4 Underrated Rock Bands of the 1980s That Have Since Disbanded

The 1980s was quite a time for rock music. It birthed a ton of new genres under the umbrella of rock and roll. There were quite a few stellar rock bands that peaked in the 1980s, but many of those underrated gems have since disbanded. Let’s take a gander at a few examples worth listening to!

1. Cinderella

Even if you don’t remember Cinderella, you can probably recall some songs like the 1988 hit “Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone)” or the 1986 song “Nobody’s Fool”. It’s kind of surprising that Cinderella didn’t hit the levels of fame afforded to not-so-underrated rock bands from the 1980s like Poison or Mötley Crüe. Singer/guitarist Tom Keifer and bassist Eric Brittingham stuck with the band all the way to 2014 when they finally disbanded for good.

2. Fine Young Cannibals

This pop-rock outfit from across the pond put out two records during their time together. Their sophomore (and final) album from 1989, The Raw & The Cooked, hit no. 1 on the Billboard charts. “Good Thing” and “She Drives Me Crazy” were major hits from the album. They disbanded in 1992 but did return in 1996 to record a one-off single, “The Flame”.

3. Hüsker Dü

Hüsker Dü were a hardcore punk outfit from Minnesota that influenced new generations of punk and metal artists today. The likes of Dave Grohl and Metallica have cited them as inspirations. The 1984 album Zen Arcade is often considered their very best record.

4. The Replacements

The Replacements didn’t garner a massive amount of fame in the 1980s. However, they became significantly more popular in recent years; despite breaking up multiple times until finally disbanding in 2015. “Unsatisfied”, “Can’t Hardly Wait”, and “Alex Chilton” are essential listening.

Photo by Paul Natkin

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