| IQ | 1981 | — | British progressive rock band |
| It Bites | 1982 | — | — |
| It’s Immaterial | 1980 | 1990 | — |
| Jacobites | 1983 | 2006 | UK rock band formed by Nikki Sudden & Dave Kusworth |
| Jah Wobble’s Invaders of the Heart | 1983 | — | — |
| James | 1982 | — | Manchester indie rock band |
| Jasmine Minks | 1983 | — | — |
| Jellyfish Kiss | 1986 | — | — |
| Jesus Jones | August 1988 | — | — |
| Jive Bunny & the Mastermixers | 1988 | — | — |
| Joy of Life | 1984 | 1988 | — |
| Kajagoogoo | 1982 | 1985 | — |
| Katrina and the Waves | 1981 | 1999 | British‐American rock band |
| King Kurt | 1981 | — | — |
| King Trigger | 1982 | — | — |
| Kismet HC | 1989 | — | — |
| Kiss the Blade | 1984 | — | — |
| Kissing the Pink | 1980 | — | — |
| Krew | 1985 | 1987 | — |
| Latin Quarter | August 1983 | — | — |
| Lawnmower Deth | 1987 | April 1995 | — |
| Leatherface | August 1988 | 2012 | — |
| Leftfield | 1989 | — | — |
| Let Loose | 1987 | — | — |
| Level 42 | 1980 | — | — |
| Levellers | 1988 | — | — |
| Life Cycle | 1986 | — | — |
| Lionheart | 1980 | — | — |
| Living in a Box | 20 December 1985 | 6 June 1991 | — |
| Living Legends | 1981 | — | — |
| Lloyd Cole and the Commotions | 1982 | — | — |
| London Cowboys | 1980 | — | — |
| Look Back in Anger | 1981 | 1984 | — |
| Loop | 1985 | 1990 | — |
| Lord of Putrefaction | 1988 | 1991 | — |
| Love and Money | 1985 | 1994 | — |
| Lowlife | 1985 | 1997 | — |
| Lush | 1987 | 25 November 2016 | UK shoegaze band |
| Malediction | 1989 | 2001 | — |
| Mania | October 1981 | — | — |
| Manic Street Preachers | 1986 | — | — |
| Marine Girls | 1980 | 1983 | — |
| Marshall Law | 1987 | 2010 | — |
| Martin Stephenson and the Daintees | 1982 | — | — |
| Mass | 1980 | 1981 | — |
| Massive Attack | 1987 | — | — |
| McCarthy | 1985 | 1990 | — |
| Mega City Four | 1987 | April 1996 | — |
| Mel & Kim | 1986 | 18 January 1990 | Appleby sisters |
| Mighty Mighty | 1983 | 1988 | — |
| Mike + the Mechanics | 1985 | — | — |
| Milltown Brothers | 1989 | — | — |
| Miranda Sex Garden | 1988 | — | — |
| Mortal Remains | 1989 | 1991 | — |
| M|A|R|R|S | 1987 | 1987 | — |
| Naked Eyes | 1982 | 14 September 2026 | — |
| Napalm Death | 1982 | — | — |
| Ned’s Atomic Dustbin | November 1987 | 1996 | — |
| New Age Steppers | 1980 | — | — |
| New Fast Automatic Daffodils | 1988 | 1995 | — |
| New Model Army | 1980 | — | 80s punk/goth rock |
| New Order | 1980 | — | UK synth pop band |
| Nightmare Visions | 1983 | — | — |
| Nightmares on Wax | 1988 | — | — |
| Nitzer Ebb | 1982 | — | — |
| No Choice | 1981 | — | — |
| No Remorse | 1981 | — | — |
| Nosferatu | 1988 | — | — |
| No‐Man | 1986 | — | UK art rock/trip hop duo |
| Omega | 1983 | — | — |
| Omega Tribe | 1981 | — | — |
| One Thousand Violins | 1985 | 1989 | — |
| Onslaught | 1983 | — | — |
| Original Sin | 1982 | 1983 | — |
| Otalgia | 1985 | — | — |
| Pale Saints | 1987 | 1996 | — |
| Pallas | 1980 | — | UK progressive rock |
| Paradise Lost | 26 March 1988 | — | British metal / hard rock band |
| Paranoia | 1983 | — | — |
| Pariah | 1988 | 1989 | — |
| Part 1 | 1980 | — | — |
| PIG | 1988 | — | — |
| Pink Industry | 1981 | 1987 | — |
| Pink Undulating Nuns | 1981 | 1981 | — |
| Pitchshifter | 1989 | — | — |
| Play Dead | November 1980 | January 1986 | 80's English post-punk group |
| Pop Will Eat Itself | 1986 | 1986 | — |
| Porcupine Tree | 1987 | — | — |
| Potential Threat | 1981 | — | — |
| Primal Scream | 1982 | — | Scottish rock band |
| Psychic TV | 1981 | 13 March 2020 | — |
| Public Enemy | 1980 | 1992 | — |
| Quality Drivel | 1980 | 1982 | — |
| Ragnarok | 1988 | — | — |
| Ramleh | 1982 | — | — |
| Rancid Hell Spawn | 1988 | — | — |
| Raw Noise | 1983 | — | — |
| Razorcuts | 1985 | 1989 | — |
| Red Guitars | October 1982 | — | — |
| Red Letter Day | 1983 | — | — |