one reason why pop-rock music was so much better in the 80's is because the artists were OLDER AND MORE MATURE

once in a while i put on the 80's music channel on the tv for background noise

when a song comes on, the tv screen shows various photos and trivia facts about the artists, include their date of birth

you'd be surprised at how many mainstream artists, whether it be rock, pop, R&B, etc. were already in their 30's before they made it big

they were well seasoned musicians with life experiences to draw upon, and it shows in the overall quality of music