Consider our list of The Best Ballad by 15 Bands of the Hair Metal Era at your own risk — there’s much more substance here than critics would lead you to believe.
Hair metal — glam metal, pop-metal, whatever you want to call it — was never a favorite among critics, and power ballads were perhaps the most criticized manifestation of the genre.
Bands and record label executives alike recognized that ballads were often a surefire way to achieve a chart hit and boost album sales. Rockers who were willing to embrace their sensitive sides could see their tours transition from clubs to arenas in just three and a half minutes if they played their cards right.
READ MORE: <span style="text-decoration: underline">The Heaviest Song by 11 Big Hair Metal Bands</span>
This led to many contrived hair metal ballads that sounded indistinguishable from one another. However, at their best, these ballads allowed musicians to showcase the breadth of their songwriting and create generational anthems that resonated with listeners for decades.
This tactic wasn’t limited to ’80s natives either — several ’70s rockers reinvented themselves for the glam metal demographic and successfully ventured into epic, lighter-waving balladry as well.
Those are the types of ballads we’re highlighting here. Read on to see The Best Ballad by 15 Bands of the Hair Metal Era.
Aerosmith, “What It Takes” (Pump, 1989)
Aerosmith wrote plenty of incredible ballads during their initial ’70s heyday (“Dream On,” anyone?), but the rockers opted for a much clearer pop-metal slant on their late-’80s comeback material.
The best of the bunch is “What It Takes,” a country-tinged lament that wisely avoids the heavy-handed production sheen of its predecessor, “Angel.” Steven Tyler delivers one of his strongest and most heartfelt vocal performances, while the ear-pricking accordion and weeping guitar solo elevate “What It Takes” above its power ballad peers.
“It’s a ballad, but it’s not a schmaltzy ballad,” bassist Tom Hamilton told Rolling Stone in 2019. “The emotion in it is very real and it has a beautiful set of chord changes.”
Bon Jovi, “Bed of Roses” (Keep the Faith, 1992)
Following the back-to-back successes of Slippery When Wet and New Jersey, Bon Jovi sought to move beyond the confines of pop-metal on Keep the Faith without fully abandoning their stadium-rock sound.
The Top 10 hit “Bed of Roses” epitomizes this gradual evolution. The smoldering blues guitar leads and delicate piano-based verses demonstrate an improved sense of dynamics, but the anguished lyrics and soaring choruses — the last one featuring a monumental vocal run from Jon Bon Jovi — show they hadn’t lost their flair for melodrama.
Cinderella, “Coming Home” (Long Cold Winter, 1988)
Cinderella’s sophomore album Long Cold Winter found the Philadelphia quartet expanding on Night Songs‘ pop-metal tumult with bluesy hard rock and rootsy elements. The rockers hit harder and the ballads rang more sincere as a result.
“Coming Home” is a classic road ballad that shows frontman Tom Keifer torn between the rigors of touring and the loving embrace of a woman back home. The 12-string guitar and massive group vocals in the fade-out give the song a bluesy, almost gospel-tinged feel, reflecting Cinderella’s desire to be the Aqua Netted Rolling Stones.
Def Leppard, “Bringin’ on the Heartbreak” (High ‘n’ Dry, 1981)
Def Leppard were still operating in NWOBHM-adjacent mode on High ‘n’ Dry, and “Bringin’ on the Heartbreak” combines heartstring-tugging melodies with epic guitar harmonies, resulting in one of the toughest ballads of the hair metal era.
Amid the success of Pyromania, the band released a remixed version of the track in 1984 with glossier production and synth overdubs. Do yourself a favor and stick with the original in all its muscular, unvarnished glory.
Dokken, “Alone Again” (Tooth and Nail, 1984)
Dokken could pout and preen with the best of the hair metal bands, but they often packed a harder and rawer punch than their contemporaries.
“Alone Again,” the penultimate track off their sophomore album Tooth and Nail, drives home this point. Don Dokken’s plaintive vocals convey palpable heartache, but George Lynch’s eerie guitar arpeggios and red-hot solo give the song a darker edge than your run-of-the-mill power ballad.
Extreme, “Hole Hearted” (Extreme II: Pornograffitti, 1990)
Extreme were barely a glam metal band, but the chart-topping success of their 1990 acoustic ballad “More Than Words” forever tied them to the scene. We’re not here to argue about that song’s greatness, even though some fans of the band’s harder material considered it sacrilegious.
Fortunately for them, Extreme II: Pornograffitti features a second Top 5 acoustic ballad, “Hole Hearted.” It contains similar gorgeous vocal harmonies and tasteful guitar work as its predecessor but in a bouncier and less saccharine package.
Kiss, “Forever” (Hot in the Shade, 1989)
Not many hard rock bands could pull off “Forever,” a splashy, full-throated pop-metal anthem with extra emphasis on the pop. But most bands didn’t have a singer of Paul Stanley’s caliber.
The Starchild co-wrote the Hot in the Shade single with master pop balladeer Michael Bolton, which is evident. Aside from Stanley’s skyscraping vocals, though, “Forever” is a reasonably understated affair for Kiss (who were fully in hair metal mode by then), getting significant mileage out of its acoustic guitars and Gene Simmons’ plucky bass lines.
