Best band of the 80's

Jazz: Don Pullen/George Adams group. They managed to include the full history of jazz in a single set. For pop, I'd have to vote for Oingo, too.

However, I have never understood one particular thing about the 80s: Why on earth was U2 so popular? To me their music is BORRRRRRRRING! What am I missing?

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...