Paul McCartneyIn the 1980s, Paul McCartney successfully transitioned from frontman of Wings to a dominant solo pop icon. The decade opened with a brief marijuana arrest in Japan and the tragic death of John Lennon, which prompted McCartney to stop touring for several years. He pivoted to highly successful studio collaborations, scoring massive global hits like “Ebony and Ivory” with Stevie Wonder and “Say Say Say” with Michael Jackson. After experimentation with electronic music and a venture into filmmaking, he closed the decade by launching a massive 1989 world tour, solidifying his enduring stadium-level legacy.