1980's MEGA-Huge Music Acts That Are Still Around?

[Big Red Rick]

With Whitney Houston's passing, and Michael Jackson RIP, I thought of the mega-huge 1980s acts that are still alive today, and would still likely fill an arena. The only one's I can come up with are:

Madonna
Bruce Springsteen
Prince
New Kids On the Block(????)

I'm not really a huge fan of any of them, and I'm not sure I would want to see any of these acts in concert. I admit, I probably would have gone to see Michael Jackson if he was in the area, if I could get a free ticket. But this thread isn't about who we would want to see in concert, so focus...

What big 1980's MEGA music acts are still alive and can still draw at least 60% of the crowd they used to?

[Huskers57]

Paula Abdul

[ChitownHusker]

The best band of all time is still around -- U2.

[Red Dead Redemption]

What big 1980's MEGA music acts are still alive and can still draw at least 60% of the crowd they used to?

I think Corey Hart could probably bring in at least 9 of the usual dozen or so people that would attend his concerts.

[Sonuvahusker]

I miss the Spice Girls.

[redmachine]

Motley Crue

[Huskers57]

I miss the Spice Girls.

Baby, Sporty, Ginger, Scary and Posh...yes.

[Green Lantern]

Baby, Sporty, Ginger, Scary and Posh...yes.

Awesome that you knew all their names!

[Huskers57]

Awesome that you knew all their names!

Hehe.

It helps I bumped into Baby and Sporty on the metro in Paris...and I liked a couple of their songs.

[Sonuvahusker]

Baby, Sporty, Ginger, Scary and Posh...yes.

Were you a big fan of "I'm Turning Japanese" by The Vapors?

[Huskers57]

Were you a big fan of "I'm Turning Japanese" by The Vapors?

unfortunately I haven't heard of this group. sorry.

[Ogahusker]

Def Leppard still going strong!

[Huskers57]

Black Sabbath?

[RussianRed]

Rush since the 70's

[Nishioka]

Black Sabbath?

Last time Sabbath toured the US they were hitting places like The Warfield in San Francisco that are a couple thousand seats at most.

Metallica could probably still sell out a 20,000-30,000 seat venue though.

[Big Red Rick]

Well, I'm looking for the MEGA acts. Cory Hart doesn't count. I don't know that Paula Abdul would either. Paula has her fans, but did she have the impact on music the way Madonna or Michael Jackson did?

Know what has nine arms and sucks? Def Leppard.

Metallica still packs them in, fo sho, but were they in that MEGA category in the 1980s? Of course, I grew up in Omaha, so in the 1980s, the only rock channel we had was z-92, and they sure didn't play any Metallica back then. It would cut into their ceaseless replays of the same 5 AC/DC songs, the same 2 Boston songs, the same 3 Led Zep tunes that AREN'T "Stairway", the same 3 Rolling Stones songs. Basically, my rock radio, prior to me getting a job and buying my own tapes, was pretty limited.

I don't know if there were solid rock acts that fit into the MEGA category.

Like I said, not looking for flash-in-the-pan acts. Sure, Twisted Sister was huge on the rock scene, but did they get the coverage of Prince or Whitney Houston? Looking for those from the 1980s that were HUGE.

[ColoREDo]

Metallica still packs them in, fo sho, but were they in that MEGA category in the 1980s? Of course, I grew up in Omaha, so in the 1980s, the only rock channel we had was z-92, and they sure didn't play any Metallica back then.

You are correct. Metallica didn't really hit 'mega' status until the late 80's early 90's when they released their final album "...And Justice For All". I loved Metallica back then and its too bad they quit making albums but better to quit while on top than to start issuing over-produced garbage like some bands.

[FeelLikeAStranger]

This is one of my favorite games...name any 80's artist whose music endured and remained relevant...and I liked to play this in the mid-90's. The 80's were a complete wasteland musically.

Usually you could come up with Prince and Madonna and one or two others that arguably stood the test of time. Michael Jackson was from the 70's. Most bands people try to claim were 80's bands made their bones in the 70's.

Prince has fallen off the face of the earth. Madonna is barely relevant, despite the Stupor Bowl.

Kudos to U2 for winning the entire 80's...

[Red Dead Redemption]

Weird Al Yankovic

[huskerator 5000]

The 80s is a long time ago for a band to still be filling stadiums. Most bands don't last that long.

As far as 80s bands that stood the test of time, there's tons of those. Are we saying the band hand to be formed in the 80s, or did their best work in the 80s? Let's go with best work in the 80s as that seems more fair. Michael Jackson, Prince, Madonna, the Beastie Boys, The Police, Jane's Addiction, The Smiths, The Cure, Tears for Fears. Some more arguable ones due to timing, REM and Fugazi, more arguable due to content, NWA. These are just the ones I can think of right now, I'm sure there are others.

EDIT: the Pixies, the Stone Roses...