Aldo Nova, by Aldo Nova (1981)
Canadian musician Aldo Nova unfortunately isn't remembered a lot today in the U.S., though he's still recording albums. His first album, Aldo Nova, had a hit song with "Fantasy," but it also had several other good tunes, including "Ball and Chain" and "See the Light." While Aldo Nova might not strictly be a hair band musician, his style of music and guitar playing was definitely a precursor of what was to come in the next few years with the hair bands.Diver Down, by Van Halen (1982)
Van Halen started back in the 1970s, but these rockers still had a major influence over the hair bands. Not only did the David Lee Roth and gang have the hair back in the day, but Dave also sported the spandex and their songs sported the attitude. This band probably came closest to the hair band phenomenon with their album 1984, but everyone knows that album and I wanted to feature something a little different. Diver Down was the album before 1984, and it included some greats songs such as "Cathedral," "Intruder" and the hilarious cover of the old song "Happy Trails."Lick it Up, by KISS (1983)
Even though KISS started back in the early 1970s, you have to include them as a hair band, at least as a glam band (if you don't know the difference ... learn). This was the band's first album without the trademark makeup, and it comes smack dab in the middle of the hair band craze, so I decided to include it here. Solid songs are "Lick It Up," "Not for the Innocent" and "All Hell's Breakin' Loose."Frontiers, by Journey (1983)
Journey is another band that's a holdover from the 1970s, and while they're not exactly a hair band, they had more power ballads than just about anybody from the 80s. Who can forget all the great songs on this album, such as "Send Her My Love," "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" and "Faithfully?" If that's not hair band music, then I don't know what is.Headhunter, by Krokus (1983)
Krokus was strictly more of a heavy metal band, but this 1983 album had its influences on harder-edged hair band stuff to come. If you like early 80s metal, you've got to give this record a listen. Songs include "Night Wolf," "Ready to Burn" and "Eat the Rich."Vital Signs, by Survivor (1984)
Before this band hit it big with the song "Eye of the Tiger" for the Rocky III movie soundtrack, they were a big ballad band. Survivor was kind of a mix of hair band and pop band with all the hair but more mainstream 80s clothes, sort of like the band Asia and somewhat like The Outfield. Still, you can't deny the power of their ballads, especially the ones on this album like "High on You," "I Can't Hold Back" and "The Search is Over."Out of the Cellar, by Ratt (1984)
Now we are deep into hair band territory. Ratt's career didn't have the longevity of other bands, like Motley Crue or Def Leppard, but back in the day they were big stuff. Especially with this album, the band's first full-length recording. "Round and Round" was the huge hit here, but other great tunes were "Wanted Man" and "The Morning After."Hysteria, by Def Leppard (1987)
Def Leppard's fourth album, Hysteria, was a big comeback recording for this band after having not put out an album since 1983's Pyromaniaand coping with drummer Rick Allen's car accident in 1984 that cost him an arm. Still, these British rockers showed they had the stuff and they proved it with strong tunes like "Women," "Animal" and "Pour Some Sugar on Me." This album has produced a shift in the direction of Def Leppard as the band's songs were a little less metal and more radio friendly. The shift worked, however, and Def Leppard is still going strong to this day.Faster Pussycat, by Faster Pussycat (1987)
Coming in toward the end of the 1980s, Faster Pussycat was never the most popular of hair bands, but they had their following and they knew how to rock real hard. Strong songs from this, the band's first album, include "Don't Change That Song," "Cathouse" and my favorite, "No Room for Emotion."Lap of Luxury, by Cheap Trick (1988)
This was a bit of an unusul album for the great Cheap Trick. For one thing, it was the band's most radio friendly album, and remains so to this day. Cheap Trick had always been a weird mix of rock and pop music, sometimes bordering on the edge of punk. They'd never truly been a hair band, but Lap of Luxuryis the closest they ever came to a hair band album. The big hit song here, "The Flame," is obviously a hair band ballad. But there are other decent songs here, such as "Ghost Town" and "Space." Worth checking out whether you are a true hair band afficianado or a fan of Cheap Trick.Other music links
This was the debut album of Jon and the boys. Sure, the band didn't really hit it big for a couple of more albums, but there were still some great tunes here. This album highlighted the future potential of Bon Jovi with solid songs like "Runaway," "She Don't Know Me" and "Shot Through the Heart." This band didn't get into the makeup and glam effects quite so much as other bands, but they did to a lesser extent and still wore plenty of leather and spandex. Though Bon Jovi was and has been one of the more mainstream and radio-friendly groups out of the hair bands, you have to admit they've had strong staying power and are still popular to this day.
When Poison first hit the MTV waves, they were the prettiest of the pretty boys. Tons of makeup, lots of hairspray and loads and loads of silky kerchiefs and spandex. But for some reason, this band took off with the rocker crowd big time. This is Poison's first album, and it's lots of fun. Great songs include "Talk Dirty to Me," "Cry Tough" and "I Won't Forget You." Actually, the whole album is strong, so give it a twirl if this is your kind of music.
Whitesnake had been around or a long time, but this album really was the band's breakthrough in the U.S. Such hit songs as "Still of the Night" and "Here I Go Again" and "Is This Love" can still be heard on the radio to this day, more than 20 years later. Throughout its career, Whitesnake often changed as a band, sometimes more blues driven and sometimes more hard rock, but this particular album was a mixture of all of it and really brought the band and lead singer David Coverdale into the limelight in America.
This was the album that seemed to change everything. Guns N' Roses was more rough edged than your average hair band, but they stll had some of the looks and attitude and music. Still, Appetite for Destructionwas a breath of fresh air in the rock music genre of the time, hard hitting and rocking and sometimes even fun, all at the same time. Axle Rose and gang had some awesome songs, like the famous "Welcome to the Jungle," "Paradise City," "Mr. Brownstone" and "My Michelle." Truly, this is an awesome album from beginning to end, and quite possibly the best album from all of the 1980s.
This was Great White third album and their first one to really draw the attention of MTV and the American audience. It wasn't quite the huge hit as the band's next album, ... Twice Shy, but it still had some groovy tunes. Solid songs here include "Rock Me," "Lady Red Light" and the melodic "Save Your Love."
This band is better known for its second album, Cocked and Loaded (1989) which included the hit song "The Ballad of Jayne," but this album, the band's first, has always had a special place for me. My favorite songs here are "Electric Gypsy" and "One Way Ticket," but there were other cool tunes, such as "Sex Action." If you are a hair band fan and missed this album, you owe it to yourself to find a copy.
Discovered by Jon Bon Jovi, the band Cinderella had a relatively short career as a hair band before transforming into more of a guitar-driven blues band. Long Cold Winter is the band's second album, and it bridge the gap between hair band rock and the blues. "Gypsy Road" leans toward a rock, thumping hair band sound, while "Don't Know What You've Got (Til It's Gone)" is a solid hair band ballad. Other songs lean a little more towards blues rock, such as "Long Cold Winter."
Coming in at the end of the 80s, Skid Row's first album proved the glam rock scene still had something new to offer at the time. "18 and Life" is a fantastic, heavy song that still receives some radio play to this day. Other cool songs include the ballad "I Remember You" and "Youth Gone Wild."
Warrant's second album, Cherry Pie, was a bigger seller, but it didn't come along until 1990, and I wanted to make sure to list the band here. Still, this particular album had some strong tune on it, including the hits "Down Boys," "Heaven" and "Sometimes She Cries." This album was not only good in and of itself, but was a fine preview of what more was to come from the band in the future.