The results speak for themselves: “Forever” peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Kiss their first Top 40 hit since “I Was Made for Lovin’ You” more than a decade earlier.
Kix, “Don’t Close Your Eyes” (Blow My Fuse, 1988)
Kix formed in Hagerstown, Maryland, in the mid-’70s and cut their teeth playing Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin covers before achieving mainstream success in the late ’80s. In other words, they always stood out from the glam metal glut — and that uniqueness is evident in their sole hit, “Don’t Close Your Eyes.”
Although it’s technically a power ballad, there’s nothing mushy about “Don’t Close Your Eyes.” For starters, it’s an anti-suicide song rather than a love song. The keyboards sound fittingly tense while Steve Whiteman’s gritty vocals convey his desperate plea.
The heavy subject matter didn’t deter fans; they propelled “Don’t Close Your Eyes” to No. 11 on the Hot 100.
Mötley Crüe, “Home Sweet Home” (Theatre of Pain, 1985)
Fans and critics alike often point to Theatre of Pain as when Mötley Crüe lost their way (for the first time but not last), yet there’s no denying they knocked it out of the park with “Home Sweet Home.” It’s a study in contrasts: Tommy Lee’s tender piano intro was far removed from their raunchy glam metal assault while the MTV-staple music video showed how a band like Mötley could feel alone even as they delighted 20,000 fans each night for months on end.
Bassist Nikki Sixx discussed this dichotomy in The End – Live In Los Angeles. “The lyrics came out of that feeling of being gone so long and wanting to come back,” he explained. “Because all you ever want is to get in a band and go on tour; then you’re on tour and you want to come home.”
Ozzy Osbourne, “Mama, I’m Coming Home” (No More Tears, 1991)
Ozzy Osbourne had been well-versed in power ballads ever since he released “Goodbye to Romance” on Blizzard of Ozz. However, there was something different — something altogether more special — about “Mama, I’m Coming Home.”
Co-written with Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister and guitarist Zakk Wylde, “Mama” is dedicated to Ozzy’s wife and manager Sharon, whom he credited with helping him get sober and ultimately saving his life. The song is consequently more somber than most glam metal ballads, featuring plaintive country-tinged verses building toward anthemic choruses that tug at heartstrings.
The song took on new poignance when Ozzy performed it at his Back to the Beginning farewell show shortly before his death. Decades after its release, it remains one of Ozzy’s most beautifully human moments.
Poisons,”I Won’t Forget You” (Look What The Cat Dragged In, 1986)
You weren’t expecting something else? C’mon! While “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” might be Poison’s biggest hit, “I Won’t Forget You” is their best ballad.
This song possesses purity written before Poison rocketed to superstardom. When Bret Michaels sings “It’s better to have lost at love / Than never to have loved at all“, he genuinely sounds like he just heard that cliché for the first time and is deeply moved by it. Factor in C.C. DeVille’s ultra-distorted lead guitar work; you’ve got power ballad gold.
Skid Row,”Wasted Time” (Slave To The Grind, 1991)
Skid Row were latecomers to hair metal but made up for lost time with their self-titled debut album which soared to five million sales thanks to twin Top 10 ballads “18 And Life” and “I Remember You.” Both are great but still pale compared to “Wasted Time,” which is the final track on their blistering sophomore album Slave To The Grind.
This song was reportedly written about former Guns N’ Roses drummer Steven Adler’s drug use; it paints an unflinching portrait of addiction with haunting guitar arpeggios building toward an anguished climax where Sebastian Bach screams then whispers “I never thought you’d let it get this far boy” — chilling end to an album that effectively marks an era.
warrant,”I Saw Red” (Cerry Pie ,1990)
Some best ballads are born out real-life heartbreak; Warrant’s “I Saw Red” was no exception. Inspired by frontman Jani Lane walking in on his girlfriend with his best friend; this song juxtaposes lovey-dovey verses with tortured choruses reflecting Lane’s betrayal.
This song granted Warrant their final Top Ten hit; small consolation for heartache that preceded it.
Whitesnake,”Is This Love” Whitesnake ,1987
Whitesnake’s self-titled album transformed blues-rockers into bonafide hair metal band soaring eight million U.S sales largely thanks pair massive ballads “Here I Go Again” “Is This Love.” The latter peaked No two; one spot shy former but better song.
Originally written Tina Turner; “Is This Love” opts moody understatement over bombast featuring one David Coverdale’s most evocative vocal performances weeping guitar solo John Sykes Even quieter moments Whitesnake could make seismic impact.
Winger,”Headed For A Heartbreak” Winger ,1988
Winger never afraid little (or lotta) cheese; “Headed For A Heartbreak” eschews typical hair metal cliches stabbing guitar keyboard riffs heavy almost proggy stomp.
Kip Winger’s elastic vocals take chorus skyscraping territory Reb Beach delivers series characteristically breathtaking solos Pound pound one technically accomplished hair metal ballads graze Top twenty.
Still hungry hair? Check our list best album by eleven big hair metal bands below!
The Best Album From 11 Big Hair Metal Bands
Despite what critics thought; genre’s best bands had penchant reinvention.
Gallery Credit: Bryan Rolli
