80s band names

The 120 best-known bands formed in the 1980s

Ranked by how many Wikipedia language editions cover each band, a good proxy for worldwide fame.

1. Metallica 1981 · thrash metal · US
2. Nirvana 1987 · grunge · US
3. Red Hot Chili Peppers 1982 · classic rock · US
4. Guns N' Roses 1985 · hard rock · US
5. Green Day 1982 · pop-punk · US
6. Bon Jovi 1983 · glam metal · US
7. Depeche Mode 1980 · synth-pop · UK
8. Nine Inch Nails 1988 · industrial rock · US
9. The Cranberries 1989 · celtic rock · Ireland
10. Slayer 1981 · thrash metal · US
11. R.E.M. 1980 · folk rock · US
12. Alice in Chains 1987 · alternative metal · US
13. Dream Theater 1985 · progressive metal · US
14. Soundgarden 1984 · stoner metal · US
15. Pantera 1981 · groove metal · US
16. Roxette 1986 · europop · Sweden
17. Blur 1988 · lo-fi · UK
18. Kino 1981 · post-punk · Soviet Union
19. Deftones 1988 · nu metal · US
20. Mayhem 1984 · black metal · Norway
21. Sepultura 1984 · groove metal · Brazil
22. The Smashing Pumpkins 1988 · alternative rock · US
23. The Offspring 1984 · melodic hardcore · US
24. The Smiths 1984 · jangle pop · UK
25. Pet Shop Boys 1981 · art pop · UK
26. Sonic Youth 1981 · no wave · US
27. Beastie Boys 1981 · rap rock · US
28. Erasure 1985 · synth-pop · UK
29. N.W.A. 1986 · political hip-hop · US
30. Manowar 1980 · true metal · US
31. Helloween 1984 · power metal · Germany
32. Public Enemy 1986 · progressive rap · US
33. a-ha 1982 · pop rock · Norway
34. Anthrax 1981 · thrash metal · US
35. Cannibal Corpse 1988 · death metal · US
36. No Doubt 1986 · reggae fusion · US
37. Mötley Crüe 1981 · sleaze rock · US
38. Pixies 1986 · indie rock · US
39. X Japan 1982 · progressive metal · Japan
40. Bathory 1983 · thrash metal · Sweden
41. Faith No More 1983 · alternative metal · US
42. Marilyn Manson 1989 · shock rock · US
43. New Order 1980 · synth-pop · UK
44. Eurythmics 1980 · blue-eyed soul · UK
45. Death 1983 · death metal · US
46. Tears for Fears 1981 · new wave · UK
47. Dark Tranquillity 1989 · melodic death metal · Sweden
48. Kreator 1982 · thrash metal · Germany
49. Massive Attack 1988 · electronica · UK
50. Stratovarius 1984 · power metal · Finland
51. Wham! 1981 · new wave · UK
52. Blind Guardian 1984 · speed metal · Germany
53. Bad Religion 1980 · melodic hardcore · US
54. Darkthrone 1986 · black metal · Norway
55. Laibach 1980 · dark wave · Slovenia
56. Cypress Hill 1986 · psychedelic rap · US
57. The Bangles 1981 · power pop · US
58. Meshuggah 1987 · djent · Sweden
59. Napalm Death 1981 · grindcore · UK
60. NOFX 1983 · pop-punk · US
61. Type O Negative 1989 · doom metal · US
62. Aqua 1989 · bubblegum · Denmark
63. Katrina and the Waves 1981 · pop rock · UK
64. Manic Street Preachers 1986 · alternative rock · UK
65. The Stone Roses 1983 · indie rock · UK
66. Alphaville 1982 · synth-pop · Germany
67. Dio 1982 · heavy metal · US
68. New Kids on the Block 1984 · contemporary r&b · US
69. Porcupine Tree 1987 · psychedelic rock · UK
70. Run-DMC 1981 · hardcore hip-hop · US
71. Carcass 1985 · goregrind · UK
72. Testament 1983 · thrash metal · US
73. Vader 1983 · death metal · Poland
74. Boyz II Men 1988 · contemporary r&b · US
75. Celtic Frost 1984 · avant-garde metal · Switzerland
76. Hole 1989 · alternative rock · US
77. Milli Vanilli 1988 · dance · Germany
78. Neutral Milk Hotel 1989 · lo-fi · US
79. Riva 1988 · pop · Croatia
80. Sodom 1981 · thrash metal · Germany
81. Stone Temple Pilots 1989 · grunge · US
82. Traveling Wilburys 1988 · roots rock · US
83. Die Ärzte 1982 · german punk · Germany
84. My Bloody Valentine 1983 · noise pop · Ireland
85. Obituary 1984 · death metal · US
86. Simply Red 1984 · blue-eyed soul · UK
87. Talk Talk 1981 · synth-pop · UK
88. Aria 1985 · traditional heavy metal · Russia
89. Culture Club 1981 · pop · UK
90. Skid Row 1986 · glam metal · US
91. The Cult 1983 · gothic rock · UK
92. Bucks Fizz 1981 · pop · UK
93. Fugazi 1987 · experimental rock · US
94. Iced Earth 1985 · thrash metal · US
95. Mercyful Fate 1981 · heavy metal · Denmark
96. Minor Threat 1980 · hardcore punk · US
97. Noir Désir 1980 · post-punk · France
98. Suede 1989 · alternative rock · UK
99. The Hives 1989 · garage rock · Sweden
100. A Tribe Called Quest 1985 · progressive rap · US
101. Deicide 1987 · death metal · US
102. Dinosaur Jr. 1984 · alternative rock · US
103. Exodus 1980 · thrash metal · US
104. Gamma Ray 1988 · power metal · Germany
105. Oomph! 1989 · neue deutsche härte · Germany
106. Texas 1986 · pop rock · UK
107. The Chicks 1989 · country · US
108. W.A.S.P. 1982 · glam metal · US
109. 4 Non Blondes 1989 · alternative rock · US
110. Anti-Flag 1989 · street punk · US
111. DDT 1980 · russian rock · Russia
112. Destruction 1982 · thrash metal · Germany
113. Fear Factory 1989 · industrial metal · US
114. Jane's Addiction 1985 · alternative metal · US
115. Kyuss 1987 · stoner metal · US
116. Melvins 1983 · experimental rock · US
117. Overkill 1980 · thrash metal · US
118. Poison 1980 · glam metal · US
119. The Jesus and Mary Chain 1983 · noise pop · UK
120. The Pogues 1982 · celtic punk · Ireland

