10 Greatest Hair Metal Songs

While you can describe the '80s in a bunch of different ways, subtle wasn't exactly one of the leading opinions. Compared to the stuff we got in the '70s or the era of disaffected irony that was to come in the '90s, everything was taken to the nth degree in the '80s, regardless of what music you were listening to. If any genre fit the decade to a tee though, it would have to be hair metal.

As the harsher side of rock started to really come into its own, the greatest bands of the genre were putting 7 inch heels on and putting more hairspray in their hair than anyone thought was necessary. It was bold, it was brash, and it actually had some killer tunes when the time called for it.

Despite people claiming that these bands had no idea how to play their instruments, some of the best songs to come out of this genre had a lot more going on under the hood than just your standard three chord rock and roll song. Combined with some expert playing, these are the songs that made the '80s what they were and are filled with nostalgia for those who lived it. It might be cheesy in spots, but it's the absolute best kind of cheese.

Just from the first sight of this album cover, you can pretty much already tell that Cinderella was tailor made for the '80s. With the 6 inch heels, the hair that looks like it just went through a blow dryer, and the pouty expressions on their faces, this should be the album that is made for the bottom of the barrel glam metal fans. Then you throw on the first track and get something completely different.

Yeah, when you stack up a track like Night Songs among the lesser bands of the genre like Enuff Znuff, this is the raw rock and roll that you didn't see all that often. Instead of the usual influences from people like David Bowie or Sweet, this sounds like Tom Keifer was raised on the classic stuff like Aerosmith and ZZ Top, especially when he kicks into that screaming high register in his voice.

Although most of the greatest hair metal songs are about a night on the town, this is the one moment where that kind of party actually sounds dangerous, almost like you're riding on a train bound for nowhere. It's gonna be a long journey through the night, but it's definitely gonna be a hell of a ride if you have this in your playlist.