Everyone Should Know These 4 Iconic 80s Hair Bands

There may not be a decade with more diverse music than the 1980s. The era saw a lot of different styles, including the popularity of rock music by so-called hair bands, named that for the long hair that was prominent among the band members.

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Appearance aside, these are four hair bands from the 1980s that are so good, everyone should know them and their music.

Bon Jovi

Bon Jovi in many ways defined the music of the 80s, especially among hair bands. Made up of Jon Bon Jovi, David Bryan, Tico Torres, guitarists John Shanks, Phil X, Everett Bradley, and Alec John Such, Bon Jovi burst onto the 80s rock scene with “Runaway”. Out in 1984, the song is from their self-titled debut album.

Throughout the 80s, Bon Jovi continued to release numerous hits, including “You Give Love A Bad Name”, their first No. 1 hit, plus “Livin’ On A Prayer“, “Wanted Dead Or Alive”, “Bad Medicine”, “I’ll Be There For You”, and others.

Bon Jovi might be known for their music in the 80s, but they continued long after that decade ended. As of 2026, the group was continuing to tour.

Def Leppard

Def Leppard actually began making music in the 1970s. But it wasn’t until the early 1980s that their popularity grew exponentially. Originally made up of Rick Savage, Joe Elliott, Pete Willis, and Tony Kenning. Def Leppard went through a few lineup changes, but one thing that remained consistent is their unique sound among the many hair bands, making them stand out above most other groups.

In 1980, Def Leppard’s eponymous debut came out. For the next ten years, among four different albums, Def Leppard had hit after hit. Their many notable singles include “Animal”, “Pour Some Sugar On Me”, “Hysteria”, and “Love Bites’.

Poison

Bret Michaels, Bobby Dall, Rikki Rockett, and Matt Smith started Poison in a small Pennsylvania town. But it didn’t take long for them to gain national prominence.

Releasing their debut Look What the Cat Dragged In record in 1986, Poison quickly started churning out the hits. For the remainder of the 80s, Poison had six hit singles at radio, including “Every Rose Has Its Thorn”, their only No. 1 hit. The tune is from their sophomore record, Open Up and Say… Ahh!

In addition to his work with Poison, Michaels also has a successful solo career.

Whitesnake

Whitesnake may not be as popular as some of the other 1980s hair bands, but their contributions are just as significant. Formed in London in the late 70s, Whitesnake’s original lineup consisted of David Coverdale, Micky Moody, Bernie Marsden, Neil Murray, Dave Dowle, and Brian Johnston.

Whitesnake’s first Top 20 single came in 1980, with “Fool For Loving You”. Their other hits include “Here I Go Again”, “Is This Love”, “Give Me All Your Love”, and others.

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