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200 Greatest 80s Rock Songs: The Stories Behind the Music of the 1980s
As the 1980s began, glam rock, disco, and punk rock were in decline. What took their place? Let the artists, songwriters, and producers of 200 of the best-loved songs of the ‘80s tell you in their own words!
By the 1980s, cable networks MTV and VH1 played music videos 24 hours a day. Fans were introduced to New Wave and synth-pop bands. New female artists and groups stormed the charts. Heavy metal made a comeback. Concerts for Live Aid and Band Aid and recordings like “We Are the World” supported charities. The introduction of the CD in 1982 hastened the demise of vinyl . . . for awhile. The back stories of the music are as varied as the genres themselves.
Frank Mastropolo, author of the Greatest Songs series and the best-selling Fillmore The Venue That Changed Rock Music Forever, tells the fascinating, funny, and surprising stories behind 200 songs of the 1980s that have become part of our lives.
Of course, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Queen, Cyndi Lauper, Hall & Oates, Pat Benatar, Kool & the Gang, the Police, and John Mellencamp are represented. But you'll also learn about tunes by the Eurythmics, the Clash, U2, AC/DC, Eddy Grant, R.E.M., Twisted Sister, and many more.
Throughout the book are photographs and in-depth interviews with some of the musicians who made the 1980s such an eclectic period of rock Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson of Heart, Gina Schock of the Go-Go’s, and Gary U.S. Bonds, whose collaboration with Springsteen revitalized his career.
Order a copy of 200 Greatest 80s Rock Songs for a mind-expanding trip back to one of rock's greatest decades!
By the 1980s, cable networks MTV and VH1 played music videos 24 hours a day. Fans were introduced to New Wave and synth-pop bands. New female artists and groups stormed the charts. Heavy metal made a comeback. Concerts for Live Aid and Band Aid and recordings like “We Are the World” supported charities. The introduction of the CD in 1982 hastened the demise of vinyl . . . for awhile. The back stories of the music are as varied as the genres themselves.
Frank Mastropolo, author of the Greatest Songs series and the best-selling Fillmore The Venue That Changed Rock Music Forever, tells the fascinating, funny, and surprising stories behind 200 songs of the 1980s that have become part of our lives.
Of course, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Queen, Cyndi Lauper, Hall & Oates, Pat Benatar, Kool & the Gang, the Police, and John Mellencamp are represented. But you'll also learn about tunes by the Eurythmics, the Clash, U2, AC/DC, Eddy Grant, R.E.M., Twisted Sister, and many more.
Throughout the book are photographs and in-depth interviews with some of the musicians who made the 1980s such an eclectic period of rock Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson of Heart, Gina Schock of the Go-Go’s, and Gary U.S. Bonds, whose collaboration with Springsteen revitalized his career.
Order a copy of 200 Greatest 80s Rock Songs for a mind-expanding trip back to one of rock's greatest decades!
279 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 4, 2025
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About the author
Frank Mastropolo
24 booksFrank Mastropolo is the publisher of Edgar Street Books and the award-winning author of Fillmore East: The Venue That Changed Rock Music Forever, chosen by Best Classic Bands as one of the Best Music Books of the Year. His Greatest Performances series covers rock, soul, and pop music of the '60s, '70s, and '80s.
Mastropolo is a former ABC News 20/20 writer and producer, winner of the Alfred I. DuPont–Columbia University silver baton, the Cine Golden Eagle, and the Sigma Delta Chi award from the Society of Professional Journalists. His work has appeared in Mojo, Classic Rock / Louder Sound, Relix, The Guardian, Untapped New York, and a variety of music and New York history sites. His rock concert photography is licensed by Getty Images and featured in the Bill Graham Rock & Roll Revolution museum exhibition.
For more information on Mastropolo's work, please visit Edgar Street Books.
For more information on Mastropolo's work, please visit Edgar Street Books.
Mastropolo is a former ABC News 20/20 writer and producer, winner of the Alfred I. DuPont–Columbia University silver baton, the Cine Golden Eagle, and the Sigma Delta Chi award from the Society of Professional Journalists. His work has appeared in Mojo, Classic Rock / Louder Sound, Relix, The Guardian, Untapped New York, and a variety of music and New York history sites. His rock concert photography is licensed by Getty Images and featured in the Bill Graham Rock & Roll Revolution museum exhibition.
For more information on Mastropolo's work, please visit Edgar Street Books.
For more information on Mastropolo's work, please visit Edgar Street Books.
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