20 underrated bands from the 1980s 

To a good chunk of American pop-rock fans from the 1980s, A-ha is about "Take On Me" and its creatively cool music video. However, the Norwegian trio also had a top-20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." from 1985. The band put out three total albums in the 1980s, saw the Go-Go's Gina Schock sit in on drums for appearances on American Bandstand and Solid Gold, was knighted in its homeland, and released an 11th studio album in 2022. 

Contrary to popular opinion, Anvil is not a novelty act — much in the same form as Spinal Tap. This Canadian metal outfit, which is beloved in Germany, has long delivered high-energy live sets. It's also known for influencing the likes of Metallica, Guns N' Roses, and Slayer. Since debuting in 1981, Anvil has released 19 studio albums. Led by guitarist and vocalist Steve "Lips" Kudlow, Anvil enjoyed most of its notable success during the early 1980s, then truly came into the mainstream following the 2008 documentary Anvil! The Story of Anvil.

BDP hit the ground running with 1987's debut Criminal Minded, what critics consider the earliest example of gangsta rap with some Jamaican-inspired flare thrown in for good measure. Comprised of MC Kris "KRS-One" Parker, D-Nice, and DJ Scott La Rock (who was murdered shortly after the release of Criminal Minded), the New York City trio pulled no punches when it came to depicting the reality of their South Bronx neighborhood. BDP is rightfully considered a pioneer, but once the rap/hip-hop genres broke into the mainstream, the group's work seemed to get overshadowed. Yet, its legacy remains strong.

Cinderella had no problem riding the 1980s hair band wave to mainstream notoriety. But when it came to overall popularity, the Philly-area rockers never reached the heights of Motley Crue, Bon Jovi, or Poison. However, Cinderella was among the few bands of the time that stood out for its musical abilities. Led by raspy-voiced frontman/guitarist Tom Keifer, Cinderella's sound was heavily steeped in the blues. It showed most notably on the group's second album Long Cold Winter (1988), and other releases in the 1990s after grabbing our attention with its 1986 debut, Night Songs.

These Bay Area thrashers never enjoyed the commercial success of metal buddies Metallica, but Exodus has long been hailed among the true pioneers of the northern California thrash/speed metal movement. Exodus' first three studio releases — Bonded by Blood (1985), Pleasures of the Flesh (1987), and Fabulous Disaster (1989) — represent the band at its best. Raw, unbridled, and musically furious. The likes of Testament, Anthrax, and Death Angel have long considered Exodus a major influence. And, while guitarist Gary Holt and singer Steve "Zetro" Souza are the most recognized current members of the band, Metallica's Kirk Hammett was part of the lineup in the early years.

A partial offshoot of ska-pop-punkers The Beat, FYC put out just two records, with its second, The Raw & the Cooked (1989), reaching No. 1 on the Billboard 200 — thanks to mainstream pop favorites "She Drives Me Crazy" and "Good Thing." Of course, that overshadowed the band's underrated self-titled debut from four years earlier. The opener "Johnny Come Home" was a hit in the United Kingdom, and the Cannibals' version of Elvis' "Suspicious Minds" is simply fantastic.

Led by underappreciated frontman Cy Curnin, new wave/pop rockers The Fixx broke out in the U.S. with their second record, Reach the Beach (1983). It featured top-20 hits "One Thing Leads to Another" and "Saved by Zero." However, later tracks "Are We Ourselves?" and "Secret Separation" cracked the top 40 but have long been forgotten in America. Not to mention the severely underrated "Deeper and Deeper" from the Streets of Fire (1984) soundtrack.

Beginning with 1982's Geography , Belgium's Front 242 is considered a pioneer of the industrial and EBM music scene. However, when it came to mainstream popularity and what MTV was playing, somewhat similar outfits like New Order and Nitzer Ebb — and to a certain extent, Depeche Mode — generated more interest. Yet, it didn't stop Front 242. Half of the group's eight albums were released in the 1980s, and 1988's " Headhunter" is likely its most recognizable track. 

Kihn and Co. started in the Bay Area in the mid-1970s, but the outfit enjoyed its first real success with the release of 1981's RocKihnRoll. The album featured the top-20 hit "The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)." Two years later, the band produced its only top-10 hit with "Jeopardy." But the group kept going, and by the end of the '80s, had put out 12 albums. And Kihn was still going strong well into the 2000s. 

It can't be understated how influential this famed Twin Cities trio had on bands of punk, metal, and alternative music (Dave Grohl, Billy Gorgan, Metallica). Yeah, that's right. Yet, Hüsker Dü, which began as a hardcore punk band in the late 1970s before taking on a more alternative vibe, never seemed to get its due in real-time. The band's second release, double album Zen Arcade (1984), showcased the stellar songwriting abilities of guitarist Bob Mould, who has enjoyed a successful post-Hüsker Dü career, and late drummer Grant Hart. Both shared vocals during the band's run, which ended in the late 1980s.