80s band names by genre

Notable acts from Wikidata, ranked by the number of Wikipedia language editions about them.

80s-style band name ideas you can use

Original names in the shapes and imagery of the 1980s, screened against 120,000+ notable artists. Original ideas, screened against 120,000+ notable artists when this page was built. Check your favourite before you use it. Generate more →

1. Mainframe
2. STARLESS BLACKOUT
3. Zuliro
4. Static Avenues
5. 8-Bit Synths
6. Widescreen Jukebox
7. Insomnia Algorithm
8. DIGITAL LASERS
9. Talero
10. Signal Boomboxes
11. Metropolitan Satellites
12. Vana
13. Chrome Server
14. Stereo Floppy Disks
15. Neon Nightingale
16. Magnet Skylines
17. STARBEAM
18. MIAMI FIREFLY
19. Vumi
20. Duka
21. Cassette 2000
22. Novascape
23. Unlit Cruiser
24. Glossy Eclipse
25. Nudiro
26. Kiro
27. Zuloro
28. Indigo Underpasses
29. Pastel Half-Light
30. Electric Asteroid
31. Arcade Moon
32. Echoloop
33. Neonlight
34. Sunshift
35. APOLLO ROOFTOPS
36. Talana
37. Radar Palm
38. Voltwave
39. VERASA
40. Nocturnal Vigil