Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou (George Michael) achieved fame in the duo Wham! in his native U.K. in 1982. Through 1986, he and his partner, Andrew Ridgeley, scored hit after hit in a variety of styles from rap to up-tempo pop to slow ballads. As songwriter and lead singer, Michael gradually overshadowed the group, and by the time they split, he... [+] Read More

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From their first hit in 1974 through their heyday in the '80s, Daryl Hall and John Oates' smooth, catchy take on Philly soul brought them enormous commercial success -- including six number one singles and six platinum albums -- yet little critical success. Hall & Oates' music was remarkably well-constructed and produced; at their best, their... [+] Read More

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Singer/songwriter Judson Spence built himself a name among the contemporary gospel circuits since the late '80s and his eponymous 1988 debut was a favorite on the gospel charts and featured the Top 20 hit "Yeah Yeah Yeah." His talent has also been featured elsewhere; his song "The Power" has sold five million copies worldwide thanks to its... [+] Read More

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After a star reaches a certain point, it's easy to forget what they became famous for and concentrate solely on their persona. Madonna is such a star. Madonna rocketed to stardom so quickly in 1984 that it obscured most of her musical virtues. Appreciating her music became even more difficult as the decade wore on, as discussing her lifestyle... [+] Read More

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Michael Jackson was unquestionably the biggest pop star of the '80s, and certainly one of the most popular recording artists of all time. In his prime, Jackson was an unstoppable juggernaut, possessed of all the tools to dominate the charts seemingly at will: an instantly identifiable voice, eye-popping dance moves, stunning musical versatility,... [+] Read More

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For much of the '80s, Paul Young rivaled Simply Red's Mick Hucknall as the top blue-eyed soul/pop singer in the U.K. In America, Young was known primarily for his lone chart-topper "Every time You Go Away," but was able to sustain his commercial success at home for much of the decade. He was chiefly an interpretive singer, and although he did... [+] Read More

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Robbie Nevil burst onto the music scene in 1986 with the infectious "C'est la Vie," which climbed into the Top Five on the American pop charts. However, Nevil had actually been a working songwriter prior to making a name for himself as a solo artist. Having played guitar since the age of 11, Nevil cut his teeth in a series of cover bands,... [+] Read More

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Seal emerged from England's house music scene in the early '90s to become the most popular British soul vocalist of the decade. Although his earliest material still showed signs of acid house, by the mid-'90s he had created a distinctive fusion of soul, folk, pop, dance, and rock that brought him success on both sides of the Atlantic.
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Seal emerged from England's house music scene in the early '90s to become the most popular British soul vocalist of the decade. Although his earliest material still showed signs of acid house, by the mid-'90s he had created a distinctive fusion of soul, folk, pop, dance, and rock that brought him success on both sides of the Atlantic.
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Despite taking their name from one of the 50 United States of America and adopting several American-sounding musical styles, the Scottish pop/rock band Texas found nearly all its success in Europe starting in the late '80s, including the multi-million selling albums Southside, White on Blonde, and The Hush, and a series of hit singles such as... [+] Read More

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John and Billy Valentine recorded singles for Bridge and A&M in the early '80s. They were nicely sung, reflecting Billy's jazz background with the Young-Holt Unlimited trio and the duo's appearances in the touring company of The Wiz, but none of them generated enough impetus to net them a long-term deal or draw attention to their skills. ~ Ron... [+] Read More

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