80's MUSIC

Hair Metal is a derisive term applied to the slick, pretty, and pop-oriented heavy metal and hard-rock bands of the late '80s. These bands expanded the approach of the loud but safe arena-rock bands, only they had a more distinctive visual image because they were living in the post-MTV era.

Arena rock is a style of rock music that originated in the mid-1970s. As hard rock bands and those playing a softer yet strident kind of pop rock became increasingly popular, groups began creating material inherently designed for large audiences, and arena rock developed from their use of more commercially oriented and radio-friendly sounds. 

New wave was promoted heavily by MTV (the Buggles)' "Video Killed the Radio Star" was broadcast as the first music video to promote the channel's launch).[23] The popularity of several new wave artists is often attributed to their exposure on the channel. In the mid-1980s, differences between new wave and other music genres began to blur

The bands of this category combined the experimentation of post-punk and new wave  with a more melodic pop style and an underground sensibility. It is not necessarily a genre term, but some common aesthetics among college rock bands do exist.