60s & 70s Artists who continued to have great success in the 80s

ACDC

I hated them growing up, but have learnt to appreciate their sound and their talent now. 

Air Supply

I never used to like these guys in the 70s, but since then I have come to love all their songs. 

Alan Parson's Project

They will never be the same without Eric Woolfson (RIP - 2009) the voice for most of their best known hits in the 80s, but at least Alan is still performing as Alan Parson's Live Project and I got to see them in 2017.

The Beach Boys 

With some of their greatest hits coming in the 70s, the Beach Boys continued to bring out albums. Their 89 album “Still Cruisin” brought us “Kokomo”. It was kind of a comeback album for them actually because their last hit album was back in 1976

The Bee Gees

Big in the 60s.  Re-invented themselves in the 70s, pretty much showing us what Disco was all about. In the 80s they reinvented themselves again and brought out such classics as “You win again” and “One”.

Billy Joel

Billy was around throughout the 70s coming up with some classic hits and big selling albums. Then in the 80s, he hit the big time again with “Innocent Man” one of his greatest albums, bringing us a string of hits.

Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band

Bruce Springsteen

The Cars

Hard to believe that a guy as weird looking and sounding as Ric Ocasek (RIP - 2019) could create such a string of hits with this band, but his sound worked. Along with the sweet voice of Benjamin Orr (RIP - 2000) we got two different versions of the Cars at the same time.

Cher

Cher had major success with Sonny Bono in the 60s and 70s. She also had her own solo albums as well. Her biggest album didn’t come until the 90s, but she was rocking it in the 80s too with that amazing voice of hers. 

Chicago

Cliff Richard 

Cliff’s saw success throughout the 60s and 70s and although he wasn’t hip, he made his mark on the 80s as well.  Who can forget when he teamed up with the cast of the “Young Ones” to do a hilarious remake of his 1959 hit, “Living Doll”. It showed he was a good sport.

David Bowie (RIP - 2016)

One of those guys I never thought much of in the day, but as the years have gone by I have come to appreciate his music more and more. 

Dire Straits

An overnight success. In the 70s, this bunch of clean living family men, managed to get a radio station to play "Sultans of Swing' and immediately they were offered record contracts by different companies. It wasn't until the 80s though when they had their biggest selling album of all times with "Brothers in Arms". 

They broke up in the late 80s not because of lack of success or any falling out, but because the constant touring was taking a toll on their marriages.

Elton John

What can you say about Elton? He was always on the radio from the 70s right through the 80s. His biggest albums were in the 70s, but his greatest success came in the 80s with multiple platinum albums. His success continued into the 90s and he’s still going. 

Fleetwood Mac

Started out in the 60s and had still been performing up until the death of Christine McVie in 2022.

“Rumors” in 1977 was by far their biggest album, but they were always in the charts throughout the 80s with huge albums, including multi-platinum album, “Tango the Night”. 

Foreigner

Through the late 70s and early 80s these guys were in the charts, but they never got my attention, so whenever anyone said Foreigner I could never remember what hits they had. At least until "I wanna know what love is" came along! 

Genesis

Genesis were known throughout the 70s, but it wasn't until Phil Collins took over lead vocals that these guys really made an impact and had hits on the radio regularly throughout the 80s. 

George Thoroughgood & the Destroyers

Hall & Oates

These were one of those bands that were always on the radio and always bringing out new songs. 

Heart

These guys reinvented themselves in the 80s and came out with a number of hits. 

Joe Cocker (RIP - 2014)

John Cougar Mallencamp

Michael Jackson (died 2009)

In the 70s and 80s MJ was cool and you were proud to be a fan. Kind of changed in the 90s though for some of us. Scandalous allegations made since his death have made me want to remove him from my list, but how can I? 

Paul McCartney

After the Beatles split up in 1970, Paul started his solo career. He had success on his own and with Wings.  His success continued into the 80s and onwards.

Queen - Queen are one of those bands who had equal success in both the 70s and 80s and may have continued well into the 90s if it wasn’t for the death of Freddie Mercury.  It’s very hard to say what was their greatest album. Going by album sales, it would be 1995’s “Made in Heaven”, although that was released after the death of Mercury, which may have been the main reason for its huge sales.

Paul Simon

Peter Gabriel

The Police

These guys used to irritate me and I hated Synchronicity. Now I love the album. Funny how times change. I now wish they were still together and that Sting had not embarked on a solo career. 

The Pretenders

They first hit the charts in 1979 with their biggest album, but they also had huge success in the 80s. 

REO Speedwagon

Rod Stewart

Stewart's best days were in the 70s, but he continued on rocking into the 80s with hugely successful albums through the 80s and into the 90s. His albums still seem to have a habit of going platinum even now. 

The Rolling Stones

These guys don’t seem to die despite their wild ways. They continue to bring out hit albums.  

Robert Palmer (RIP - 2003)

Roy Orbison (RIP - 1988)

I don't know what it was, but I found his voice so irritating and didn't like his music. Still not a fan.

Split Enz

This was the iconic New Zealand band during the 70s and into the early 80s. It came to an end for them when Neil Finn left the band to form Crowded House. 

Stevie Wonder

Wonder has been around since the 60s, but didn’t start becoming noticed until the early 70s. However then you couldn’t stop him, at least until the mid 80s. His most famous song was released in 1984: “I just called to say I love you”, which reached number one EVERYwhere. This was then followed up with “Part time lover” which hit number 1 ALMOST everywhere. 

Talking Heads

As far as I'm concerned one of the greatest bands ever. They were truly unique and did some great stuff in the 80s. Too bad they split up.

Tom Petty (RIP) & the Heartbreakers

Tom was successful in 3 decades. The 70s, 80s AND the 90s. Even though he always seemed to be in the charts throughout the 80s, his bestselling albums were in 1979 and 1991

The Travelling Wilburys

This band was made up of musical legends from the 60s and 70s.  Tom Petty and Roy Orbison were still riding high in the 80s on their own, but it also gave Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne (ELO) and George Harrison a chance to shine once more and they shone, even though it wasn't for long (due to the passing of the Big O). Only two of them remain alive now. :(