Recently, I found myself reading an article on Vito Bratta of the 1980s band White Lion. This led me to to YouTube, listening to White Lion songs, which led me to reflect on the entire genre of 80s Hair Bands. I thought, why not go back and actually listen to these bands again, and see if their music stands up 35+ years later. I was curious to know if they would sound better than I remembered, or perhaps worse.
To this end, I went back and spent time really listening to these bands, and being as objective as I could. I tried to listen with fresh ears, as well as with the expanded knowledge I have gained both musically, and in the realm of music production and songwriting. And of course, I also paid close attention to the guitar players. I considered if the guitar playing stacks up to today’s standards.
Finally, I’ve included Musical Chops and Popularity scores for each, with 10 being the highest possible score, and 1 the lowest. Needless to say, both of these scores are entirely subjective! To put it differently, the Popularity score was based on exposure and relevance, and the Musical Chops score was based on what I considered the finest examples of each band’s music. Disagree? Let us know in the comments.
This article is for two kinds of people:
- Those who knew and loved 80’s Hair Bands, but got away from listening to them
- Those who never knew 80’s Hair Bands
What Is a “Hair Band”?
If you want to understand what the Hair Band (a.k.a Hair Metal, Glam Rock) genre is about, you must know the 10 bands we’ll discuss here. But first, let’s understand the Hair Metal genre. This is, by the way, my definition. Hair Bands, also known as “Hair Metal” are characterized by their sound, their style, and of course, their time period (and their typically long hair). That time period, as we all know, is the mid-late 1980s to the early 1990s. Los Angeles was the epicenter of 80s Hair Metal, and young bands who hoped to make the scene made their way to L.A. Alas, the Hair Band era ended in 1992 when Grunge music from Seattle swept away the sound of 80s Hair Bands.
The 80’s Hair Band Sound
Though the terms Hair Bands and Hair Metal are often used interchangeably, most true Hair Band music isn’t metal per se, or at least not how we would define it today. The key components of Hair Band guitar sound are:
1. Distortion
Though Hair Bands weren’t as “heavy” sounding compared to modern metal today, highly distorted guitars were a big part of the sound. This was not overdrive, or a clean sound with some “hair” (pardon the pun). Overwhelmingly, the 80s Hair Band sound was aggressively distorted with a solid-state edge. This is in part due to the fact that many 80s Hair Band guitarists favored rack gear solid-state amplifiers. Still, Marshall JCM800s were all the rage. On the pedal side, among the most famous pedals used to create signature 80s Hair Band sounds were the Boss DS-1, MXR Distortion Plus+, and Pro Co Rat.
2. Super Strats
The 80s were characterized by Superstrats, which are hot-rodded versions of the Stratocaster (for more on SuperStrats, check out our article Do you need a Superstrat?). Superstrats popularized hot humbuckers, flat radius fingerboards, and Floyd Rose locking tremolos, which ushered in the era of 3-NPs shredding, heavy tremolo use, dive-bombing, and screaming solos.
3. Guitar Solos
Remember those? Since the 80s were all about jacked-up guitars and big distorted tones, it stands to reason that people would want to hear these guitars. Guitar playing made quantum leaps in the 80s, and the guitar solo was the opportunity for guitarists to strut their stuff. Hair Metal was by definition guitar-focused, and typically the guitar was the primary melodic instrument. Some Hair Metal bands, such as Bon Jovi, employed keyboardists, but they played a supporting role.
10 Great 80s Hair Bands
Here is our list of ten 80s Hair Bands that you need to know. This is not an exhaustive list, but we feel that these bands collectively represent the sound of 80s rock.
1. Van Halen
If you’re thinking “Wait, Van Halen wasn’t a Hair Band”, you’re right! But because Eddie Van Halen influenced every other guitarist in all of the bands on this list, I couldn’t not mention them. Van Halen had the 80s look, but the trailblazing nature and overall quality of their music puts them in a class by themselves. It’s worth mentioning that in terms of 80s rock excesses, Van Halen could hang with the best of them. You don’t think it’s a coincidence that Michael Anthony had a Jack Daniels bass, do you? See him flying through the air with it at 1:13 in the video below.
Popularity Score: 10
Musical Chops Score: 10
2. Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi – You can’t talk about Hair Metal without mentioning Bon Jovi. A very pop-oriented, but also very smart band. Bon Jovi, while musically not my cup of tea, was undeniably very successful, and one of the biggest Hair Bands of the 80s. The number of hits they have dwarfs most of their competitors, and they’ve enjoyed surprising staying power three decades later.
Popularity Score: 10
Musical Chops Score: 7
3. White Lion
Although not as overtly commercially successful as some of the others, White Lion had some great songs complimented by guitarist Vito Bratta’s distinctive and melodic guitar playing. Bratta is an ’80s legend who stepped away from the limelight for personal reasons. Little Fighter is their best known song, and Bratta’s brand of melodic minimalism on this song is undeniably great. Bratta also plays a touching intro that suits the song’s important subject matter. The solo’s direction is both unexpected and absolutely spot on for the song.
