Eric Courtney

1: Iron Maiden
2: Motley Crue
3: Judas Priest
4: Rush
5: The Cult

Five: Granted the emergence of the Cult really spread around the latter part of the 80's, this band was probably one of the most talented bands of the formula-fueled-heavy-metal era. They more-than-deserve the respect of the rock status quo in a desperate time when grudge was starting to take over the scene. This band took turbo-grooved metal to another level when other bands had thought they had already conquered that feat. Releases like Love, Electric, and Sonic Temple are prime examples of what Rock-n-Roll really is.

Four: Two words.. Moving Pictures. No rock band in history has floated an album as successful as Rush has through an entire decade. The track Tom Sawyer made fans out of hardcore rock enthusiasts everywhere when they listened to what a three piece ensemble from Canada released in 1981. Moving Pictures proved to the rock world that, given the talent, a three piece rock band could sound like a symphony! Once new fans listened to older LPs, it was love in it's rarest form.

One reason why Rush stood out from other more hardcore bands was the skills of drummer, Neil Peart (pronounced p-yert, if you're wondering). His lyrical genius and mind boggling pounding of the skins is a blessing to the genre. In my opinion, this is the most talented band playing to this day.

Three: Judas Priest. If you liked your music hard, this was the band you listened to in the 80's. Guitar solos from Glenn Tipton and KK Downing were the soundtrack to the decade for Metal-Heads all over the world.

Granted lead singer, Rob Halford, shocked heavy metal fans everywhere by coming out of the closet in the late 90's, but who cares! The dude effing rocks! The range of this vocal rock god was second to none. Listen to Green Manalishi off the Beast from the East LP. If that isn't a good example, there are thousands of true fans that can give you a better one.

I saw them twice.

Two: I shouldn't even have to write a paragraph here... This band would kick your ass if they were legless. Motley Crue was the 80s. If you weren't listening to the Crue, you had no pulse. Motley Crue was a Hollywood band that represented on levels unimaginable... With a heavy influence from KISS, their music and stage show ruled all!

If what you took away from the 80's was spandex and long hair, Motley Crue had a lot to do with pioneering that era. They made "Glam-metal" as it is known today. But they were the ONLY band that could back it up, unlike bands such as Firehouse and Poison (I have a feeling I'm going to catch hell for that). There is no other band, to this day, that can kick your ass like the Crue, while wearing makeup, spandex, and 4 cans of Aquanet each!

The baddest band of the 80's is Iron Maiden!

Why Maiden? Listen to the music itself... No band in this era (with the exception of Rush), is as tight, in sync, and well rehearsed as Iron Maiden. The band plays as one. I am not going to take away the talents of any lead singer who performed for this band, but Bruce Dickinson landed a sweet gig when he joined the band. Any serious musician today will tell you he/she has the utmost respect for the music produced by Iron Maiden, regardless of their personal philosophies or view on the genre.

I was fortunate enough to see them live during the height of their 80's heavy metal dominance, and they were unbelievable! BASS Player, Steve Harris, anchors Maiden's unique sound and can melt faces like no other bass player in the Kingdom; the Kingdom of Rock, that is. Dispute it, or just agree to disagree. Maiden reigned supreme in the 80s.

Honorable Mentions: Metallica and Guns & Roses. Metallica should really be on this list, but during the 80's they ruled the underground metal world with a steel fist. They didn't start hitting the radio hard until late into the decade and then "exp-load-ed" in the 90s.

As for G&R, Appetite for destruction could arguably be the baddest rock album ever. But it did come late in the decade, and ridiculous band behavior turned this band to crap quick; shameful.

ROCK ON!!!