Best band of the 80's

Nobody has mentioned Dire Straits yet....

in addition, the Smiths, U2, I agree with INXS.

At that time (I graduated HS in '82), the best band in the world to me was, no contest, The Replacements (Twin/Tone label-era work, mostly, and before the forced departure of the late Bob Stinson). Looking back, I can see now that they were not just my favorite band of that era (there were other good bands then, some of whom I listen to more of today than I do the 'Mats), or the band that meant the most to me personally (something lots of fans claimed to share when it came to this band, though how many of them can say like me that the band stayed the night at their house during their first tour - and that we jammed in my basement?), but that The Replacements were the band that best reflected what was happening in rock by that time: It was dying, and one wanted a band that made you feel, The king is dead, long live the king, and fuck it all to hell, let's rock one last time (something which they did best in concert).

There were tons I liked but the ones I still like are New Order, Aztec Camera and Beautiful South.

I vote for New Order. Their dance influenced indie pop still sounds fresh to these ears. I would have to concur with The Smiths, U2, JAMC, E&TB. But my top two are surely U2 and NO.

What about The Alarm? They had two fantastic albums followed by one with some damn good songs...

Gee, no one mentioned Throbbing Gristle... ;-)

My not-so-short list (mind you these are more what I think of as quality bands as opposed to ones who may have defined the "sound of the 80's" for the masses) - in no particular order--

XTC
REM
The Clash
The Cure
Echo & The Bunnymen
U2
Psychedelic Furs
Peter Gabriel
The Jam
Talking Heads
New Order
Dire Straits
The Smiths
Brian Eno
Pixies
Police
Sonic Youth
Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians
Wall of Voodoo
Lou Reed
The Ramones
Peter Tosh

I'm sure I've left off some good ones....

CD