Workin' For The Weekend - The Sequel - Best Rock Band of the 80's?

Slate just posted an article debating whether U2 or R.E.M. was the best rock band of the 80's.

You've absolutely got to be fucking kidding me that this is even an argument. U2 was so far and away the definitive rock band of its generation (and I would say has earned a place in the argument for 'top 5 rock bands of all-time) I should just stop here...but of course I won't.

U2 had three phenomenal albums in War, The Unforgettable Fire, and The Joshua Tree. Maybe you could make the case that R.E.M.'s Document is on par with those and I could live with it (you could try Murmur too, but you'd be wrong). And U2's batting average is far better; Rattle and Hum was a debacle for sure, but R.E.M. has a larger percentage of failure (the waffles I ate for breakfast had more artistic value than Green).

So your extra credit assignment: tell me where I'm wrong on this (or make yourself look silly, it could go either way). Or add your own choice for band of the 80's (may I suggest Loverboy?).