Popularity Score: 5
Musical Chops Score: 8
4. Poison
Hair Metal is also called Glam Metal, and I’m giving Poison credit for this. Poison had the image nailed as good or better than anyone else, and singer Bret Michaels has publicly lamented in the past that he feels Poison was treated unfairly by music critics at the time. Nonetheless, they’re here because they represent everything Hair Metal was, in the best possible way. Good time, catchy songs? Check. Power Ballads? Check. Questionable musicianship? Check—but hey, does it matter? These guys were having nothing but a good time, and it showed. Poison was the Hair Metal MVP.
Popularity Score: 8
Musical Chops Score: 5
5. Skid Row
Sebastian Bach’s great vocals are one of the reasons that Skid Row makes this list. Skid Row’s music always felt a little more serious than some of the other bands in the genre. Or perhaps it was that they were heavier? Listening to Skid Row’s song Slave to the Grind from their 1991 album of the same name, you can make a case that Skid Row swapped the “Hair” for the “Heavy” in their brand of metal. Regardless, their first album dropped in 1989, and singer Sebastian Bach had the hair and the vocal chops. Skid Row guitarists Dave Sabo and Scotti Hill weren’t shredders per se, but their playing was both heavy and melodic.
Popularity Score: 7
Musical Chops Score: 7
6. Winger
Winger doesn’t get the credit it deserves. I’m talking about guitarist Reb Beach, in particular. No wonder he got his own signature Ibanez, because he made it look easy. Beech’s solo on the song Seventeen (starting at 2:00) is flat out awesome, displaying his ridiculously smooth shredding chops. The outro solo is equally great. Winger’s self-titled album released in 1988 went Platinum, so while you cannot say they weren’t successful, their popularity today lags behind some other 80s Hair Metal heavyweights.
Popularity Score: 6
Musical Chops Score: 8
7. Whitesnake
I was always on the fence about Whitesnake, and I think I still am. David Coverdale’s vocals are reminiscent of Robert Plant, which in some ways I always held against him. Not exactly fair, because Whitesnake’s music is nothing like Led Zeppelin. Whitesnake has had some big hit songs, and their 1987 self-titled album was the height of their popularity. Guitarist John Sykes’ moody solo on the song Is This Love is one of the best Hair Metal solos that doesn’t involve shredding.
Popularity Score: 6
Musical Chops Score: 6
8. Dokken
Dokken sits somewhere between Hair Metal and Hard Rock. I admittedly hadn’t listened to Dokken in years, and when I first heard them again I thought “this is the soundtrack of 80s rock”. Guitarist George Lynch is known as one of the 80’s most influential hard rock guitarists. If you have any doubts as to this claim, have a listen to the song Mr. Scary. Don Dokken is underrated as a vocalist, and is as big a part of the Dokken sound as Lynch. Don Dokken can wail, but he can also sing in a laid back, almost dreamy way when the song calls for it. If you’ve forgotten—or never knew—how good Dokken was, do yourself a favor and check them out again.
Popularity Score: 7
Musical Chops Score: 7
9. Ratt
Listening to “Lay It Down”, a hit from their Invasion of Your Privacy Album, reminded me of how great these guys sounded. Stephen Eric Pearcy’s vocals are a lot better than I realized—he may not have the best natural voice, but his growl fits perfectly into Ratt’s sonic formula. Check out Warren DiMartini’s solo break starting at 3:50 seconds in for some sweet playing, both shreddy and melodic.
Popularity Score: 6
Musical Chops Score: 7
10. Warrant
Warrant is somewhat of a tragic tale, but they deserve to be in any list of Hair Bands. Warrant hit the scene at the tail end of the 80s, with the release of Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich in 1989. Their follow-up album contained the single Cherry Pie, which singer Jani Lane is said to have regrets about writing. Regardless, Cherry Pie was a huge hit. Along with Poison, what Warrant lacked in musical credibility was made up for by their unapologetic 80s Hair Band appearance and sound. Warrant ranks right behind Poison for the band that most unapologetically epitomized Hair Metal.
Popularity Score: 7
Musical Chops Score: 5
Conclusion
As you might have guessed, many of these bands sounded even better than I remembered. The guitar playing has certainly stood the test of time, and made me nostalgic for when the electric guitar was the focal instrument in popular music. I’m interested to know what you think of this list. Specifically, do you feel that this is the most representative list of ten 80s Hair Bands? Drop me a comment. For more about 80s guitars, check out our article on Five Cool Guitars From The 80s. Happy Playing!
What about Slaughter, Cinderella, Kix, Motley Crue?
Looks like we’ll need to do “80’s Hair Bands Revisited Part II” to cover these bands… stay tuned.