The Top 10 Hair Metal Greatest Hit Albums of All Time
Jul 03 '01 (Updated Jul 04 '01)
The Bottom Line The 1980's saw the rise and fall of Hair Metal, but it should be remembered for its ability to merge heavy metal and pop music in a fun, innovative way.
Alright folks. For this review we are going to take a trip back in time. So everyone get out your hairspray, a pair of tight leather pants, and some eyeliner. That's right--you guys can do this too. Figured out where we are going yet?? Well, to a time where macho guys wore sequined leather outfits and lots of makeup and crafted some of the catchiest and raunchiest tunes around. The 1980's!! But most importantly, the musical era that was known as "hair metal." For those who need a brief definition, "hair metal" was a style of music that combined elements of pop and heavy metal. Most of the bands focused on their own personal appearances as much as their music--big, wild hairdos, fancy, colorful outfits, gitter, and makeup were all common characteristics of these infamous bands. Musically, they had their share of hard rock party anthems, and they developed and refined the "power ballad" which basically was a slightly heavier, more guitar driven love ballad that was sure to appeal to both men and women alike.
Whether most people want to admit or not, the 80's were fun and left a mark in music forever, arguably good or bad. Now I will say that I was too young to really enjoy the music of this era, but after seeing some of the garbage that seeps into the airwaves today, I know that if I was in high school during the the height of 80's hair metal I would be having the time of my life. Songs about finding yourself, disobeying your parents, partying 24-7, and getting laid helped teens to find something to believe in. So while most of these bands weren't the most talented musically or lyrically, they still had something to offer the younger generation and at least had some fun making and performing music.
Being a fan of this musical style, I decided to piece together a Top 10 recognizing the greatest hits albums of the time period. Why greatest hits albums? Well, because they weed out the dreck. Unfortunately these bands were limited talent-wise, so their studio albums were generally a mix of the great with the garbage. You can't go wrong with the greatest hit package. You get all the big hits here.
So without further adieu, here are the ultimate testaments to hair metal--greatest hit compilations by 10 of the best Hair Metal acts of the 1980's.....Enjoy!
Runner Up: QUIET RIOT: "Best of Quiet Riot"
I want to take the time and recognize one band that fell short of making the Top 10. QUIET RIOT had all the makings of a glam metal band with their fancy outfits, balls to the wall attitude, and a charismatic frontman in Kevin Dubrow. Two of their timeclass classics came off their debut album--"Come on Feel the Noize" and "Bang Your Head (Mental Health)" were hard rock anthems with catchy verses and fist pumping choruses. However it was all downhill from there. The band's talent spread thin just after the first album though they basically tried to recreate the same sound that worked so well the first time. However it proved fatal for these guys. Only a Slade cover, "Mama We're All Crazee Now" is worth mentioning from the follow up albums. While they did have a respectable catalogue of songs in general, they failed in keeping anyone's interest as the years passed. However, they still played a big part in the hair metal movement, and for that they still deserve some respect.
10. WARRANT: "Latest and Greatest"
Not a whole lot to say about these guys other than they followed the formula on how to be Hair Metal superstars to a tee in regards to sparkling, sequined costumes and sex-driven, tongue-in-cheek lyrics. They had a few solid rockers ("Down Boys" and "Cherry Pie") along with sweet, melodic ballads ("Heaven" and "I Saw Red"). They had a certain youthful energy to them that made them a decent live act, and they managed to extend their talent over a handful of albums. Overall, they weren't anything special--vocals, guitar, rythym section were all average at best, but the music seemed to flow together well.
9. RATT: "Ratt and Roll 8191"
Ratt made it big in 1984 with the release of their first LP "Out of the Cellar." Easily their best album, it produced the big commercial hit "Round and Round," along with raw, aggressive midtempo rockers ("Wanted Man" and "Back For More") and fast moving, heavy tracks ("Lack of Communication"). Their greatest hit compilation includes all these songs along with later hard-pounding classic cuts like "Lay It Down" which had one of the fiercest opening guitar riffs of the 80's along with the slick, melodic power-pop songs like "You're In Love" and "I Want A Woman." While they overextended their talent by including 18 songs on this compilation, the majority of them are strong cuts, and Ratt was the type of band that had a nice sharp hard-rockin' edge to them. They also had a great lead singer in Stephen Pearcy and a great up-and-coming guitar player in Warren DeMartini.
