The Groove

The greatest artists of the 1980s

333 artists ranked by the Groove — music.nw’s own measure of renown. Not an opinion, a fact computed from the record. Why?

No. 1

Metallica

United States of America · 1981– · heavy metal

251.080

Why this number?

The full board · page 6

121

Supertramp

United Kingdom · 1969–1970 · art rock 11.810

122

Blind Guardian

Germany · 1984– · power metal 11.790

123 Thomas Dolby

United Kingdom · 1958– · new wave 11.690

124

Tangerine Dream

Germany · 1967– · electronic 11.600

125

The Beatles

United Kingdom · 1960–1970 · rock 11.498

126 Cardiacs

United Kingdom · 1977–2020 · art rock 11.100

127

Lou Reed

United States of America · 1942–2013 · rock 11.040

128

They Might Be Giants

United States of America · 1982– · alternative rock 10.840

129

Simple Minds

United Kingdom · 1977– · new wave 10.840

130 Eurythmics

United Kingdom · 1980–2005 · new wave 10.810

131

Philip Glass

United States of America · 1937– · classical 10.800

132 The Mission

United Kingdom · 1985– · gothic rock 10.560

133 Tina Turner

Switzerland · 1939–2023 · pop rock 10.400

134 The Birthday Party

United Kingdom · 1980–1983 · post-punk 10.040

135

Soundgarden

United States of America · 1984–2017 · alternative rock 10.010

136 Violent Femmes

United States of America · 1980– · rock 9.960

137

Paul McCartney

United Kingdom · 1942– · pop rock 9.850

138

ABBA

Sweden · 1972–2022 · pop 9.830

139 Japan

United Kingdom · 1974–1982 · new wave 9.600

140 Men at Work

Australia · 1979–1985 · pop rock 9.530

141 Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band

United States of America · 1974– · rock 9.400

142 Killing Joke

United Kingdom · 1979– · rock 9.380

143 King Diamond

Denmark · 1985– · heavy metal 9.200

144 Tom Petty

United States of America · 1950–2017 · rock 9.020