The 100+ Best Hair Metal Bands of All Time, Ranked
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One of the best hair bands that came from the 1980s is Guns N’ Roses, which to this day influences artists from all over the world. Their debut album “Appetite for Destruction” was released in 1987 and it quickly put the band on the map. Over the next few decades, they continued to release new music and still perform. At the tail end of the 1980s, Warrant somehow entered the “hair metal” craze, but anyone listening to their more moving tracks on the 1990 album Cherry Pie would never conceive of any glam beginnings.
Guns N’ Roses
The list of the 30 best hair bands of the 80s is a testament to the impact that these bands had on the music scene. From the long hair to the spandex pants, the hair bands of the 80s left an indelible mark on the music industry and pop culture. The 80s was a decade defined by its music and fashion, and hair bands were a significant part of that era. The band’s raw, powerful vocals, guitar riffs, catchy melodies, and anthemic choruses made them popular with fans of rock and metal alike. The band’s original lineup consisted of Jack Blades (bass, vocals), Brad Gillis (guitar), Jeff Watson (guitar), Alan Fitzgerald (keyboards), and Kelly Keagy (drums, vocals).
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The band has released nine studio albums, with their most recent album, Defying Gravity, released in 2017. She had a massive hit (Close My Eyes Forever) with Ozzy Osbourne that remains a pinnacle track of the era. All of the earlier albums did chart, but it wasn’t until Pyromania and Hysteria were released that their fame catapulted.
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Their 1989 debut Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich was chockfull of power ballads (“Heaven,” “Sometimes She Cries”) and anthemic rockers (“Down Boys”). By the time Guns N’ Roses (GN’R) hit the scene with their epic 1987 debut Appetite for Destruction, they also fell into the hair metal trappings. An earlier iteration of GN’R featured guitarist Tracii Guns, who would later form L.A. Guns, another band that also filled the hair and glam metal quota of the time. Great White was one of the best hair bands of the 80s, known for their bluesy hard rock sound and energetic live performances.
The Hair Metal 100: Ranking the '80s Greatest Glam Bands—The Final 20! - VH1
The Hair Metal 100: Ranking the '80s Greatest Glam Bands—The Final 20!.
Posted: Fri, 25 Sep 2015 07:00:00 GMT [source]
In a way, the band had a slow death, gradually being removed from the public’s eye. Brad Gillis and Jeff Watson held guitar duties in Night Ranger, and both were stocked to the gills with skills. Both of these guitarists were frequently mentioned in many of the guitar magazines at the time.
The original lineup consisted of Janet Gardner on vocals and guitar, Jan Kuehnemund on lead guitar, Share Ross on bass, and Roxy Petrucci on drums. The all-female hard rock band was formed in St. Paul, Minnesota, in the 1980s. Van Halen’s original lineup consisted of Eddie Van Halen on guitar, David Lee Roth on vocals, Michael Anthony on bass, and Eddie’s brother Alex Van Halen on drums. In fact, their debut album from the same year actually remains the best-selling of their massive catalog. Their debut album, Night Songs, actually ranked within the top 5 chart placements in the pop charts.
They had a pivotal role in the development of many of the era’s most famous hair bands. They were formed in the early 1980s and it didn’t take long for the band to make a name for itself. That decade, they managed to release five successful albums, including their number one of all time – “Dr.
BulletBoys’ music was a fusion of hard rock, glam metal, and funk, and they became known for their high-energy live performances. Their music featured a blend of hard rock, glam rock, and pop rock, and their catchy hooks and melodic choruses made them famous on rock radio and MTV. Their lead singer, Ian Astbury, often sported long hair and wore leather clothing and jewelry, which were typical fashion choices for hair bands of the era. Sure, the music is different, but both have a similar fashion and helped define the formative years of many people. It’s a sure bet that people will continue to nostalgically listen to hair bands, no matter how uncool it’s become.
Hollywood Rose
Hair metal was influenced by glam rock from the late '70s and early '80s, inspiring the over the top looks hair bands adopted, including big hair and makeup. Hard rock bands like Slade and Aerosmith helped shape their musical sound. In the U.S., hair metal was popularized on the Sunset Strip of Los Angeles beginning in the early '80s. At the height of its popularity in the '80s, hair bands had huge radio and MTV hits and were one of the most popular genres in all of music. They’re one of the biggest hair bands to bridge the divide between rock and pop, amassing a huge following for their catchy songs with hard rock guitars and drums. The band’s debut album came out in 1984, and they released additional records in 1985, 1986, and 1988.
Their single “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” hit number one, but they’ve had nine Top 40 singles in their career. The band started touring in 1986 to promote their debut album and stayed on the road consistently until 2012. The band later went through lineup changes, with Sammy Hagar taking over on lead vocals in the late 80s, changing the overall sound of the band but only boosting its popularity.
The band’s original lineup consisted of vocalist Joey Tempest, guitarist John Norum, bassist Peter Olsson, and drummer Tony Reno. Twisted Sister’s music and image helped define the hair metal era of the 1980s, and they were one of the most successful bands of that time. The band’s original lineup consisted of vocalist Don Dokken, guitarist George Lynch, bassist Juan Croucier, and drummer Mick Brown. The band’s original lineup consisted of lead vocalist Marq Torien, guitarist Mick Sweda, bassist Lonnie Vencent, and drummer Jimmy D’Anda. Other popular glam metal bands of the era included Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard, and Poison. However, as the years have gone by, many of these bands have been forgotten.
In 2008, the original lineup of Warrant reunited for a tour, but Jani Lane tragically passed away in 2011. Well, Andy really got his start in the band Danger Danger, which helped catapult him into the mainstream spotlight. If you researched the band on that assumption, you would be quite surprised to discover the truth. Tesla was a massively famous hair group from the 80s, frequently ranking as one of the best of all time. In fact, the band seemed as if they were at war with parents, releasing music to purposely upset them.
Compared to other bands, Def Leppard had worldwide status and was really a phenomenon of the era. Even today, Bon Jovi’s music remains just as popular, no doubt aided by Richie Sambora’s guitar playing. The group didn’t experience anywhere near the kind of success that Guns N’ Roses achieved. However, their 1989 album, Cocked & Loaded, did become Platinum certified. Whether it was a ballad or full-on rock, Guns N’ Roses always had something to say. Plus, it helps to have one of the best modern guitarists in your lineup to elevate things.
Any average person is likely familiar with at least one of the band members’ names. Of course, his involvement with Quiet Riot spanned most of the 1970s before leaving at the end of the decade. It was his playing that put the band on the map, setting the stage for the 1980s. But really, when the band was in its prime, they were truly an unstoppable force.
Imagine playing in a band and gaining record label attention, only for the label to request that you leave. Then, imagine being replaced and seeing that very band achieve mainstream success. The band finally settled with Bruce Kulick, who is actually a very accomplished guitarist.
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