10 Best 80's Rock Bands

There are numerous great bands from the 1980s, so the 10 best 80's rock bands list may be missing a few greats. Nonetheless, having so many great bands to choose from means an easily thrown together list of some of the best bands in a decade where music was great and powerful. 80's music lives on in the hearts of all who grew up in that decade.

1. KISS is by far the best 80's rock band ever. They had a grip on what rock should sound like, though they actually got their start in the 70's. It was in the 80's that KISS really made a name for themselves with songs like “Lick It Up” and “Forever.”
2. Motley Crue knew how to party and there music was the epitome of hair metal. This group of colorful individuals (which is where they derived their name from) formed in 1981 and are still rocking out to this day. Some of their best 80's tunes include “Too Fast For Love” and “Girls, Girls, Girls.”
3. RATT is a glam band that made VH1's list of “100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.” Their music is tough and memorable. They made their name in the 80's with tunes like “Round And Round” and “Back For More.”
4. Twisted Sister made an anthem for fans of 80's rock with “We're Not Gonna Take It.” That wasn't their only hit, and singer Dee Snider has not only made his name as front band of Twisted Sister, but he is also a popular radio show host of 80's music.
5. Guns N' Roses were popular in the 80's, but they faded away after singer Axl Rose lost control. The original band lives in infamy and their songs are still popular to this day. G N' R makes it on the 10 best 80's rock bands list because of songs like “Welcome To The Jungle,” “Paradise City,” and “Sweet Child O' Mine.”
6. Poison is another 80's band that everyone thinks of when asked about their favorite music of that decade. They gave glam rock a pop edge with some of their songs, and lead singer Brett Michaels made an awesome front man with his attitude. Best 80's Poison songs include “Talk Dirty To Me” and “Every Rose Has It's Thorn.”
7. Bon Jovi are still going strong. This band has had it's own ups and downs, but their sound and strength grows with each decade they are together. Who didn't love the album “Slippery When Wet.” No one can help but sing along to songs like “Livin' On A Prayer” and “You Give Love A Bad Name.”
8. Alice Cooper is the king of shock rock, and made the 80's a time of guillotines, whips and deeply dark music. This Michigan native puts on one wicked live show. Best 80's Alice Cooper songs include “Teenage Frankenstein,” “Poison” and “Bed of Nails.”
9. Dokken deserves a spot on the 10 best 80's rock bands because of their hard rock sound and because of songs like “Alone Again.” They may have been on the heavy side, but they still rocked.
10. 80's Van Halen began with David Lee Roth and ended with Sammy Hagar. Some people preferred Roth and some Hagar. Roth rocked out songs like “Panama” and “Hot For Teacher”, while Hagar made “I Can't Drive 55” one of the coolest songs ever!