Top 10 Best Singers of the 1980s

The Top Ten
1 K.S. Chithra Krishnan Nair Shantakumari Chithra, often credited as K. S. Chithra or simply Chithra, is an Indian playback singer from Kerala. Chithra also sings Indian classical, devotional, and popular music.

Chithra has always been amazing since she's started sing in late 1980's, she's always has been always will.

Incredible range and emotion-filled highs and lows. Amazing!

2 Michael Jackson Michael Jackson (Michael Joseph Jackson; August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, dancer, and songwriter. He passed away from cardiac arrest caused by a propofol and benzodiazepine overdose on June 25, 2009. He donated (at least) a remarkable 500,000,000 dollars to charity. Michael... read more

He had the best selling album not just of the 80s but of ALL TIME. He created the most groundbreaking music video of ALL TIME - thriller and the most groundbreaking dance called the moonwalk which looks like he is walking backwards. Who can forget his amazing songs like Billie Jean, Beat It, Bad, Man In The Mirror, Dirty Diana and Smooth Criminal? Michael was a phenomanal singer, dancer, songwritter and entertainer. He had it ALL. He was also the greatest humanitarian. He gave away ALL his money from his BAD tour to charity. He is the most generous celebrity the world has seen as well as the most humble thoughtful and kind. Michael Jackson was too good for this world. People were so jealous of his success and talents that the slandered and ruined his reputation saying He molested children when Michael Jackson will never do such a thing He loved children. Years later those children came out saying they lied because their parents wanted money. The media also slandered him saying He bleached his skin when He had a skin disease vitiligo that destroys pigmantation in the skin. Michael Jackson was a proud black man who spoke out against discrimination of black People in the music industry. But no matter what the media said we fans always knew the real Michael and still love him even though He is gone from this world. Goodbye Michael. We love you. You will always be the KING OF POP and in out hearts forever.

3 Bruce Dickinson Paul Bruce Dickinson, known professionally as Bruce Dickinson, (born 7 August 1958) is an English musician, airline pilot, and broadcaster. He is most well known for being the lead singer in heavy metal band Iron Maiden and his solo career.Outside his career in music, Dickinson has pursued a number... read more
4 Freddie Mercury Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara, 5th September 1946 - 24th November 1991) was a Zanzibari-born British singer of Indian descent, songwriter and record producer, known as the lead vocalist and songwriter of the British rock band Queen. He also became known for his flamboyant stage persona and four-octave... read more

Oh come on. Seriously? Michael Jackson sounds like Mickey Mouse compared to Freddie Mercury. How is Jackson number one? Obviously - once again - his fans have been sharing this page on MJ forums. They do that all the time.

Although he was more 70's, Freddie is still a legend! He was the Elvis of the 70's and was so talented. Sadly he died before I was born, and I didn't get to live in his generation.

MJ was great, but this list is about "singers", and in singing Freddie Mercury was much much better than MJ. Sure MJ was a godd entertainer, a great dancer, an innovator, a good singer, but if we just see "singing skills" Freddie wins that competition.

5 Ronnie James Dio Ronnie James Dio (born Ronald James Padavona; July 10, 1942 – May 16, 2010) was an American heavy metal singer, songwriter and musician. He fronted and/or founded numerous groups including Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio and Heaven & Hell. He is credited with popularizing the "metal horns" hand gesture... read more
6 Rob Halford Robert John Arthur "Rob" Halford is an English singer and songwriter, who is best known as the lead vocalist for the Grammy Award-winning heavy metal band Judas Priest and famed for his powerful wide ranging operatic voice.
7 Tony Hadley

Great power, control, and conviction in Tony Hadley's voice. In the 1980's he was hot: tall, handsome, with amazing vocal talent.

At the moment Tony is 14th. Reality others may have been commercially better, but not vocally.

I think he is one of the best. His voice still sounds natural, powerful and confident.

8 Ozzy Osbourne John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne was born on December 3, 1948. He is also known as ''The Prince of Darkness''. Ozzy is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence in the early 1970s as the lead vocalist of the band Black Sabbath. Osbourne was fired from Black Sabbath... read more
9 Brian Johnson Brian Johnson is an English singer and songwriter. Since 1980, he is the lead singer of the Australian rock band AC/DC, with whom he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003. As of April 2016, Johnson is not participating in the remainder of the Rock or Bust World Tour due to hearing... read more
10 Tom Araya Tomás Enrique "Tom" Araya Díaz is a Chilean American musician, best known as the bassist and vocalist of the American thrash metal band Slayer.

You may not think he has a good singing voice, but his way of rap-yelling influenced the whole death metal genre, and is still unique to this day.

The Contenders
11 Steve Perry Stephen Ray "Steve" Perry is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is known as the lead singer of the rock band Journey during their most commercially successful periods from 1977 to 1987 and again from 1995 to 1998.

This man has a voice like no other. Everything I have ever heard him sing, and I own all of Journey's albums as well as Perry's Street Talk, has been amazing. One of the very best things I can think of happening is for him to rejoin Journey. To attend one of their concerts would be a dream come true, and I would very much like to hear a new album... or two... or ten. He was a very important factor in turning Journey into something special. Journey with Steve Perry is a combination that is perfect in every way.

