hair metal

From seedy Sunset Strip origins to the top of the world.

The answer isn't as cut-and-dry as you've been led to believe.

These bands left a lasting mark on hair metal, even if the lineups that built their legacies didn't last.

These rock stars spent decades on the road, but their most meaningful stories happened at home.

Their catalog varies in sound — and quality — but there's at least one winner on each album.

Thankfully they're all readily available now.

Some were relegated to B-sides; others became career-defining hits.

Not every band falls prey to the sophomore slump.

Ratt singer Stephen Pearcy has since responded to the suggestion the band should make a Super Bowl halftime appearance.

From the Sunset Strip to the global stage, these bands helped define the year.

There's way more substance here than haters would lead you to believe.

The riffs may fade and the hair may flatten, but these videos have remained burned into pop culture for good.