10 Forgotten 80s Bands Worth Rediscovering

There are many who would (and do) argue passionately that the 1980s were the greatest of years when it comes to popular music. While this is always going to be subjective, and arguably highly dependent on the date of one's formative years, it can't be denied that the decade embraced a fascinating mix of sounds and styles.

This was the era of the Cold War, nuclear proliferation, the upwardly-mobile society and the brutal clash between ideologies which un-apologetically celebrated the pursuit of money, on the one hand, and embraced punk's 'tear it down and start again' attitude on the other. The '80s brought us post-punk, new wave, electronica, synth-pop, stadium rock and years of political and social uncertainty. Little wonder that some fantastic music found itself lost along the way.

This list presents ten of the best '80s bands which, for one reason or another, never quite made it into the canon of acknowledged greats. At the very least, every entry hear deserves to be listened to. Some have since reformed and are still a going concern, others have faded out like a worn cassette. All of them have plenty to offer.

Indie rockers The Sandkings came up alongside a slew of great bands which arose from the midlands of England during the early '80s, touring alongside The Stone Roses, The Happy Mondays and The Wonder Stuff, all of whom went on to successful careers. That The Sandkings didn't join them on that journey is a bit of a mystery. Their exciting, visceral brand of melodic rock easily stands favourable comparison with any of the aforementioned acts.

Possibly they were simply crowded out by a bustling market. Whatever the reason, The Sandkings released only a sole album, 1992's Welcome To England, during their lifetime, and it's a record well worth seeking out. Two points of Sandkings trivia worth observing – firstly, the band named themselves after a collection of short stories by Game Of Thrones author, George R. R. Martin. Secondly, The Sandkings were fronted by Jas Mann, who later formed Babylon Zoo, and scored a huge hit with the single, Spaceman.

Of further note, other ex-Sandkings, Dave Brown and Glenn Dodd, went on to found Gravity Wheel, with producer Lee Perry. Gravity Wheel's 1998 album, the splendidly-titled Bulldog Tuna Wasp, is a fine slice of big-beat electronica worth adding to any collection.