The 'Big 4' Bands of '80s Rock

Which bands would make up the "Big 4" of '80s rock?

The Big 4 phrase was originally coined to describe the four pillars of the thrash metal scene: Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax. But we've created our own Big 4 for a variety of eras and subgenres, so next up is the '80s.

The 1980s were when heavy music started to really splinter off in a bunch of different directions. On the rock side, there were still classic rock giants that crossed over from the '70s, there was "hair metal" (which is often considered a type of rock despite its name), alternative rock and some other big groups that had less of a definable sound.

Countless influential bands rose to fame in the 1980s, especially thanks to MTV and the radio. In order to keep it a bit closer to home, our Big 4 '80s rock bands lean more hard rock than pop rock — and you'll notice there are a few particularly massive bands we didn't include for that reason.

READ MORE: The 'Big 4' Bands of Gen X Dad Rock

The four bands that best represent rock 'n' roll in the '80s were all incredibly influential for different reasons, whether they spearheaded a new genre, survived a pretty substantial member change or started a revolution.

Check out our picks for the Big 4 of '80s rock below.

We've also selected Big 4 bands for a variety of rock subgenres, which you can see below.

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