Your Favorite '80s Bands Then and Now!

The 1980s fan following is arguably the most devoted in music history. Middle-aged men and women still seem to be obsessed with going back in time to the era of tight-rolled pants, overused hairspray, and music television.

Some well-known bands from the 1980s are still active, despite the fact that many artists and bands are reforming to cash in on the nostalgic craze. Not all of the artists we'll include have maintained their level of popularity throughout the years…just enough have to keep stadiums, clubs, or festival grounds packed!

Let’s take a look at some of your favorite 80’s musicians and see where they were then…and were they are now!

 

Motley Crue

The Los Angeles-based band was founded in 1981 and consisted of vocalist Vince Neil, lead guitarist Mick Mars, drummer Tommy Lee, and bassist Nikki Sixx. Big songs by The Crüe include "Shout at the Devil," "Home Sweet Home," "Smokin' in the Boys Room," and "Dr. Feelgood." Drummer Tommy Lee was popular for both his romantic life and some of his crazy acts, such as spinning a drum set upside down.

The 1990s were difficult for The Crüe. They split up, got back together, and then played shows with a new drummer and lead singer. In spite of their claims that they will stop touring in 2015 after their 2004 reunion, the group is scheduled to go on tour in 2022 and 2023 with Def Leppard and Poison.

Bon Jovi

These Jersey Boys, Jon Bon Jovi, David Bryan, Tico Torres, Alex John Such, and Richie Sambora, combined rock and pop to produce some of their most well-known tunes. Their third album "Slippery When Wet" included a number of singles, including "You Give Love a Bad Name" and "Livin' on a Prayer," and their debut song "Runaway" was a Top 40 hit. The album "New Jersey," which included the songs "I'll Be There for You" and "Bad Medicine," was played after that. Additionally, in the early 1990s, Jon Bon Jovi and Sambora both released solo albums.

The band has been performing and releasing new songs on a regular basis since the 1980s, even though Sambora and Such quit the group and were replaced by Phil X and Hugh McDonald. 2020 tour dates were scheduled, but the pandemic forced them to postpone them.

Guns N’ Roses

Axl Rose, Slash, Izzy Stradlin, Duff McKagan, and Steven Adler established this hard rock band in 1985. Because of Slash's prowess and Axl's distinctive voice, their debut album "Appetite for Destruction" was a huge success. GNR continued to have success with "G N' R Lies" and "Use Your Illusion I and II" after having success with "Welcome to the Jungle," "Paradise City," and "Sweet Child o'Mine."

The long-promised album "Chinese Democracy" continued getting pushed back after several creative conflicts in the late 1990s — Slash left, Adler quit and sued the band, and Stradlin quit — and concertgoers were disgruntled with frequent last-minute cancellations or shows that started hours late. The band, which most recently included Axl Rose, Dizzy Reed, Slash, Druff McKagan, and Frank Ferrer, toured once more in 2016–2017 and was scheduled to do so again in 2020 before the pandemic postponed their plans. GNR is still one of the most popular bands of all time. In fact, you can still find tons of their merchandise, clothing items, music in popular films like Terminator 2: Judgment Day and even video games and slot games like the one offered by NetEnt at LeoVegas Casino, one of the top leading slot sites around.

 

Poison

The glam rock band was distinguished by their enormous hair and tight-fitting attire. Bret Michaels was the band's original lead vocalist, along with Matt Smith, Bobby Dall, and Rikki Rockett, when it first formed in Pennsylvania. Smith was replaced by guitarist C.C. DeVille after leaving the band before they signed their first record deal. The hit single "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" from their follow-up album, "Open Up and Say... Ahhh!" was taken from their debut album, which included songs like "Talk Dirty to Me" and "I Want Action."

The band encountered significant difficulties; DeVille quit, Michaels was involved in a vehicle accident, and they had to take a pause while writing their sixth album. Early in the new millennium, they carried on with their musical endeavors as Bret Michaels released a solo album, appeared on "Celebrity Apprentice," "Rock of Love with Bret Michaels," and other VH1 reality programs. In 2022, the group toured with Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard.

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