Top 10 Sexiest Men of the 1980s

Ladies Love Cool James, or LL Cool J for short, hit the scene in the ‘80s, and admittedly still looks pretty fine 30 years later. Nothing quite compares to the smooth and charismatic bad boy of the ‘80s who helped bring hip-hop via pop-rap to the mainstream, and butterflies to our stomach. He gets bonus points for his class act image, and respect for the fairer sex. While “Charlie’s Angels” was a great entry into Hollywood for the rapper, our personal favorite version of James Smith is the one in his 20s, shirtless, and staring us down with that bad boy gaze.

Old Harry Ford didn’t make it big until he was twice the age of LL Cool J, but that don’t mean we’re complaining. Not every guy can pull off a fedora, but give this man a whip and a hat, and we'll gladly ogle over him for hours. Ford’s charm goes beyond a cute grin and dazzling eyes due to his ability to play the loveable scoundrel in many of his films. His characters are oftentimes womanizers with a heart of gold underneath it all. Be he Han Solo, or Doctor Jones, tantalizing adventure has never been so fun to gaze at.

Prince was an intense sexual force of nature that laced innuendos around every corner of his work—as if his suggestive dancing wasn’t enough to get the imagination rolling. A man who can dance and sing will always turn heads in our books, and Prince gets bonus points for a hella fine falsetto and borderline effeminate dance moves. Just like his hair, Prince Rogers Nelson was larger than life and incredibly talented. He’ll be missed for years to come, and his work, particularly in the ‘80s, pushed the envelope like no other.

Can we assume that Rob Lowe has discovered the fountain of youth and is keeping it for himself? At 53-years-old in 2017, he looks better than most 25-year-olds, but 25-year-old Rob Lowe looks better than just about all 25-year-olds. From “The Outsiders” to “St. Elmo’s Fire,” his chiseled face and body were the best part of just about every movie he appeared in, and these weren’t low quality movies either. Who else can have a sex tape scandal and still maintain class like Lowe? We’re still searching for an answer, along with the next TV series we can watch to get our daily dose of Lowe now that “Parks & Rec” is over.

Here’s a guy who doesn’t make it difficult to drool over, with hair like a lion, eyes that seem to twinkle each time he looks at you, and incredible muscles to boot. Special shout out to “Overboard," which tells the unrealistic tale of a blue collar Russell persuading Goldie Hawn that she’s his wife of 13 years after she develops a bad case of amnesia. Personally, our minds don’t need to be erased to fall head over heels for ‘80s Kurt Russell, making her aversion to him the most unrealistic part in an altogether ridiculous film.

Another celebrity who’s seemingly discovered the fountain of youth, Stamos was by far the easiest thing to look at in the “Full House” series. His dark Greek features, strong jaw-line, and thick head of hair check off all boxes in the looks department. On top of this, his impeccable ability to interact with adorable little children hints that Stamos would be the perfect father as well. He can also sing like an angel, and knows how to woo a woman in a way that makes your heart melt. Uncle Jesse sure knows how to make a girl blush, without hardly raising a finger.

Stamos plays one hell of a rock star on TV, but Jon Bon Jovi has managed to pull this off in real life. The crazy hair, and radiating bad boy persona complement his shockingly tender voice, and despite being an ‘80s rock icon, we have our suspicions he’s a pretty swell guy. In 1989, he embarked upon a secret wedding with his high school sweetheart, and the two are still married nearly 30 years later. It’s tough to stomach the fact that he’s been taken longer than many of you watching have been alive, but the guy has a proven track record, which is uncommon in
show biz.

Forget everything you’ve seen or heard about Mel Gibson in early 2000s. Instead, picture an Australian hunk who totally pulls off the mullet look, and handles a gun in a way that makes your loins shake. Back in the days of “Lethal Weapon,” Mel Gibson was sexy in an unhinged, but manageable sort of way. Mel didn’t give off a Greek God sort of attractive vibe, but more of an everyman with all the right stuff vibe. It’s hard to deny the fact that, in the ‘80s, he was certainly a topnotch catch who was simultaneously down to earth.

In all seriousness, how much would you pay to make pottery with Patrick Swayze making moves right behind you? What about that sexy lift in “Dirty Dancing?” Swayze makes all of these look easy, and the dude could dance like no other celebrity could in the ‘80s. A man who can wear tight clothing and work it like Swayze is clearly confident in what he’s got, and he was just shy of taking the ‘80s crown despite his dancing prowess. He’s the sexy instructor who finally makes a move after weeks of torture, perfectly straddling the line between cheesy and dreamy.

Before we unveil our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

Bruce Springsteen


Christian Slater

Michael Hutchence

Remember how we said Swayze was just shy of taking the top spot? Two minutes of testosterone fueled beach volleyball edged Tom up above the rest of the competition. “Risky Business” gave us a dorky, charming Cruise, but “Top Gun” gave us a certified badass, with a six-pack that’s off the charts! “Top Gun” isn’t the perfect movie by any extent, but it’s so perfectly ‘80s with a bronzed hunk at the center of it all. It’s not easy to be so attractive that no one realizes you’re 5’7’’ for decades in the limelight, but Cruise does just that, and we’d feel the same way if he was half that size.

Do you agree with our list? Which 80s sex symbol do you have the biggest crush on? For more easy-to-look-at Top 10s published ever day, be sure to subscribe to MsMojo.