It's safe to say that Jesus and Mary Chain never got its due. While not a consistent mainstream presence like The Psychedelic Furs, Jesus and Mary Chain paved the way for plenty of the 1990s alt-rockers to shine. The band's three records from the 1980s — Psychocandy (1985), Darklands (1987), and Automatic (1989) — delivered a well-balanced mix of emotionally complex yet functional rock. Check out Darklands highlights "April Skies" and "Happy When It Rains." Perhaps Jesus and Mary Chain was before its time.

From New York City, Lisa Lisa and Co. featured a mix of pop, soul, and Latin hip-hop. Cult Jam was fronted by Lisa Valez (aka Lisa Lisa) and produced by Full Force, which was part of the band's 1985 Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force debut. The album featured club favorite "Can You Feel the Beat" and top-10 hit "All Cried Out." Hits like "Head to Toe" and "Lost in Emotion" followed during the decade, and the band's catalog continued to be popular with dance crowds and club kids.

Yes, yes, "The Safety Dance" (go ahead, do it at home) was a pop culture and MTV phenomenon in the early 1980s. But these Canadian new wave/synth-poppers are not worthy of the one-hit-wonder status. "Pop Goes the World," from the band's 1987 third studio album of the same name, was also a top-20 hit in the U.S. and might be a better overall song. In total, the group put out four albums during the '80s, then another in the 1990s, and three this century. 

The Replacements are more popular today than back in the '80s. Like fellow Twin Cities rockers Hüsker Dü, The Replacements, with the classic lineup of vocalist Paul Westerberg, guitarist Bob Stinson, bassist Tommy Stinson, and drummer Chris Mars started out with a punk vibe. The band picked up traction during the decade when its sound shifted toward alternative. Since that wasn't mainstream back then, tracks like "Unsatisfied," "Bāstards of Young," "Alex Chilton," "Can't Hardly Wait," and "I'll Be You" have become early alternative classics over the years.

Sure, these Sacramento rockers earned some mainstream success with the top-10 Billboard Hot 100 hit "Love Song" and perhaps started the unplugged craze in 1990 with its version of "Signs" from the five-man Five Man Acoustical Jam. But they seemed lost in the shadows of the 1980s hair metal scene. MTV lumped Tesla in with bands from that genre, but it was much more refined. Steeped in the blues and clad in jeans, Tesla delivered a pure rock sound fueled by the Marlboro-stained voice of Jeff Keith and the underappreciated guitar work of Frank Hannon. Just give a listen to its 1986 debut Mechanical Resonance and follow-up The Great Radio Controversy (1989). Tesla is going strong.

Considering The Time was employed by Prince, it would always be in the shadow of the great one. However, Morris Day and Co., which included what would become the famed production duo of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis as members in the early days, generated their own following thanks to dance-pop/funk-soul classics like "The Bird" and "Jungle Love" during the 1980s. Not to mention Day's superb acting performance in Purple Rain. The Time's prominence somewhat resurfaced with its inclusion in 2001's Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

The pride of Milwaukee, the Femmes are responsible for such sing-a-long folk punk-alternative rock favorites like "Blister in the Sun," "Add it Up," American Music," "Kiss Off," and "Gone Daddy Gone." The band's self-titled 1982 album is arguably one of the great rock debuts. Yet, the band deserved more acclaim than just a loyal following that seems somewhat limited to the Midwest. Then again, maybe that's what makes the group so appealing: alternative in every sense of the word.

As far as the 1980s girl rock bands went, the Go-Go's and The Bangles pretty much garnered most of the attention. However, Vixen held its own in the hair/glam metal world. With top-40 hits like "Edge of a Broken Heart" and "Cryin'" from its self-titled 1988 debut, Vixen became an MTV staple and was just as capable of rock success as its male counterparts within the genre. The band's 1990 follow-up Rev It Up (1990) didn't garner the same attention as its debut, with the mainstream music scene changing. It seemed they were too late to the party.

Wang Chung was not a novelty and shouldn't be considered a one-hit-wonder. From 1983-87, the band produced three top-20 hits in the United States: "Dance Hall Days" 1984), "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" (1986), and "Let's Go!" (1987). But "To Live and Die in L.A." was the theme song to the popular neo-noir crime drama from 1985, and Nick Feldman and Jack Hues were pretty solid musicians and songwriters who never seemed to get credit for that aspect of their legacy. 

As complex as XTC's music might have sounded, the band's happenings behind the scenes seemed even worse (management issues, financial problems, striking against its record label). To the casual alt-pop rock fans, these new-wave post-punks were best known for the controversial 1986 single "Dear God." But, before and after, XTC was well thought of in the United Kingdom and enjoyed modest success in the U.S. Black Sea, from 1980, was the band's most popular record in America (reaching No. 41 on the Billboard 200). It included "Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me)," among vocalist/guitarist Andy Partridge's shining moments as a songwriter.