’80s Hard Rock Essentials

’80s Hard Rock Essentials

Hard rock ruled the suburbs in the ‘70s, but the ensuing decade took the genre to the next level. AC/DC kicked off 1980 with the infectious and tough-as-nails Back In Black, which set the standard for the next 10 years while becoming one of the best-selling rock albums of all time. Newly minted MTV propelled heavyweights like Van Halen, Def Leppard, and Judas Priest into the stratosphere while broadcasting hair metal nationwide via Mötley Crüe, Poison, and Twisted Sister. Meanwhile, Kiss enjoyed a makeup-free second act with Lick It Up, ZZ Top added synth-pop for Eliminator, and Guns N’ Roses welcomed everyone to the jungle.

Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada