10 Greatest Classic Rock Singers Of The '80s
1. Bono - U2
U2 is one of the most divisive bands amongst the rock community. While some hail them as the saviors of rock during their '80s run, others just cannot get past the band's pretentious moments and Bono's holier than thou attitude when commanding the stage. However, once you hear the guy actually sing, it's not like he's necessarily being disingenuous.
Ever since the band started in Ireland back in the early '80s, Bono always had a vision of a band that could mean more than just music. Though albums like the Joshua Tree and War benefited greatly from the glossy production and the guitar work of the Edge, the tone of Bono's vocal performances is impossible to replicate. Across songs like "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," you can almost hear a mournfulness in Bono's voice, as if he's aware that happiness doesn't come without a bit of pain.
Being in the studio is one thing, but Bono was also one of the few singers who could take that same energy to the stage, with every live performance feeling like it could have been included on an album. Rock was already popular by the '80s, but whenever Bono stepped up to the mic, the genre had the potential to change the world.