The 80’s were an exciting time in music history. Ronald Reagan was president, MTV was shaping pop culture, and headbands were all the rage. Dressed in acid-washed jeans and muscle shirts, decked out in full makeup and huge hair, these musicians ruled the airways. What have they been doing for the past 40 years?
1. Sebastian Bach
You may remember Sebastian Bach as the lead singer of the band Skid Row. Bach, whose real name is Sebastian Philippe Burke, became a solo artist in the late 1990s and went on to appear on several reality shows, work as an actor and write an autobiography. As of March 2023, Skid Row were still writing new music, but an Australian tour scheduled for later this year was postponed.
2. Vince Neil
Vince Neil, of Motley Crue fame, began touring as a solo act in 2022, joining other popular ’80s bands on a stadium tour later that year. He also appeared in a TV commercial for a questionable brand that confused fans. He and his bandmates recently sold their entire catalog to BMG, said to be worth around $150 million.
3. Ozzy Osbourne
As a solo artist and former member of Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne has had his share of struggles. After recovering from a well-known substance abuse problem, the 75-year-old singer appears to be taking an ongoing hit with his health, making touring difficult. His wife Sharon stood by him as he dealt with his declining health.
4. Bret Michaels
Bret Michaels, lead singer of the band Poison, jumped from the stage to the small screen, where he appeared on VH1’s hit reality show Rock of Love for three seasons. Michaels, who was diagnosed with type I diabetes at the age of six, is no stranger to overcoming health challenges. After recovering from a serious car accident in the mid-1990s, he underwent an emergency appendectomy in 2010, a brain bleed, a stroke, and surgery to repair a hole in his heart, all within weeks.
Michaels doesn’t seem to let anything hold him back. He published his autobiography in 2020 and continues to make guest appearances on television.
5. Steven Tyler
After securing a Las Vegas residency at Park MGM’s Dolby Live in the summer of 2022, Aerosmith had to cancel the first two months before it started. Sadly, it was reported that Steven Tyler returned to a rehab facility after a relapse. The break allowed Tyler to focus on his health, and the band played a 50th anniversary show at Fenway Park before resuming their residency.
6. Jon Bon Jovi
New Jersey native Jon Bon Jovi has gray hair now and will be 62 years old in 2024. When he’s not making music or touring with Bon Jovi, he leads the Soul Foundation, a charity that funds affordable housing in 11 states.
7. Prince
Prince’s career extended well beyond the ’80s, but he was a huge star during that decade, releasing a film and soundtrack album of the same name. purple rain, released in 1984. His fans enjoyed his mysterious, colorful persona and music until his shocking death from an accidental overdose in 2016.
8. Steve Perry
Steve Perry was the lead singer and frontman of Journey, known as “The Voice” from 1977 to 1987 and 1995 to 1998. The band rose to the top with hits such as “Open Arms,” ”Don’t Stop Believin'” and “Wheel In.” Sky. ” After Perry permanently left the band in 1998, he went on to pursue a successful solo career, but appeared with Journey at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2017.
9. Eddie Van Halen
Eddie Van Halen, co-founder of the band Van Halen, passed away in 2020 from a stroke and multiple medical conditions. Van Halen was surrounded by his loved ones when he lost his battle to cancer at the age of 65 after battling cancer for nearly 20 years. Although his life was cut short, he managed to amass a fortune of $100 million through his successful career.
10. Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger, who was the frontman of the Rolling Stones for many years, is unstoppable. The band held a tour called “Sixty” to celebrate their 60th anniversary in the summer of 2022. Mick Jagger and bandmates Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood (drummer Charlie Watts passed away in 2021) played shows across Europe. At 80 years old, Jagger seems to be staying young by going out and letting his 3 million Instagram followers know about his adventures.
11. Bono
The Irish philanthropist and lead vocalist for the band U2 keeps busy with his various charities and foundations, as well as acting and producing films. Still, he still spends time with his A-list celebrity friends, politicians, family and bandmates. The band will perform an exclusive concert series in Las Vegas from this year through early 2024.
12. Axl Rose
Axl Rose, best known as the lead singer of Guns N’ Roses, probably never expected the band to reunite after they broke up. Instead, Rose (real name William Bruce Rose Jr.) reunited with his bandmates in 2016 to headline Coachella. They began touring again in 2020 and released new music in 2021.
Christine Stones is cents + purpose, an online community dedicated to sharing practical personal finance content. Her mission is to equip women with the tools and knowledge they need to take back control of their money and live more purposeful lives. She creates practical content that helps her audience achieve financial health using a simple approach to managing money. All of this she learned from her personal experience of paying off approximately $55,000 in debt within two years.
