The '80s Ruled

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Classic Def Leppard – ‘Let It Go’ From 1981’s ‘High ‘n’ Dry’ Album

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If you’ve ever wondered why Def Leppard hate the “hair band” label, all you have to do is look at their career. They’ve been rocking and producing awesome rock n’ roll songs since the group was founded in 1977 (most “hair bands” were just toddlers at the time).

To date, they’ve released 11 studio albums, two live albums, four compilation albums, 60 singles and 45 music videos including the one below for ‘Let It Go’ from their 1981 2x Platinum High ‘n’ Dry album!

Simply put, Def Leppard are one of the great rock bands of our generation!

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Hear ‘n Aid – ‘Stars’ Featuring Dio, Judas Priest, Quiet Riot, Dokken, Motley Crue and More

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In 1985, various hard rock and heavy metal artists came together to raise money for famine relief in Africa.

The project called Hear ‘n Aid was championed by Ronnie James Dio, and it featured contributions from Ted Nugent, Yngwie Malmsteen, Tommy Aldridge and members of Dio, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Quiet Riot, Dokken, Mötley Crüe, Twisted Sister, Queensrÿche, Blue Öyster Cult, Vanilla Fudge, Y&T, Rough Cutt, Giuffria, Journey, W.A.S.P. and Night Ranger as well as the parody band Spinal Tap.

Lead vocals:

Eric Bloom (Blue Öyster Cult)
Ronnie James Dio (Dio)
Don Dokken (Dokken)
Kevin DuBrow (Quiet Riot)
Rob Halford (Judas Priest)
Dave Meniketti (Y&T)
Paul Shortino (Rough Cutt)
Geoff Tate (Queensrÿche)

Backing vocals:

Tommy Aldridge (Ozzy Osbourne)
Dave Alford (Rough Cutt)
Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge/King Kobra)
Vinny Appice (Dio)
Jimmy Bain (Dio)
Frankie Banali (Quiet Riot)
Mick Brown (Dokken)
Vivian Campbell (Dio)
Carlos Cavazo (Quiet Riot)
Amir Derakh (Rough Cutt)
Buck Dharma (Blue Öyster Cult)
Brad Gillis (Night Ranger)
Craig Goldy (Giuffria)
Chris Hager (Rough Cutt)
Chris Holmes (W.A.S.P.)
Blackie Lawless (W.A.S.P.)
George Lynch (Dokken)
Yngwie Malmsteen
Mick Mars (Mötley Crüe)
Michael McKean (in character, and credited as David St. Hubbins of Spinal Tap)
Vince Neil (Mötley Crüe)
Ted Nugent
Eddie Ojeda (Twisted Sister)
Jeff Pilson (Dokken)
Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot)
Claude Schnell (Dio)
Neal Schon (Journey)
Harry Shearer (in character, and credited as Derek Smalls of Spinal Tap)
Mark Stein (Vanilla Fudge)
Matt Thorr (Rough Cutt)

Lead guitar solos
1st solo:

Craig Goldy (Giuffria)
Eddie Ojeda (Twisted Sister)
2nd solo:

Vivian Campbell (Dio)
Brad Gillis (Night Ranger)
3rd solo:

Neal Schon (Journey)
George Lynch (Dokken)
4th solo:

Yngwie Malmsteen
Vivian Campbell (Dio)
5th solo:

George Lynch (Dokken)
Carlos Cavazo (Quiet Riot)
6th solo:

Brad Gillis (Night Ranger)
Buck Dharma (Blue Öyster Cult)
Rhythm guitar melody lines

Enjoy this look back at the stars from Hear ‘n Aid performing Stars in 1985!

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Kevin DuBrow – 80’s Superstar Gone Too Soon

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Kevin DuBrow was the lead singer of one of our favorite 80’s rock bands, Quiet Riot. Quiet Riot was formed way back in 1975. Ozzy Osbourne’s late guitarist Randy Rhoads actually formed the band with bassist Kelly Garni. They recruited DuBrow, and in 1979, Rhoads left the band to join Ozzy, and he personaly enlisted Greg Leon as his replacement on guitar.

With DuBrow, Quiet Riot released ten studio albums and scored a top five hit in 1983 with ‘Cum on Feel The Noize’. They also scored six top 40 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts.

Sadly, DuBrow was found dead at his home on November 25, 2007. It was determined he had actually passed away from an accidental cocaine overdose on November 19, 2007, but his body wasn’t discovered until November 25th. A sad ending to the life of a great singer.

DuBrow’s younger brother is reality TV star Dr. Terry DuBrow, who stars in Botched and is married to Heather from The Real Housewives of Orange County.