My opinion on this will never ever change, Steve Perry is the best singer I have ever heard. He is capable of so much emotion, and you can hear the passion he has in every note. He is amazingly talented, and has an insane range. Listening to certain songs, like the earlier ones from Infinity and Evolution, often leave me breathless. He never ceases to amaze me, even when I have heard all of his songs several dozen times.

12 Axl Rose William Bruce Rose Jr., better known as 'Axl Rose', is an American singer born on February 6, 1962, in Lafayette, Indiana. He Is the founder and lead singer of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses. He is a celebrated but controversial figure in the world of rock.

Axl Rose is the best of course! His unique voice CAN NOT be accurately imitated by anyone, his dances, He can really move and does snake dance and other dances so smoothly

I'm not even a true fan of GnR but his unique sound and style deserve attention.

13 Simon Le Bon

The dumb troll who posted below has no idea what he's talking about. Simon is straight

14 George Michael Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou, known professionally as George Michael, was an English singer, songwriter, record producer, and philanthropist who rose to fame as a member of the music duo Wham!.

His voice is second to none. Freddie mercury had an amazing, powerful voice it didn't have the purity of GM's. Plus can you see anyone else able to pull off 'somebody to love' at Freddie's tribute concert and not sound awful in comparison to the original artist?!

There were so many great singers in the 80s, but GM's is probably the must under appreciated.

Incredible range and emotion-filled highs and lows. Amazing!

15 Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer, actress, producer, and model. In 2009, Guinness World Records cited her as the most awarded female act of all time. Houston is one of pop music's best-selling music artists of all-time, with an estimated 170–200... read more

Greatest singer of all time... most iconic head voice, most iconic vibrato, and purest tone of any singer to ever pick up a microphone. Oozing stage presence, she was just really a icon. There isn't one female pop singer that doesn't state whitney as one of, if not their biggest influence.

I love her so much, she was the greatest!

16 Rick Astley Richard Paul "Rick" Astley (Born February 6, 1966 in Newton-le-Willows, U.K.) is a British singer/songwriter, also known for "Rickrolling" . However before that he started in a church choir and a couple of local bands, before attaining success as a popular singer in the late 80s and early 90s, known... read more
17 Bryan Adams Bryan Guy Adams is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, guitarist, photographer, philanthropist and activist.
18 James Hetfield James Alan Hetfield was born on August 3, 1963. He is an American musician, singer and songwriter known for being the co-founder, lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and main songwriter for the American heavy metal band Metallica.

Hetfield's voice back then was indeed awesome... One of the contributing factors in Metallica's success, I suppose...

19 Morten Harket Morten Harket is a Norwegian musician, best known as the lead singer of the synthpop/rock band A-ha, which released ten studio albums and topped the charts internationally after their breakthrough hit "Take on Me" in 1985.

Try and sing 'take on me'. Ever wondered why one of the most popular songs of all time is not a Karaoke classic. Because it's impossible to sing 'well' unless your name is Morten Harket. Oh yes, then try and sing 'summer moved on' and hold 'that' note. Bloody impossible.

He also holds (or did at one time) the record for the longest held recorded note sung in a song. His range and performance skills are excellent. He's still making great music in and out of a-ha.

Singer from the Norwegian band A-ha, the voice behind "Take On Me". He has a beautiful, soothing voice, and a very expansive voice range. It's hard not to love it.

20 Dave Gahan

Good to see Dave Gahan on the list. Depeche Mode are often overlooked on "Best of" lists but they have made an enormous contribution to electronic music and Gahan has a distinctive voice.

Omg this guy in concert was something to see. He loves making music and he is a gift to the world!

His charismatic performance and deep baritone push him over the top.

21 Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone, known professionally as Madonna, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. She influenced a lot of singers such as: Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Beyonce Knowles and Britney Spears. She is known as Queen of Pop and at modern pop culture specifically... read more

She had such a beautifull voice and all her songs have meaning behind them. My favourite songs are 'La Isla Bonita' and 'Like a Prayer'. They both have very good background stories which fit the music perfectly. When you look at her then and look at her now she has changed quite a lot.

22 Sting Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner CBE, known professionally by his stage name Sting, is an English musician, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, activist, actor, and philanthropist. He is best known as the lead singer for the English band The Police

Sting had a range like no other. He could sing any song he wanted to.

23 Cyndi Lauper Cynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT rights activist. Her career has spanned over 40 years.

Unique and genuine performer with a real heart being given to her audience.

Go to one of her show and then explain why she's not number 1.

In my opinion she should be higher on list..

24 Jon Bon Jovi John Francis Bongiovi, Jr., better known by his stage name Jon Bon Jovi, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, philanthropist, and actor, best known as the founder and frontman of the hair band Bon Jovi from, which was founded by Jon and his pianist, David Bryan, in 1983. He is famous for... read more

Honestly, I can see why some artists are ahead of Jon. Others... not so much. I guess I can't complain that he's #25, but still, I think he could probably reach #20

25 Kurt Cobain Kurt Cobain was born February 20, 1967, in Aberdeen, Washington. In 1987, he started the grunge band Nirvana, which became one of the most successful bands ever. He was a talented yet troubled grunge performer. Kurt Cobain became a rock legend in the 1990s with his band. He committed suicide at his... read more

I think Kurt and his band Nirvana was more towards the 90s than the 80s

8Load More
PSearch List