R.E.M. vs U2 vs The Smiths vs Prince vs Pixies vs Beastie Boys vs Talking Heads

At their best it's boring stadium rock, a beefier coldplay. Sunday bloody Sunday, Joshua Tree, In the Name of Love. Achtung Baby throws in some drum machines and gets called "experimental" by U2 fans when it sounds like Jesus Jones at best. Not even touching the 00s soccer mom pop

So you like the other artists?

Yeah
Beastie Boys and REM are meh though

Murmur and Paul's Boutique are jams.

Prince > Talking Heads > R.E.M. > The Smiths > Pixies > Beastie Boys > U2

I don't see how you can fault U2 for doing arena rock when Prince's Purple Rain is precisely that.

those are way too disparate

R.E.M. is a better rock band than U2 (and a shitload more likeable)

Prince is a better funk artist than Talking Heads' already-excellent funk-tinged new wave

Beastie Boys, The Smiths and Pixies are totally different things

Prince was probably the most technically proficient musician out of that lot but The Edge and Talking Heads + Eno probably did more innovative things and The Smiths had way less filler than the rest

>those are way too disparate
All the more reason they are representative of the 80s.

Pixies is experimental,,,

The Smiths had plenty filler. The Pixies had the least (not counting the reunion albums).

How so?

Talking Heads>REM>The Smiths>Pixies>Prince>U2> Beastie Boys

The Police are the actual best 80’s band, though and Dire Straits are also better than all of those.

MJ >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>