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The 10 Worst Movies Of The 1980s

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Check out WatchMojo’s list of the top ten worst movies of the 1980’s. We have to agree with them, these movies are really, really bad!

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Ratt – ‘Lay It Down’ Official Music Video

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‘Lay It Down’ was the first single released from Ratt’s 1985 ‘Invasion of Your Privacy’ album, and it was their second top 20 rock hit, peaking at #11 on the Mainstream Rock charts. In our opinion, Ratt were vastly underrated as they released their first LP back in 1983 and continued releasing albums all the way up to 2010!

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Chris Penn – 80’s Superstar Gone Too Soon

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For those of us who grew up in the 80’s, our fondest memories of Chris Penn are from the movie ‘Footloose’. Penn played the part of Willard, Kevin Bacon’s character Ren’s best friend, and the worst dancer known to man, at least at the beginning of the movie, but as the movie progressed, Ren taught Willard how to dance, and as you’ll see in the video, he taught him quite well!

In addition to ‘Footloose’, Penn also starred in the 80’s films ‘All The Right Moves’ and ‘Pale Rider’.

Sadly, Penn passed away in his home in Santa Monica, CA on January 24, 2006 at the young age of 40 with the primary cause of death being heart disease.

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Laura Branigan – 80’s Superstar Gone Too Soon

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Laura Branigan’s 1982 single Gloria stayed on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for 36 weeks, peaking at number two.

Branigan was born in Brewster, New York on July 3, 1952, and she died of a brain aneurysm in her sleep at her lodge in East Quoque, New York in 2004.

Branigan released seven studio albums, 14 music videos and 21 singles during her career.

Laura Branigan… an ’80s icon who left us way too soon.

Enjoy this look back at videos for some of her biggest hits like Gloria, Solitaire, Self Control, The Lucky One, and Spanish Eddie!

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Warrant’s Jani Lane – ’80s Superstar Gone Too Soon

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Jani Lane was the lead singer for the ’80s rock band Warrant. In the late ’80s and early ’90s, Warrant scored five top 20 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, including a number two hit for Heaven. While Heaven was their biggest hit on the charts, they’re probably most remembered (it wasn’t a good memory for Lane) for their music video for Cherry Pie featuring model Bobbie Brown who Lane married in 1991.

Lane was born in Akron, Ohio on February 1, 1964, and sadly, he passed away on August 11, 2011 of acute alcohol poisoning in Woodland Hills, California. You are missed Jani… RIP.

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Van Halen – ‘Dreams’ Rare Music Video

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If you loved Van Halen during the Sammy Hagar years, then you’re gonna love this rare look at the music video for ‘Dreams’, where the band went back to the Whiskey A Go-Go to perform a “secret” concert. Needless the say, the secret got out as you’ll see in the video below.

How cool would it have been to see them in their prime in such a small venue like the Go-Go?

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Jan Hammer – ‘Miami Vice’ Theme Official Music Video

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In the 80s, it didn’t get much hotter than Miami Vice, and the man who recorded the shows theme song, Jan Hammer scored a number one song on the Billboard charts on November 9, 1985.

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Cheap Trick – ‘The Flame’ Official Music Video

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Cheap Trick experienced a resurgence in their popularity when they released their 1988 album ‘Lap of Luxury’ which included their only number one song of their career, ‘The Flame’ and the top five hit ‘Don’t Be Cruel’. According to Wikipedia, “The band disliked the song at first; Rick Nielsen disliked the song so much on first hearing that he yanked it from the tape player and ground the cassette beneath his boot heel. In 2021, Nielsen emphasized that he did not dislike “The Flame” and thought there was “Probably more good than bad on it.” Well, whether they liked it or not, most of their old fans liked it, and their new fans loved it!

At the time, their last top ten hit was 1979’s ‘I Want You To Want Me’, which hit number seven on the Hot 100 charts.

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Seinfeld – ‘The Very First Scene’ From Season 1 Episode 1 in 1989

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On Wednesday, July 5, 1989, The Seinfeld Chronicles began with Jerry and George sitting in the diner talking about nothing. Almost 30 years later, and the show about nothing is still one of the most popular sitcoms on TV. Enjoy a look back at how it all began…

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’80s Scandals – Ozzy Osbourne Bites The Head Off A Bat

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During a concert in 1982 in Des Moines, Iowa, a fan threw a live bat onto the stage while Ozzy Osbourne was performing. Thinking it was a fake bat, Ozzy picked it up and put the bats head in his mouth and bit it off. As a result, Ozzy had to get rabies shots, and the rest is rock n’ roll history!

Enjoy this look back at one of the most infamous scenes in rock n’ roll history when Ozzy Osbourne bit of the head of a live bat!

