Of those listed I went with Roxy Music. Love Bryan Ferry, though most of their best stuff was from the 70s I think.

According to AMG they only released two albums in the '80s, in 1980 and '82, compared with 7 in the '70s. I think that most of the songs that everyone knows come from the first two, released in '72 and '73.

They play songs on the radio with lyrics bleeped out? Maybe I don't listen to the right stations, but I don't think they do that over here.

Well, what they do on XFM in London is usually just 'skip' words; the recent Eminem single was totally messed up by that as every word was practically silenced. Not that I mind terribly, it's only eminem....

Maybe the lyrics allowed depends on both the time and the station... in fact i think that's obvious.
Also maybe the 80s was a time where boundaries where being defined - a sort of ... adolescence of the modern music scene - so DJs weren't so qworried about what they played.

Pop music in general was listened to by an elder range of people too - I'd say 14+, unlike today where it starts at 7+
The music was aimed at an older audiece.

In the 80s, there was still very much a market for "literate lyrics", lyrics that had some real content and thought behind them. Most of the artists and bands back then were already out of high school at least when they got their first record deal...that helped tremendously...

I concur; people weren't snapped up for just having good looks either - well at least not to the extent they do today.

i didnt know that any good pop music was created in the 80's

ah, well then you have yet to discover some most excellent music.

just try joy division, the smiths and the pixies, then move on to sonic youth and anything else from the poll...

Even though I prefer the pixies and sonic youth, I chose the cure as the best 80's band. Are we in alt pop or just pop? hmmmm many of these bands don't seem to fit in 80's pop maybe 80's alternative oh well.

I chose Joy Divison &Sonic Youth &The Smiths.