Along with Duran Duran, Billy Idol was one the first pop/rock artists to achieve massive success in the early '80s due to a then brand-new U.S. television network, MTV. Mixing his bad-boy good looks with an appealing blend of pop hooks, punk attitude, and a dance beats, Idol quickly rocketed to stardom, before hard living derailed his career and... [+] Read More

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The onetime frontman for the hair-metal band Poison, singer Bret Michaels made his solo debut in 1998 with Letter from Death Row, the soundtrack to the film Michaels wrote, directed and co-produced with actor Charlie Sheen. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide

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In the eyes of countless hard rock fans, David Lee Roth is the prototypical frontman. With a flamboyant, larger than life stage presence and a party-hearty surfer dude persona (not to mention his acrobatic leaps, long mane of blond hair, and skintight spandex outfits), Roth was an integral part of Van Halen's meteoric rise to global dominance... [+] Read More

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At a time when pop was dominated by dance music and pop-metal, Guns N' Roses brought raw, ugly rock & roll crashing back into the charts. They were not nice boys; nice boys don't play rock & roll. They were ugly, misogynist, and violent; they were also funny, vulnerable, and occasionally sensitive, as their breakthrough hit, "Sweet Child O'... [+] Read More

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Boogie rockers Jackyl were instantly lumped into the hair metal category upon their debut in 1992, but their sound was only vaguely reminiscent of the genre. Still, this label stuck with them after the sound became un-hip and their loud rock & roll was largely ignored by the mainstream. But due to the well-rounded Southern rock they were... [+] Read More

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L.A. Guns was formed by former Guns N' Roses guitarist Tracii Guns in 1987. Teaming with ex-Girl vocalist Phil Lewis, former W.A.S.P. drummer Steve Riley, bassist Kelly Nickles, and guitarist Mick Cripps, Guns adhered to the Aerosmith-derived raunch of his former band. L.A. Guns released their self-titled first album in 1988, yet it wasn't until... [+] Read More

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In a decade fueled by party anthems and power ballads, Poison found a high amount of popularity, with only Bon Jovi and Def Leppard outselling them. While the group had a long string of hits, they soon became just as renowned for their stage show, and continued to be a major attraction over the course of their first three albums. Although their... [+] Read More

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Ratt's brash, melodic heavy metal made the Los Angeles quintet one of the most popular rock acts of the mid-'80s. The group had its origins in the '70s group Mickey Ratt, which had evolved into Ratt by 1983; at that time the band featured vocalist Stephen Pearcy, guitarist Robbin Crosby, guitarist Warren DeMartini, bassist Juan Croucier, and... [+] Read More

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One of the flashiest guitarists (both visually and instrumentally) to emerge from the '80s rock scene was Steve Stevens. Born in Brooklyn, New York, on May 5, 1959, Stevens first picked up the guitar when he was only seven years old, and later became an avid prog rock fan, especially the likes of Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Yes. Honing his craft... [+] Read More

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A former member of Alice Cooper's band, bassist Kip Winger formed his own group in 1986; in addition to vocalist/bassist Winger, the group featured guitarist Reb Beach, bassist Paul Taylor, and drummer Rod Morgenstein, formerly of the Dixie Dregs. Taking its name from its leader, Winger specialized in the stylish pop-metal that sent Bon Jovi and... [+] Read More

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