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 7

145 Public Enemy

United States of America · 1985– · hip hop 9.000

146 The Sugarcubes

Iceland · 1986–1992 · alternative rock 9.000

147 Billy Idol

United Kingdom · 1955– · rock 8.820

148

Deep Purple

United Kingdom · 1968– · hard rock 8.800

149

Toto

United States of America · 1977– · rock 8.760

150

Elton John

United Kingdom · 1947– · rock 8.640

151 Morbid Angel

United States of America · 1983– · death metal 8.600

152

Whitney Houston

United States of America · 1963–2012 · pop 8.600

153 Suzanne Vega

United States of America · 1959– · rock 8.600

154

Napalm Death

United Kingdom · 1982– · grindcore 8.580

155 Adam and the Ants

United Kingdom · 1977–1982 · new wave 8.580

156 Voivod

Canada · 1982– · heavy metal 8.580

157 Cabaret Voltaire

United Kingdom · 1973– · electro 8.550

158 Montserrat Caballé

Spain · 1933–2018 · classical 8.400

159 David Byrne

United States of America · 1952– · art rock 8.200

160 Run‐D.M.C.

United States of America · 1982–2002 · hip hop 8.200

161

Chris Rea

United Kingdom · 1951–2025 · rock 8.200

162

Sinéad O’Connor

Ireland · 1966–2023 · rock 8.190

163 George Michael

United Kingdom · 1963–2016 · pop 8.040

164 Ministry

United States of America · 1981– · industrial 8.020

165 Asia

United Kingdom · 1981– · rock 8.000

166 Big Black

United States of America · 1982–1987 · post-hardcore 7.980

167 Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

United States of America · 1965–1982 · experimental rock 7.908

168 Sepultura

Brazil · 1984– · metal 7.780