King."
   
7. Gloria Estefan The Cuban-American singer's hits "Get On Your Feet," "1 2 3" and "Here We Are" secured her place as America's top Latin recording artist in the 80s. Her breakthrough album with the Miami Sound Machine was titled "Primitive Love."
8. Donna Summer Donna Summer has won a remarkable five Grammy Awards. In the 80s, the former disco queen recorded "She Works Hard For The Money" and "State of Independence."
9. Irene Cara Irene Cara began her career in theater and television, then went into the music business. She sang the high-energy theme songs from the films "Fame" in 1980 and "Flashdance" in 1983.
10. Sheena Easton Ms. Easton hails from Scotland and she became an international sensation after recording her 80s hits "Strut" and "Sugar Walls." She is the winner of two Grammy Awards.

As you can see, the assortment of music from our illustrious ten 80s female recording artists literally defined the sound of a decade.