The 25 Best Hair Metal Bands

[ilknu®]

Thought this was interesting... :-)

http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/listoftheday/32122/the-25-best-hair-metal-bands

Vixen # 13
Bon Jovi # 17

There's also another list for the 25 worst hair-metal bands: http://new.us.music.yahoo.com/blogs/listoftheday/32270/the-25-worst-hair-metal-bands

[SLASHer]

Haha, Poison is the worst hair metal band on there. Skid Row shouldn't be on the worst hair metal band considering they were only a Hair Metal band for one album and that they kick ass.

[Anthony]

Eh. I don't like the term "hair metal". It's derogatory, a product of grunge rock fans, and in reality just a loose catch-all to describe any band that peaked in the '80s. So Skid Row does count as would Guns 'N Roses.

The entries on the "worst" list is surprising. Mr Big? The article correctly recognizes two of the legends in that group, but mocks them for building their commercial success on "To Be With You". I suppose Queensrÿche's greatness is completely undone by the success of "Silent Lucidity".

Y&T? Though Yesterday & Today never did get famous outside of the Bay Area and Japan, they were a great band which, like Mr. Big, were highly respected by other musicians. Stryper? The author is focused on the mere fact that they were a "Christian metal" band. It's a tough hill to climb, especially when you're tossing bibles out into the crowd at concerts, but they rocked live; and unlike Poison, they occasionally played music which bordered on being speed metal. Dokken??? One of the founding fathers of the LA metal scene? Apparently, my idea of the worst bands is different. I can see Lillian Axe, maybe Pretty Boy Floyd, and even King Kobra or Rough Cutt on this list before any of these other bands (and those bands rocked).

And as for "best", it's a joke that the New York Dolls were listed at all. They were influential, yes. But not to the extent the author thinks, and they weren't heavy metal, much less hair metal. Hanoi Rocks was the band that directly influenced the look of Mötley Crüe and countless other bands who were performing on the strip.

[SLASHer]

And as for "best", it's a joke that the New York Dolls were listed at all. They were influential, yes. But not to the extent the author thinks, and they weren't heavy metal, much less hair metal. Hanoi Rocks was the band that directly influenced the look of Mötley Crüe and countless other bands who were performing on the strip.

Motley Crue, Ratt and Guns N' Roses are the only bands I can say I KNOW are heavily influenced by The New York Dolls. Nikki Sixx loved them. Half the bands on this list aren't heavy metal.

[Anthony]

Agreed, and a couple of those same bands shared the stage with Hanoi Rocks, and through them adopted the sleaze rock look.

You're right, half of the names are plain no-debates hard rock. Giuffria, Bad English, Damn Yankees, Loverboy, New York Dolls... four hard rock bands, and one punk rock band which, along with Gary Glitter and David Bowie, influenced glam rock. None are heavy metal, yep. We did see Giuffria and Bad English, and even Damn Yankees, get airplay on MTV Hard 30 and Headbanger's Ball back when MTV was trying to push anything harder than REM into the midnight time slot. Maybe that's why the author connects them with metal.

Van Halen and Aerosmith. To me, Van Halen was very much heavy metal during the Roth years, and I don't think we get to demote them just because of the Hagar years. I don't think Aerosmith was heavy metal. They lacked the musical characteristics of heavy metal IMHO, and I'm in the Zeppelin/Deep Purple metal camp.

And Spinal Tap was a fictitious parody band in a satire about heavy metal culture. I guess with this entry, the entire list was meant to be tongue in cheek. Eh, I should really learn to be less shocked. :D

[SLASHer]

Agreed, and a couple of those same bands shared the stage with Hanoi Rocks, and through them adopted the sleaze rock look.

You're right, half of the names are plain no-debates hard rock. Giuffria, Bad English, Damn Yankees, Loverboy, New York Dolls... four hard rock bands, and one punk rock band which, along with Gary Glitter and David Bowie, influenced glam rock. None are heavy metal, yep. We did see Giuffria and Bad English, and even Damn Yankees, get airplay on MTV Hard 30 and Headbanger's Ball back when MTV was trying to push anything harder than REM into the midnight time slot. Maybe that's why the author connects them with metal.

Van Halen and Aerosmith. To me, Van Halen was very much heavy metal during the Roth years, and I don't think we get to demote them just because of the Hagar years. I don't think Aerosmith was heavy metal. They lacked the musical characteristics of heavy metal IMHO, and I'm in the Zeppelin/Deep Purple metal camp.

And Spinal Tap was a fictitious parody band in a satire about heavy metal culture. I guess with this entry, the entire list was meant to be tongue in cheek. Eh, I should really learn to be less shocked. :D

Aerosmith is definitely not a heavy metal band. They have some very metallic songs. Like "Nobody's Fault" is definitely metal!

[Anthony]

Aerosmith is definitely not a heavy metal band. They have some very metallic songs. Like "Nobody's Fault" is definitely metal!

Definitely. All of "Rocks" just feels powerful and kick-ass the way metal should. When you take that, and in something as hypnotic as "Dream On", I can see where someone would call them metal. Well, that and the fact that every self-respecting headbanger liked them. :D I have my VHS copy of Metal Head video magazine with Aerosmith in it right here too!

[SLASHer]

Definitely. All of "Rocks" just feels powerful and kick-ass the way metal should. When you take that, and in something as hypnotic as "Dream On", I can see where someone would call them metal. Well, that and the fact that every self-respecting headbanger liked them. :D I have my VHS copy of Metal Head video magazine with Aerosmith in it right here too!

I love "Rocks" its such a kiss ass album. "Rats in the Cellar" and "Back in the Saddle" again are my favorites by Aerosmith. Good to see someone appreciate how heavy, dirty and powerful Aerosmith is.

[Anthony]

I love "Rocks" its such a kiss ass album. "Rats in the Cellar" and "Back in the Saddle" again are my favorites by Aerosmith. Good to see someone appreciate how heavy, dirty and powerful Aerosmith is.

Thanks. I threw on my old copy of Metal Head vol I from RIP magazine, and saw Steven and Joe talk in an interview about heavy metal. Maybe they are considered metal. I had forgotten that they travelled in metal circles since so many of the fans are metal heads. They were talking specifically though about how a lot of guys play fast, the implication being that they don't give it time for the passion and sex appeal to shine through -- I think. Steve's a character :D

[Nimasis]

I've read both lists and I really have to tell you the one who has written these lists has really serious problems and I'm sure he's heavily on drugs and alcohol! The 25 worst hair metal bands is in fact worst list you could gather. But this is internet. We have to get over it. Everyone can come here even the ones with the least informations and inteligence and say what s/he wants! The best 25 hair metal list is as ridiculous as the previous one. 90% of them even don't know someone put them as a HAIR METAL BAND! HAHA!!

[Anthony]

Yeah, we should ignore it. :D I remember the Rolling Stone magazine list from around 2003 where the best guitarists were ranked and Curt Cobain and Kirk Hammett ranked way, way above Randy Rhoads, Eddie Van Halen, and Steve Howe. It's done to promote controversy more than anything. Sells magazines, but it's still really lame. :D

[Downy]

I never bother with these best of or worst of lists as they are just voted on by critics not fans.
I like to make up my own mind whats good and whats not.