Glam metal (also known as
hair metal[1]) is a subgenre of
heavy metal that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles
Sunset Strip music scene. It was popular throughout the 1980s and briefly in the early 1990s, combining the flamboyant look of
glam rock and playing a power-chord based hard rock musical style.
"Hair bands" was the derogatory term popularized by MTV in the 1990s and derives from the tendency among such bands to have styled their long hair in a backcombing fashion.
Musically, glam metal songs are traditional heavy metal songs with pop-influenced catchy hooks and guitar riffs. Like other heavy metal songs of the 1980s, they often feature shred guitar solos. Glam metal performers became infamous for their debauched lifestyles of late-night parties (widely covered in the tabloid press), very long backcombed hair, use of make-up, gaudy clothing and accessories (chiefly consisting of tight denim or leather jeans, spandex, and headbands). Many of these traits were reminiscent of glam rock.
The glam metal visual style was heavily influenced by 1970s glam rock, hard rock, and heavy metal acts. Stephen Davis claims the influences of the style can be traced back to acts like Aerosmith, Kiss, Boston, Cheap Trick, and The New York Dolls.[2] Hanoi Rocks have been credited for setting a blueprint for hair metal.[3] Ted Nugent has been cited as a seminal influence on the hair metal movement.[4] Angel provided a, "virtual spot-on blueprint for '80s hair metal"[5]