8. POISON: "Greatest Hits"
If there was any band who took the glitter, makeup, and glam to the max it was these guys. I think they spent more time fixing their hair and putting on their eyeliner than writing music. Well maybe that was a little harsh, especially considering that I am a Poison fan. In any event, they slowly started to disintegrate after their second album, "Open Up and Say Ahh." By the time the 90's rolled around, Poison was left in the dust altogether. In any event, they were known for their powerful live performances and impressive stage shows. They also had a strong catalogue of hard rock party anthems like "Nothing But A Good Time," "Look What the Cat Dragged In" and "Talk Dirty To Me." They also wrote arguably the most popular and definitely one of the most beautiful power ballads in "Every Rose Has Its Thorn." Then they followed it up with yet another memorable ballad titled "Something To Believe In." Because of their bad-boy image, good looks, and sex-drenched lyrics, they won acceptance with the female audience immediately. However they either came off too feminine with all the makeup and flamboyent costumes or the music was not heavy enough for many of the guys, so they had to settle for the reputation of being a "chick band." In any event, I think that they had some good musical and lyrical talent, and certain songs will forever be remembered.
7. WHITESNAKE: "Greatest Hits"
One band that had aggression, attitude, and a romantic, almost sweet side was Whitesnake. There wasn't much variety in the lyrics--they pretty much focused on sex, sex, and more sex! However, frontman David Coverdale had different ways of expressing his feelings on the subject. There were the hard-rocking, guitar driven songs like the long, melodic epics "Still of the Night" and "Slow and Easy with their naughty double entrendes." Not to mention the direct, "cut to the chase," catchy, singalong classics like "Slide It In" and "Fool For Your Lovin." Then there was the more hopeless romantic David Coverdale singing well-crafted power ballads like "Is This Love?" and "Cryin In The Rain." Their greatest hits album also included the upfliting, midtempo rocker "Here I Go Again." All-in-all it's a nice mix of rockers and ballads.
6. CINDERELLA: "Once Upon A......Cinderella's Greatest Hits"
Even though their name is almost a little too "over the top", Cinderella actually was a band with an attitude. They were also quite different than most of the other "hair" bands on the market. They had a darker, blusier sound to their music, even though they still had all the trimmings of other hair metal bands--big hair, bright, glittery outfits, and raunchy lyrics. Their catalogue also included a nice mix of fast-tempo rockers like "Gypsy Road," "The More Things Change," and "Shake Me" and slower, moodier ballads like "You Don't Know What You Got (Till Its Gone)" and "Heartbreak Station." While some of their songs were fun and upbeat, they also had a very dark and mysterious side as well. The power ballad, "Nobody's Fool" had a catchy chorus that you could sing along to but had very haunting, almost creepy lyrics and a very melancholy sound. It was something new and fresh and not the same happy-go-lucky mumbo jumbo that everyone else was doing.
5. MOTLEY CRUE: "Greatest Hits"
While Motley Crue bounced back and forth between pop-metal and pure heavy-metal, they still were pioneers of the Hair Metal movement. When they first started out in LA night clubs, they had the big, poofy hair, glitter outfits, and more than their share of makeup. While they faced ridicule for looking like this show after show, they stuck with the same formula and it payed off in the end when they broke into the mainstream with their debut album, "Too Fast For Love." They started out really heavy, but mellowed out as the 80's progressed. However, they always had the type of raw aggression and intensity along with the glossed-up looks and charm that won both male and female support. They sang about living on the edge, the rock n roll lifestyle, sex, drugs, alcohol, and all that. They weren't role models by any stretch of the imagination, but they never really tried to be. They just wrote about things that influenced their daily lives and put music to it. They had some fierce guitar riffs, not to mention the great drumwork by famous bad boy Tommy Lee. Singer Vince Neil has great range that compliments the music style to a tee. Their greatest hits compilation covers their entire music period including some of their best 80's material like the fast and furious "Looks That Kill" and "Too Fast For Love." There is also the catchy "Girls, Girls, Girls" with its classic melodic hook and also included the autobiographical look at rock-n-roll, "Wild Side." Slower, more mainstream tracks like the power ballad "Home Sweet Home" helped improve the fanbase, but the heavy metal brutality of songs like "Kickstart My Heart" and "Dr Feelgood" blew other hair bands out of the water.
