Abba, Clash, Cars, Madonna, Bowie, Squeeze, Depeche Mode, B52s, Elvis Costello, Blondie, Hall&Oates, Police, Devo, Dire Straits, Kinks, Hooters, george thorogood, stray cats, pink floyd, Tom Petty, ZZ Top, Michael Jackson... aaccckkk! .... I can pick only three???
I guess some of these, like Abba, are technically 70s bands. Abba is one of my top all-time favorites - the bands I have and never will never tire of, the music I would want if I was stuck on a deserted island. That list would also include Paul Simon and Elvis. Probably Madonna and Dire Straits too.
This is really tough. I like different bands for different reasons. I would say when I think of the 80s, I think of Michael Jackson, Madonna and the Clash. That was the soundtrack for that time of life (college) for me. I remember cranking up the Rock the Kasbah in our dorm room and playing it over and over and over again for hours....