So you miss the 80's?

[N-OS X-tasy!]

jdc wrote:
[quote=N-OS X-tasy!]
For the popular music of the era, my perception is just the opposite -- the "good" '80s ran from 1979 until 1985, then the bad '80s took over through the end of the decade.

This.

But not "pop" -- it was alt that got huge. Lots of great early 80s tunes.
Alternative was just one form of the era's popular music. Punk was another, and rap yet another.