Best band of the 80's

I second Wvick's nomination of U2. If the criteria of the question posed is the absolute best band during the decade of the 80's whether or not the band still exists, then it's U2 hands down. Their longevity and continued relevance as artists reinforces this decision. Now, we could start a subthread, "Best Defunct Band of the Eighties", and many of the previous bands mentioned would be worthy of the mantle (with no knock to their importance).

I have a strange relationship with U2 I liked them a lot at the time but now I find a lot of it pretty tired sounding.
I forgot The Smiths who are massively important and more original than U2.
I would argue REM's 80's music has (in my mind anyway)aged better than U2 and overall they've been more consistant than U2 although both bands releases in recent years have been below par-U2's have been particularly lame imho.
Some of the other suggestions are er um ah well bordering from the pitiful to the obscure.
It's all about opinions but dear oh dear Audiophile lameness abounds...

hey be and phasecorrect what do you think was best loop . i liked 'glided' but not much for 'fade out' nor 'the world in your eyes' hmm did either of you like main robert h.'s post loop band. gosh loop mentioned on audion. *wow* :)

i'm going to vote for *band of susans* based on 'hope against hope' and of course especially 'love agenda'

guitars were rather good (well a few bands)in the late 80's/early 90's.unlike now with guitars being 300%crap and evryone raving....

sorry i wasn't much for jesus mary chain(too much of a riffy sound/sort of trad sounding.) but i loved the black tambourine.so go figure. :) now how about that for alternative pop. no in quotes needed. :)

I can't believe nobody's mentioned Sonic Youth or R.E.M. or the Smiths! And let's not forget the Pixies. Surfer Rosa and Dolittle were two of the top ten albums of the decade.

Ben, The Smith's is an interesting and good choice. If you look at U2's work strictly from the eighties, don't you agree that the work was their most important and creative? This thread's criteria being "Best Band of the 80's", I don't think I can rate the Smith's above U2 or even REM as you also mentioned. I personally never got into REM as much as the rest of the world seems to have. In the early days of the band, I could never understand a word coming out of Micheal Stipe's mouth, and it ultimately turned me off to them.