4. DOKKEN: "The Very Best Of Dokken"
Dokken was one of those hair metal bands that you either loved or hated. While they had the dress and attitude of a hair metal band, it was obvious during their early years that they were trying to be something more. At first they avoided doing watered-down rock ballads and tried to stick to fast-paced, riff heavy, straightforward metal. Songs like "Breaking The Chains" and "Tooth And Nail" exhibit George Lynch's great axework and Don Dokken's soaring, melodic vocals that manage to keep up with the speed of the songs. As time progressed and as hair metal came to fruition, Dokken jumped on the bandwagon and created a more mainstream sound, and crafted two of the best power ballads of the 80's as far as I'm concerned: "Alone Again" and "It's Not Love." They have that sweet sounding melody mixed with dark, brooding guitar work. They also had other major radio hits including the uptempo rockers "In My Dreams" and "Burning Like A Flame." Their best of CD has numerous other hits that made this band such a big success.
3. TESLA: "Time's Makin' Changes-The Best of Tesla"
Truth be told, Tesla really didn't break any new ground when they entered the music world in 1986. Bands like Cinderella, Dokken, and Ratt were starting to make waves as the kings of "hair metal." In any event, Tesla blasted out of the gates with a great debut album featuring in-your-face rockers like "Little Suzi" and my personal favorite, "Modern Day Cowboy," which is an excellent slice of straight-ahead metal. It also had the slowed down rocker "Gettin Better" and the dark, mysterious power ballad, "Changes," which has a tempo that switches from slow to fast throughout. They weren't a one-album wonder though. Songs off later albums include the midtempo rocker "The Way It Is," "Heaven's Trail (No Way Out), and the soft, melodic "Love Song." The rest of the compilation includes a nice mix of heavy rockers and sweet ballads. While they are just pigeonholed as "just another hair band," Tesla had a lot of musical talent and substance in their songs. They had catchy, rockin' choruses and a great vocalist in Jack Keith. Rarely have I see such a singer express such emotion and conviction in his singing.
2. DEF LEPPARD: "Vault"
Def Leppard has been at the forefront of rock music for many years. Even when the 90's approached and hair metal was washed away by the new waves of Grunge, Def Leppard pressed on. While Def Leppard didn't partake in wearing the glitzy costumes and big hairstyles, their music ran side by side with their hair metal counterparts. Def Leppard knew how to rock. Rock anthems filled with sex-drenched lyrics like the powerful "Pour Some Sugar On Me" and "Animal" blasted through the radio speakers and caught the attention of many. They also knew how to slow the pace down. When they explored their softer side on slowed-down melodies like "Hysteria" and "Love Bites" the listening audience continued to take notice. All of these songs were at the height of Def Leppard's popularity in the mid 80's, but check out some of their earlier classics like the fast, chugging rockers "Photograph" and "Rock of Ages" on the greatest hits compilation. Plain and simple, this compilation is one of the best ever. It leaves no stone unturned and shows the greatness that was (and still is..) Def Leppard.
1. BON JOVI: "Cross Roads"
For a while it was cool to like Bon Jovi. Then it was the complete opposite. Now that Bon Jovi has made a stellar comeback, it's cool to like him again. Well, looking back, in the 80's Jon Bon Jovi was on top of the world. When his "Slippery When Wet" album finally broke him into the mainstream in 1986, there was no turning back. He had the "cute" "boyish" persona that was an instant hit with the ladies. He had an excellent voice with incredible range and was also a talented songwriter. He and his fellow bandmates, including the blues-influenced guitar wizard Richie Sambora, crafted some of the best rockers and melodies of the decade. The timeless cowboy classic "Wanted Dead or Alive" is one of my all-time favorite ballads with its great mix of electric and acoustic guitar. "Ill Be There For You" was another great, moving and warm ballad. "Livin On A Prayer" told the story of two lovers trying to get through all the hardships in their lives, while "Lay Your Hands on Me" and "You Give Love A Bad Time" brought out the sleezy, lustful Bon Jovi. The 1995 greatest hits compilation, "Cross Roads" covers Bon Jovi's entire career and still leaves me wanting more. One of the most popular, talented, and fun bands of the 80's deserves to sit at the top of this list, even though they didn't have as much makeup or glitter as some of the others.
But when it came to bridging heavy metal and pop together, I don't think anyone did it better than Jon and co.
Well there you have it folks. That was a fun trip through time wasn't it? While the hair metal period is long over, it is not long forgotten. These bands will be remembered for their great contributions to music and society as much as their distinguishing big hair, makeup, and spandex.
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