The Top 10 Raddest Glam Metal Songs
Please enjoy my list of the Top 10 Glam Metal Songs based solely on my personal bias, who like many of you, tried to grow up in the 80s but in truth is still stuck there. My list of the 10 Raddest Hair Metal Songs aims to take you on a journey back to the carefree days of 80s excess and the weird feelings of first crushes, teenage hormones, and trying to keep up with what was cool.
1. Kickstart My Heart by Motley Crue
I dare you not to get pumped up when the guitar intro screeches like a motorcycle revin’ up before Tommy Lee kicks this anthem into high gear as it propels straight ahead right to the breakdown and the pursuing crescendo that proves time and time again that the Crue still kicks…
2. House of Pain by Faster Pussycat
I had a good childhood and really don’t have anything to complain about but for some reason I identified with this song. Maybe every kid has a phase where they think they’ve got it bad or that their troubles are heavy duty. I feel bad for anyone that actually did have it rough and I hope that this sad song could bring small comfort that they are not alone.
3. Here I Go Again by Whitesnake
Yet another song that is a little confounding to think about. “Like a drifter born to walk alone.” Yet everyone and their Uncle was right there with you, banging their heads ever so slightly with a big 80s cheshire grin on their faces. However the enduring nature of this epic rock song is undeniably glam rock at its finest.
4. Shelter Me by Cinderella
Few songs remind me more of peak glam rock MTV than this song. It’s so fun it seemingly never ends, it just fades out into infinity. Little Richard makes an appearance in the video as the telethon to save rock and roll from censorship raises awareness of this important issue. The song was released in 1990 just before the hair metal decline and conveys the human need to have your own little space while being able to let go of the past. Deep.
5. I Remember You by Skid Row
How many grade 8 grad ceremonies featured this song as a farewell to youth? This song strikes a chord to this very day of memories of days gone by and of the fleeting innocence of youth.
6. Green-Tinted Sixties Mind by Mr Big
Those who know, know. Not the Mr biggest song from this group in terms of popularity, but within the opening stanza of this glam rock beauty I’m instantly flooded with memories from the era of talking about life and about girls with my older cousin Dan as we tried to make sense of it all and find our way through to adulthood. If you don’t know this one, do yourself a favour and look it up. You’re welcome.
7. Something to Believe In by Poison
Think Every Rose was Poison’s greatest slow song? Think again. This treasure features a beautiful piano, a wailing guitar solo that pulls on your heartstrings and Brett Michaels pleading for someone to give him something to believe in. Kinda fitting for the glam rock genre as underneath all of the flamboyance, the rebellious rants and who gives a F attitude at the shallow heart of it all, there were moments of sincere earnestness and a self-awareness that maybe the pursuit of excess was meaningless and at the end of the day, after the music faded away we needed something real.
8. Cherry Pie by Warrant
This song could not have existed anywhere else than smackdab in the middle of peak glam metal absurdity. Should you trust anyone who has to state that they’re a “trained professional?” I wouldn’t. I would however listen to this as a guilty pleasure and there aren’t many conversations about hair metal that I have participated in where I haven’t taken the opportunity to submit this song as quintessentially glam metal.
9. Don’t Treat Me Bad by Firehouse
I honestly don’t know if this song was as popular as I thought it was. It made its way onto a number of my “ultimate 80s mixtapes” which is interesting considered it was released in 1990. As I mentioned in my article about Glam Metal, I was surprised when researching the genre by how many songs that I would’ve pegged as 80s hair metal champions that were actually released in 1990–91. I guess they could’ve been conceptualized earlier and influenced by 80s glam rock, but for me, a number of my favourite hair metal tunes are from the early 90s right before grunge put on its Doc Martens and kicked it to the curb.
10. Fly to the Angels by Slaughter
Try not to get goosebumps while listening to this one as you fight back the tears. The drums are used sparingly in this one as the vocals are isolated to hit home the heartfelt send off to someone close who has passed. A sad reality that many coming of age moments included for 80s kids. Fly to the Angels rounds out our list of the Top 10 Glam Metal Songs.
What do you think?
What song(s) did I miss that would be on your top Top 10 Glam Metal Songs?
Drop a comment to let me know.
Check out my Retro Relevance’s Totally Unobjective Top 10 List of Glam/Hair Metal Bands: to see if I got that list right.
Have a rad rest of your day!
