The 1980s gave us a wide variety of excellent music. The new wave on the radio of the early 80s slowly turned into more hair metal bands later in the decade. But many of the great bands in the early '80s didn't stop making excellent music.
And because the music was so diverse early in the decade, the music-listening public could quickly move their fandom from one band to the next. This meant some worthy bands got left behind more quickly.
But the three bands that follow are ones that not only should people have kept listening to for the entire decade, but should keep having on high rotation. Multiple records with multiple great tracks? Yes, these bands have that and more.
Front 242
You can't listen to Front 242 without hearing rumblings of Nine Inch Nails. But that's likely because Trent Reznor of NIN would have been influenced by Front 242. The song "Welcome to Paradise," in fact, seems like a more primitive recording of a very early NIN track. But that's not meant as a slight to Front 242; They just didn't have the same tech that Reznor would in later years.
Front 242 began in Belgium in the 1981 and basically helped create techno and industrial music. The band called it "electronic body music." The bands they helped influence are simply too many to name, but it's important to note that Front 242 were more influenced by groups like Joy Division, so you get an idea of how Front 242's sound, while electronic, also can have dark undertones. Think of something like Depeche Mode's Black Celebration album and you'll somewhat get the idea.
If you like groups such as Ministry, you'll love Front 242. The lyrics aren't overly happy, and that's part of the point. But early Front 242 concerts were more like metal concerts with the volume turned up to 11 and a stage presence that was highly aggressive. In other words, you should find and watch a bunch of Front 242 videos on YouTube because it will make your day better.
Big Country
Big Country sounded different from the beginning. If you didn't know they were from Scotland before listening to their massively popular single "In a Big Country" then once the track begins and you hear guitars engineered to sound like bagpipes, you might have guessed their country of origin. But people who stopped tuning into the band after that song or after the excellent debut album in 1983, The Crossing, missed out on a lot of great music.
The band's second album, Steeltown, was released in 1984 and grew the group's overall sound, but the lyrics were stronger as well. Three singles were released with the highest charting of the three, "East of Eden," reaching number 17 in the UK. There are several burners on the record, beginning with the opener, "Flame of the West." "Where the Rose is Sown" has a truly beautiful melody even if the words deal with political tragedy.
The band then didn't release their third album, The Seer, until 1986. While there are several excellent tracks on the record, most of the record-buying public had moved on from the sound of the group. But if you haven't heard the single, "Look Away," then as soon as you stop reading this article (thank you for doing so, by the way) then you should find the song on your favorite streaming device and listen. Or just play the YouTube link above.
The band still tours with a couple of remaining founding members, but sadly singer/lyricist/guitarist Stuart Adamson passed away from suicide in 2001. His voice was perfect for what the band wanted to do when it began. The group was so excellent that you should still be listening to them.
The Fixx
Though The Fixx and Big Country sounded extremely different, they both had their own unique concept when they began. Somehow though the 1980s were five decades ago, there seemed more openness to groups that just weren't like others. Nowadays, there's more access to music because of all the streaming services, but the way music is packaged makes it more difficult to create a difference between the Olivia Rodrigos of the world compared to the Dua Lipas.
Other music news and analysis
While The Fixx was considered "new wave," they didn't feature a synth as much as many other groups in the ealy 1980s. The Fixx was much more streamlined and guitar-driven. The lyrics, however, like many other bands of their kind, featured somewhat apocalyptic overtones. They started in an England still dealing with post-World War II concerns and during the cold war. Having songs about dire situations just made sense.
Plus, The Fixx's tinny sound was somehow exciting and enduring at the same time. It was so different that Tina Turner wanted singer Cy Curnin and guitarist Jamie West-Oram to be a part of the single "Better Be Good to Me" and even though that song isn't a Fixx original, the song still differs sonically from nearly anything else on the radio at the time.
But some of the band's best songs in my opinion came after hit albums Reach the Beach and Phantoms. "Secret Separation" from 1986's Walkabout has chord changes that every tune she have and Curnin sounds brilliant. "Driven Out" from 1989's Calm Animals resembles what REM was doing around the same time and that's a great thing. In other words, maybe listen to a little Fixx later today.