| Band | Formed / started | Split up / ended | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cranes | 1986 | — | British dream pop band |
| Creaming Jesus | 1988 | — | — |
| Cronos | 1988 | — | British metal band with Conrad "Cronos" Lant |
| CUD | 1987 | — | — |
| Culture Club | 1981 | — | English pop group |
| Current 93 | 1982 | — | — |
| Curve | 1989 | 31 January 2005 | UK shoegaze/electro duo |
| Cutting Crew | 1985 | — | — |
| Cyan | 1984 | — | — |
| Daisy Chainsaw | 1989 | 1995 | — |
| Danny Wilson | 1987 | 1991 | Scottish pop group |
| Dark Heresy | 1989 | 1996 | — |
| Darkened | 1989 | 1991 | — |
| Deacon Blue | 1985 | — | — |
| Dead or Alive | 1980 | 2011 | UK new wave band |
| Death in June | 1981 | — | — |
| Death Zone | 1981 | — | — |
| Definition of Sound | 1988 | — | — |
| Del Amitri | 1980 | — | — |
| Demon | 1980 | — | UK metal band |
| Depeche Mode | March 1980 | — | — |
| Desecrator | 1989 | 1992 | — |
| Detritus | 1989 | — | — |
| Deviated Instinct | 1984 | — | — |
| Devoid | 1989 | — | — |
| Diesel Park West | 1980 | — | — |
| Disco Inferno | 1989 | 1995 | 90s Post-Rock group |
| Disorder | 1980 | — | — |
| Disrupters | 1980 | 2012 | — |
| Doctor and the Medics | 1981 | — | — |
| Dog Faced Hermans | 1986 | 1995 | — |
| Doom | 1987 | 2005 | — |
| Electric Gypsy | 1986 | 1990 | — |
| Electro Hippies | 1985 | 1989 | — |
| Electronic | 1989 | 1998 | — |
| Elixir | 1983 | — | — |
| Ellis Beggs & Howard | 1987 | 1990 | — |
| EMF | 23 October 1989 | — | — |
| Energetic Krusher | 1987 | 1990 | — |
| English Dogs | 1981 | — | — |
| Epidemic | 1981 | 1991 | — |
| Erasure | 1985 | — | — |
| Eurythmics | 1980 | 2005 | — |
| Everything but the Girl | 1981 | — | — |
| Exit-Stance | 1982 | — | — |
| Extreme Noise Terror | 1985 | — | — |
| Eyeless in Gaza | 1980 | — | — |
| Fairground Attraction | 1987 | 1990 | — |
| Feckin Ejits | 1982 | — | — |
| Fiction Factory | 1983 | 1987 | — |
| Fields of the Nephilim | 1984 | — | English gothic rock band |
| Filthkick | 1989 | December 1989 | — |
| Final Conflict | 1985 | — | — |
| Fine Young Cannibals | 1984 | 1996 | — |
| Fire Dept. | 1 September 1987 | 29 March 2004 | — |
| FM | 1984 | — | UK rock / AOR band |
| Frank Chickens | 1982 | — | — |
| Frankie Goes to Hollywood | August 1982 | 2023 | — |
| Frazier Chorus | 1987 | 1996 | — |
| Freak Electric | 1984 | — | — |
| From Nursery to Misery | 1986 | 1991 | — |
| Fun Boy Three | 1981 | 1983 | — |
| Furyo | 1983 | 1985 | — |
| Fuzzbox | 1985 | 1990 | — |
| Galahad | July 1985 | — | English prog band |
| Galliano | 1988 | — | — |
| Gallon Drunk | 1988 | — | punk blues, noise rock, garage rock, rockabilly, UK |
| Gaskin | March 1980 | — | — |
| GBH | 1980 | — | — |
| Gene Loves Jezebel | 1980 | — | — |
| Generic | 1985 | 1989 | — |
| Genital Deformities | 1987 | — | — |
| Ghost Dance | 1985 | 1989 | 80s UK goth band |
| Go West | 1982 | — | — |
| God | 1987 | 1996 | — |
| Godflesh | 1988 | — | — |
| GTR | 1984 | 1987 | — |
| Guana Batz | 1983 | — | — |
| Guitar Gangsters | 1988 | — | — |
| Hagar the Womb | 1980 | 1986 | — |
| Half Man Half Biscuit | 1984 | — | — |
| Happy Mondays | 1985 | 1992 | — |
| Heaven 17 | 1980 | — | Sheffield, UK “new romantic” band |
| Heavenly | 1989 | 1996 | — |
| Heavy Pettin’ | 1981 | — | — |
| Hell | 1982 | — | — |
| Heresy | 1985 | 14 December 1988 | — |
| Holosade | 1985 | — | — |
| Hooton 3 Car | 1989 | — | — |
| Hula | November 1980 | 1991 | — |
| Hydra Vein | 1987 | — | — |
| I, Ludicrous | 4 February 1985 | — | — |
| Imagination | 1981 | — | English soul/funk band |
| Immaculate Fools | 1984 | 1997 | — |
| In Cahoots | 1982 | — | — |
| In Excelsis | 1983 | 1985 | — |
| Indecent Exposure | 1981 | — | — |
| Inkubus Sukkubus | 1989 | — | — |
| Inspiral Carpets | 1989 | — | — |
| Intestinal Infestation | 1988 | — | — |