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The Top 10 Cheesiest One-Hit Wonders Of the 1980’s

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The ’80s certainly gave us some cheesy songs, but that’s also why we love the ’80s so much! From Bruce Willis’s ‘Respect Yourself’ to Toni Basil’s ‘Mickey’, here’s WatchMojo’s top 10 cheesiest one-hit wonders of the 1980’s!

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Robert Palmer – ‘Simply Irresistible’ Music Video

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‘Simply Irresistible’ was the first single released from the late Robert Palmer’s 1988 ‘Heavy Nova’ album. It hit number one on the Billboard Rock charts and number two on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.

The iconic music video below featured supermodels of the day and leading dancers that he met while visiting the Kentucky Derby. Enjoy a look back at one of the most popular and most remembered music videos from the ’80s!

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Dolly Parton Performing ‘I Will Always Love You’ In ‘The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas’

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In 1982, Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton starred in ‘The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas’, and Dolly Parton’s re-recording of ‘I Will Always Love You’ for the movie hit number one on the Billboard Country charts.

She had previously hit number one with the song in 1974. Enjoy this clip from the movie where Dolly sings the song to Burt Reynolds!

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Stryper – ‘Calling On You’ Music Video

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‘Calling On You’ was track number three on Stryper’s third album ‘To Hell With The Devil’. Stryper were and remain one of the only Christian heavy metal bands to achieve mainstream success, and in the ’80s, their music videos were always at the top of MTV’s daily top ten video countdown.

‘Calling On You’ didn’t chart on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, but it did pave the way for ‘Honestly’, which became their biggest hit on the Hot 100 charts when it peaked at number 23 in 1987.

If you’re a big fan of Stryper, check out lead singer Michael Sweet’s interview with our partners at The 80its podcast.

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Lou Gramm – ‘Midnight Blue’ Official Music Video

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In 1987, Lou Gramm released his first solo album called ‘Ready or Not’, which produced his first solo top five hit ‘Midnight Blue’. Enjoy Lou Gramm’s music video for ‘Midnight Blue’!

Midnight Blue Lyrics:

Ain’t got no regrets
I ain’t losin’ track
Of which way I’m going
Ain’t gonna double back, no

Don’t want no misplay
Put on no display
An angel? no
But I know my way, oh yeah, oh

I used follow
Yeah, that’s true
But my following days are over
Now I just gotta follow through

And I remember what my father said
He said “Son, life is simple
It’s either cherry red or
Midnight blue, oh
Midnight blue (oh) oh”

You were the restless one
And you did not care
That I was the trouble boy
Lookin’ for a double dare

I won’t apologize for
The things I’ve done and said
But when I win your heart
I’m gonna paint it cherry red

I don’t want to talk about it
What you do to me
I can’t live without it

And you might think that
It’s much too soon
For us to go this far
Into the midnight blue, oh
It’s midnight blue (oh) oh

Things could be different
But that’d be a shame
‘Cause I’m the one who could feel the sun
Right in the pouring rain

I won’t say where
And I don’t know when
But soon there’s gonna come a day, baby
I’ll be back again

Yeah, I’ll be back for you
You see, I’m saving up my love

Midnight blue, oh
Into the midnight blue, oh
Another midnight blue, oh
The deepest midnight blue, oh

Into the midnight blue (oh) oh
Midnight blue, oh, oh yeah
Midnight blue, oh
The deepest midnight blue, oh, oh

Into the midnight blue

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Asia – ‘Heat of the Moment’ Official Music Video

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Asia were an early 80’s supergroup made up of members from different progressive rock bands like Yes, King Crimson, the Buggles and Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Their 1982 self-titled debut album was a massive success and produced three top ten rock hits and one top ten pop hit. ‘Heat of the Moment’ was the debut single from the album and it peaked at #4 on the pop charts and #1 on the rock charts. Enjoy!

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The Cult – ‘She Sells Sanctuary’ Music Video

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The Cult’s ‘She Sells Sanctuary’ was originally recorded and released as a stand-alone single, but it was also included on their 1985 ‘Love’ album, which in our opinion is one of the best alternative rock albums of the 80s!

While it didn’t chart on the Hot 100 charts in the U.S., it did become their first top 20 hit in the UK when it peaked at number 15 in 1985. It also peaked at number 11, which remains their highest charting single in Canada.

‘She Sells Sanctuary’ did crack the top 40 in the U.S. however on the US Dance Club Songs charts when it peaked at number 36. We’ve never really thought of The Cult as dance club music, but apparently Billboard magazine did in ’85.

