Glam metal

Glam metal (also known pejoratively as hair metal and often used synonymously with pop metal) is a subgenre of heavy metal, which features pop-influenced hooks and guitar riffs, and borrows heavily from the fashion and image of 1970s glam rock.

Early glam metal evolved directly from the glam rock movement of the 1970s, as visual elements taken from acts such as The New York Dolls and David Bowie (and to a lesser extent, the punk and new wave movements taking place concurrently in New York City) were fused with the decidedly more heavy metal leaning and theatrical acts such as Alice Cooper and Kiss. The first examples of this fusion began appearing in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip music scene, pioneered by bands such as London, Mötley Crüe, Ratt, Quiet Riot, and New York's Twisted Sister. It achieved tremendous commercial success from approximately 1983 until the early 1990s, bringing to prominence bands such as Poison, Skid Row, Cinderella and Warrant. From a strictly visual perspective, glam metal is defined by flashy and tight fitting clothing, makeup, and an overall androgynous aesthetic in which the traditional "denim & leather" aspect of heavy metal culture is replaced by lace and heavy use of the color pink.

Glam metal suffered a tremendous loss in popularity beginning in approximately 1992 as the Grunge and Alternative phenomenon revolutionized hard rock, and fans' tastes moved toward a more natural and stripped-down aesthetic and a complete rejection of the glam metal visual style. During this period, many of the most successful acts of the genre's 1980s pinnacle suddenly found themselves facing disbandment as their audiences moved in another direction. Glam metal has experienced a resurgence since the early 2000s, with successful reunion tours of many popular acts from the genre's 1980s heyday, as well as the emergence of new, predominantly European bands, including the Darkness, Santa Cruz, Reckless Love, The Struts, and Steel Panther.