MUSIC

’80s Power Ballads That Rock

Get out the eyeliner and hairspray

Photo by Christine Sandu on Unsplash

Ah, the ballad. When I hear the term, I think of a slow sentimental song, usually about love, but a ballad is simply a story or a poem. It can be sad or silly and the style can vary from rock, folk, country, or jazz. Bob Dylan wrote many ballads. Iron Maiden even wrote one based on Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner, but for this listicle, I’ll focus on my favorite kind — the power/rock ballads from the hair bands of the ’80s. They are full of emotion and tug at my heartstrings. So, put on your spandex and your Member’s Only jacket. Grab your cassette tapes and the keys to the Camaro! Let’s go cruisin’ down memory lane.

Here’s a list of my favorite power/rock ballads.

1. Bringin’ on the Heartbreak — Def Leppard (1981)

This band has had tons of hits over the years and this song is their best, hands down. Much of their later stuff became more mainstream, pop rock, whereas this song is balls out rockin.’ Bringin’ on…