There are bands that excel in a genre. They're great in that genre. But they are so committed to that genre that that's where they stay. I can't imagine Anthrax or Slayer doing a convincing Euro-pop album, for example. But there are bands - I think Iron Maiden is one, and, don't laugh, but Night Ranger is another - that could put out a credible, legit album in jsut about any genre.
Duran Duran is that band. I think Simon LeBon may be the best singer of that entire genre/time period. He SANG, as opposed to that nasally English whine that a lot of those bands had (think the guy from Psychedelic Furs, or Robert Smith). I think John Taylor could just as easily play in Yes as in Duran Duran (and I'm a Squire fan boy, so there!). And on down the line. Listen to the legato guitar lines on several of the songs on Rio; they are VERY Frippian (I'm thinking specifically of his work with Bowie on "Heroes"). That's a top flight band that happened to want to play - (I forget what it's called, but there was a name for it) - in the New Romantic style, but could just as easily have played metal or hard rock if that was their bent.