Most guitarists bristle at the mere mention of "the 80s". Certainly one of the most fallow decades ever for guitarists, the 1980s saw a lot of musicians being replaced by keyboards (although there was always work for skilled studio guitarists).
As always, however, there were exceptions. The following guitar tabs represent some of the best of the 80s music fad, some of which are keyboard songs that have been translated to easy guitar tablature.
NOTE: The following song transcriptions use guitar tabs. If you are unfamiliar with this term, take a moment to learn how to read guitar tablature.
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Songs of the 80s ... (see also songs of the 60s, 70s, 90s, 2000s, browse by band)
All I Want is You (U2)
Amanda (Boston)
Back in Black (AC/DC)
Back on the Chain Gang (The Pretenders)
Bad (U2)
Cherry Bomb (John Cougar Mellencamp)
Closer to Fine (Indigo Girls)
Cuts Like a Knife (Bryan Adams)
Dancing in the Dark (Bruce Springsteen)
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (AC/DC)
Don't Go Away Mad (Motley Crue)
Downtown Train (Tom Waits)
Drive (The Cars)
Eminence Front (The Who)
Every Rose has it's Thorn (Poison)
Free Fallin' (Tom Petty)
Hurts so Good (John Cougar Mellencamp)
I Love Rock and Roll (Joan Jett)
I Remember You (Skid Row)
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (U2)
It's the End of the World as we Know It (REM)
I Won't Back Down (Tom Petty)
Jack and Diane (John Cougar Mellencamp)
Jessie's Girl (Rick Springfield)
Kid Fears (Indigo Girls)
Knockin' on Heaven's Door (Eric Clapton)
La Bamba (Los Lobos)
Living on a Prayer (Bon Jovi)
Middle of the Road (The Pretenders)
New Year's Day (U2)
Patience (Guns n' Roses)
Pink Houses (John Cougar Mellencamp)
Prince of Darkness (Indigo Girls)
ROCK in the USA (John Cougar Mellencamp)
Rough Boy (ZZ Top)
Runnin' Down a Dream (Tom Petty)
Should I Stay or Should I Go (The Clash)
Summer of '69 (Bryan Adams)
Sunday Bloody Sunday (U2)
Time After Time (Cyndi Lauper)
We're Not Gonna Take It (Twisted Sister)
Where the Streets Have No Name (U2)
With or Without You (U2)
You Shook Me All Night Long (AC/DC)
