Choosing a top female solo artist for the 80's is massively difficult.
There are so many female artists who broke records and made music history in that decade.
Even ladies that did not achieve awards and accolades did things that challenged the industry and changed the way woman were perceived forever.
In the end whoever I choose will be subject to criticism but I think you'll agree that these four ladies stood out for their achievements.
Madonna As I have said before, when thinking back to the 80's, the decade seems to be overshadowed by Madonna, although at the time she was just one of many.
With over 300 million records sold worldwide Madonna is the world's top-selling female artist of all time and in 2008 Madonna was ranked by Billboard as number 2 on the "100 All-Time Top Artists" list (behind the Beatles), making her the most successful solo artist in history.
The girl born Madonna Louise Ciccone released her first album in 1982, but it was only after the release of her second album "Like a Virgin" in 1984 that she reached the star status that has not left her for 3 decades.
The album topped the charts in several countries and became her first number 1 album on the Billboard 200.
Madonna is known for continuously reinventing both her music and image.
Her musical styles have also changed with the times as she constantly strives to re-invent herself as a contemporary artist.
Her diverse musical productions have been known to induce controversy.
Whether this is just good business as some suppose, or that she loves what she does, there is no doubt that Madonna is a gifted and hardworking artist.
Her tour schedules are often horrific and the energy and glamor she puts into her stage performances are unrivalled.
Since 1985, Madonna has done a major tour almost every three years.
It is hard to get a handle on Madge sometimes.
Her personal life, her marriages and toy-boys, her adoption of African children, her involvement in Kabbalah, and her acute business sense, are grist for the media mill and have led many to typify her as opportunistic, manipulative and ruthless.
What is certainly true is that this 80's girl has been a role model of the astute music entrepreneur and has had a major impact on female pop artists over the last 30 years.
Whitney Houston Sadly, Whitney Houston died on 11 February, 2012.
Toxicology reports showed that she had accidentally drowned in the bathtub due to the effects of chronic cocaine use and heart disease.
The world lost a great talent.
Born Whitney Elizabeth Houston on 9 August 1963, she was one of the world's best-selling music artists releasingsix studio albums, one holiday album and three movie soundtrack albums, all of which have diamond, multi-platinum, platinum or gold certification.
Whitney Houston' s 80's achievement was that she became the only female solo artistever to chart seven consecutive number 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits;

• "Saving All My Love For You" in 1985
• "How Will I Know" and "Greatest Love of All" in 1986
• "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" and "Didn't We Almost Have It All" in 1987
• "So Emotional" and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" in 1988

Houston also took up an acting career, and her first movie was "The Bodyguard" in 1992.
The film's original soundtrack won the 1994 Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
Its lead single "I Will Always Love You", is the best-selling single by a female artist in music history.
Olivia Newton John Newton-John is a four-time Grammy award winner who had five number 1 Billboard Hot 100 singles and two number 1 Billboard 200 solo albums.
Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA.
Her single biggest hit by far was "Physical" which was the most successful single on the Billboard Hot 100 during the entire 80s.
Released in September 1981, the song shipping 2 million copies in the US.
The single was popular both in US and in the UK despite the fact that the song was censored and even banned by some radio stations due to its sexual content.
It spent a massive 10 weeks at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US.
The song got Newton -John a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
Although she never again reached the heights she did in the 80's, Olivia Newton-John has continued to record and tour over the last 30 years.
At 66 she is still touring and is a spokesperson for Breast Cancer Awareness.
Cyndi Lauper Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper became a superstar with the release of the debut solo album, "She's So Unusual" in 1983.
Four singles from the album charted in the Top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100; "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," "Time After Time," "She Bop," and "All Through the Night.
" This was the first time in music history an album by a female solo artist had achieved this and it earned Cyndi "Best New Artist" at the 27th Grammy Awards in 1985.
Her second album, "True Colors" in 1986, was also a chart success.
It peaked at number 4 on the Billboard 200 chart.
The title track was a Billboard Hot 100 number 1 and the second single "Change of Heart" made it to number 3 on that chart.
Since the 80's, Cyndi has not been a slouch, releasing 11 studio albums, her most recent being "Memphis Blues" in 2010.
This album became Billboard's most successful blues album of the year, remaining at number 1 for 13 consecutive weeks.
Cyndi is a hard worker and prolific tourer with 13 tours since 1983! The last was "The Memphis Blues Tour" in 2010/11, to promote her album.
The tour visited the Americas, Asia, Australia and Europe, and Lauper performed at numerous jazz festivals including the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Jazz à Vienne and Jazz Fest Wien.
In September 2012, Cyndi released her memoir "Cyndi Lauper: A Memoir" in which she wrote about her life, career and personal struggles.