Transitioning into the 80s, melodies ruled brought Glam Metal into the spotlight. The L.A. invasion shifted the look and style of metal. Thus from L.A. became the Glam scene.

Straight from the scene Van Halen packed with caw talent and vigor made it big. Van Halen’s success inspired other L.A. bands on the sunset strip to make some noise. The Sunset strip was the cultural epicenter, the social network, where millions of flyers where being distributed. 

     In the 80s, metal was exploding, the audience broadened. Women were drawn to Glam Metal, or Hair Metal because of the image. The big hair, flashy colors and spandex, and the quintessential make-up. 

    Glam metal music videos on MTV showcased the look and the style and made the bands into what seems like overnight successes. Mötley Crüe, Cinderella, and Poison all made it big. Constant exposure via MTV ensured the band and created them into household institutions. 

    Quiet Riot was catapulted to commercial success with the release of the song, “Cum on Feel the Noise” from their third album, Mental Health. Their hit single is actually a cover from the 70s Glam rockers, Slate. Dokken broke out in 1983 with Breaking the Chains. 

Warrent’s second album Cherry Pie reached massive attention. Ratt in 1984 spawned Out of the Cellar and scored big with “Round and Round.”

   Power ballads sold the album, power ballads were the “necessary evil.” These bands were a spectacle, the music was far less important than the look. 

    Established metal bands became Glam to harvest some of the commercial success. Bands had a heavy metal look but sounded pop, or vice versa. Whitesnake became glam. 

   As the 80s wore on the styles blurred similar. Originality like their hair was deflating. Bands were copies of each other. Toward the eve of the 90s, the fall of glam metal loomed. Guns N’ Roses stormed from L.A. with a “stripped down and darker sensibility.” Guns was influenced by glam but the hair was smaller and the makeup was minimal. Guns N’ Roses released, Appetite For Destruction, in 1987. 

Grunge appeared and thrived in Seattle during the 90s. Soundgarden and Alice in Chains ruled over the once glamorous bands. Thus the rise and fall of glam metal. 

   For more details or for the full experience of Metal Evolution, watch it on VH1 Classic or on iTunes.