Three 1980s supergroups that were fantastic (and one that should have been)

Let's take a look at supergroups from the 1980s after focusing on Cream and Eric Clapton from the 1960s and several great 1970s bands. The 1980s had several supergroups that could lay a claim to being a top band. They also had a few that had amazing potential, but just didn't fit the criteria I’ve been using.

The majority of the band members should be successful in their own right musically before they come together as a new group. It’s fair to stipulate they have to release at least one album, otherwise, we end up with a long list of one-off live gigs where musicians teamed up for a song or two. To also ward off some lesser attempts to claim the supergroup title they also need to tour as a band. 

For the 1980s that, in my book anyway, rules out Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds where Cave was well known and established, but the band much less so. It also puts a line through Deep End, which featured Pete Townsend and David Gilmour, but only released live albums from the couple of charity gigs where they got together. With that all made clear, let's focus on three top supergroups from the 1980s and one more fantastic band that is a near miss for best supergroup ever.

Three top 1980s supergroups and a near miss on the best ever

The Highwaymen

What a lineup! The Highwaymen had four top country music stars joining forces. Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson formed the undoubted country supergroup. They continued their solo careers alongside but absolutely fit the supergroup criteria. 

They also worked together on other projects, including a film, Stagecoach, in 1986. Which explains the gaps between the albums they released. They also took a few years to put the name The Highwaymen in place though, initially just working under their four names the band name wasn't official until their third album in 1995. Although it wasn't exactly a surprise when it was declared. 

They combined to release three albums, the first of which, Highwaymen came in 1985 and ranked platinum in the US. It hit number one in the Country charts as did a single of the same name. It was five years later before the follow-up, Highwaymen 2 came out in 1990. Also a platinum seller and peaking at number four in the same charts. After another five-year gap came The Road Goes On Forever in 1995. That didn't reach the same heights but still made number 47 in the US country album charts.

As a band, these four iconic stars of country came together extremely well. The albums are top quality country music and their live shows were pretty amazing too. By all accounts, the four individuals enjoyed working together too. It was a supergroup seemingly without the usual tensions that tend to rip other such bands apart. 

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