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Gene Loves Jezebel – ‘Motion Of Love’ Music Video

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During the 80s, every band had a shot to make it if their music video was played on MTV, and Gene Loves Jezebel were one of those bands who never experienced a ton of success on the music charts, but their music videos were played heavily on MTV. This video for ‘Motion Of Love’ was played very heavily on MTV in 1988, and subsequently, their next single ‘Jealous’ hit number one on the Billboard rock charts. Enjoy!

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Heart – ‘Never’ Official Music Video

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‘Never’ was a top five hit for Heart on both the Hot 100 and Rock charts back in 1985. It was the second single released from their 1985 self-titled album that spawned four top ten hits on the charts!

At the time of its release, ‘Never’ became Heart’s highest charting single on the Hot 100 charts when it peaked at number four in 1985. The next year, they hit number one for the first time on the Hot 100 charts with ‘These Dreams’.

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Boston Performing Their Number One Song ‘Amanda’ Live In Concert

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Boston’s 1986 single ‘Amanda’ was one of the biggest hits of the ’80s hitting number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Mainstream Rock charts as well as number on the Canadian charts. It’s even more impressive when you consider that Boston’s ‘Third Stage’ album was released eight years after their previous album ‘Don’t Look Back’, which was released in 1978.

‘Third Stage’ was a huge success and spawned not only a number one hit with ‘Amanda’, but also two top 20 hits on the Hot 100 charts for ‘We’re Ready’ and ‘Can’tcha Say (You Believe In Me)/Still in Love’ and another top five rock hit with ‘Cool The Engines’.

Here’s Boston performing ‘Amanda’ live in concert!

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Van Halen – ‘Dance The Night Away’ Official Music Video

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Van Halen’s ‘Dance The Night Away’ was their first top 20 hit on the Billboard charts when it peaked at #15 on the Hot 100 charts in 1979. It was the first single released from their Van Halen II album, and it helped launch VH into the 80’s as one of the best hard rock bands in the U.S.!

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Air Supply – ‘Making Love Out Of Nothing At All’ Music Video from 1983

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Air Supply’s ‘Making Love Out of Nothing at All’ was a number two hit on both the Billboard Hot 100 and AC charts in 1983. The song has become a classic love song that you can hear playing on soft rock stations across the country on a daily basis.

Unfortunately for Air Supply, after scoring eight top ten hits on the Hot 100 charts in the U.S., this was their last top ten hit, and they would only score one more top 40 hit on the Hot 100 charts when ‘Just As I Am’ peaked at #19 in 1985. But, when it comes to ’80s love songs, Air Supply are hard to beat, and ‘Making Love Out of Nothing at All’ is one of their best!

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Laura Branigan – ‘Gloria’ Live on Solid Gold in 1982

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In 1982, Laura Branigan released her first studio album titled Branigan. The album went Platinum thanks to the success of the second single Gloria. Gloria went number one in both Australia and Canada, and it peaked at number two in the US on the Hot 100 charts and number four on the US Dance charts.

Here she is performing ‘Gloria’ live on ‘Solid Gold’ back in 1982. Sadly, she passed away in her sleep in 2004 from a brain aneurysm. We miss you Laura… She had a wonderful voice and is sorely missed by her fans.

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Juice Newton – ‘Angel Of The Morning’ Official Music Video from 1981

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Juice Newton has been singing and entertaining audiences since the late ’70s, and in 1981, she scored her first number one hit on the Billboard AC charts with ‘Angel of the Morning’. It was her first big hit and the first single from her ’81 ‘Juice’ album! She would go on to score two more number one songs on the AC charts with ‘The Sweetest Thing (I’ve Ever Known)’ and ‘Break It to Me Gently’.

She also scored four number one songs on the country charts in the ’80s as well. Here she is with her official music video for ‘Angel of the Morning’!

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Heart – ‘All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You’ Official Music Video

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All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You was a massive hit for Heart worldwide peaking in the top five in numerous charts around the world including #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Mainstream Rock charts. The song was first recorded as “All I Want to Do Is Make Love to You” by Dobie Gray in 1979, though with different lyrics. Heart’s version tells the story of a woman who sets out to seduce a hitchhiker in order to become pregnant because the man in her life is infertile. Not exactly a textbook love song, but creative nonetheless.

All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You is Heart’s last top 10 hit on the Hot 100 charts to date. Here’s Heart with their official music video for All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You!

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The Foo Fighters with Rick Astley – ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ Live in London In 2017

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Well, here’s something you don’t see very often. It’s 80’s pop icon Rick Astley performing his number one hit ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ live with The Foo Fighters, and it’s fantastic! The language isn’t safe for work, but the performance is definitely worth the listen!

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