3 things killed 80s rock, to a point:
- Every record label had to have their hair band, which saturated the music scene.
- Beavis and Butthead.
- Nirvana, and Metallica's video where they used Kip Winger's headshot as a dartboard.
And that's the 'to the point' part I'm alluding to. Grunge also made people realize that it took more than 3 chords to make a band, and Beavis and Butthead (MTV for the most) even killed that. Everyone realized back in 1994 that they missed that type of music, and it started with Journey coming back and making an album (their last with Steve Perry).
Winger just released another album, and they still sound as good as tight as they did back then. Whitesnake is still selling out stadiums. Those 80s acts have a good thing going now, where they don't have to support an album by going on tour; they'll get 2 - 3 albums on the bill, do a tour, and support the tour by releasing an album.
Or, if they are good enough, they'll book out the Hard Rock Hotel/Casino in Vegas and do a 150 night show, where they'll perform their biggest selling album in its entirety. Def Leppard just did that. Motley Crue just did that. Journey did that.
80s music has made such a huge comeback that the anthems from it keep it from becoming stale; Grunge doesn't have anything similar.
BL.