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 9

193

Heart

United States of America · 1973– · rock 6.168

194 De La Soul

United States of America · 1987– · hip hop 6.080

195

Tony Iommi

United Kingdom · 1948– · heavy metal 6.030

196

John Lennon

United Kingdom · 1940–1980 · rock 6.000

197 Yoko Ono

United States of America · 1933– · rock 6.000

198

Steve Roach

United States of America · 1955– · ambient 5.880

199

Neil Young

Canada · 1945– · rock 5.810

200 Laurie Anderson

United States of America · 1947– · experimental 5.810

201

Robert Plant

United Kingdom · 1948– · hard rock 5.810

202 The The

United Kingdom · 1979– · new wave 5.810

203 My Bloody Valentine

Ireland · 1983– · shoegaze 5.600

204 N.W.A

United States of America · 1986–1992 · gangsta rap 5.600

205 Alphaville

Germany · 1983– · new wave 5.580

206 Christian Death

United States of America · 1979– · deathrock 5.580

207 Legião Urbana

Brazil · 1982–1996 · rock 5.580

208 Scientist

Jamaica · 1960– · dub 5.580

209 Minutemen

United States of America · 1980–1985 · post-punk 5.520

210 Annihilator

Canada · 1984– · thrash metal 5.400

211 芸能山城組

Japan · 1974– · ambient 5.400

212 Celtic Frost

Switzerland · 1984–2008 · heavy metal 5.390

213 Talk Talk

United Kingdom · 1981–1991 · post-rock 5.390

214 The Replacements

United States of America · 1979–1991 · alternative rock 5.390

215 Harold Budd

United States of America · 1936–2020 · ambient 5.220

216 Metal Church

United States of America · 1980– · heavy metal 5.220