The Most Underrated Song by 11 Legendary Hair Metal Bands

The following list of the most underrated song by 11 legendary hair metal bands proves that the genre was more than hits and filler.

Hair metal – or glam-metal, or pop-metal, or whatever you want to call it — dominated the rock world in the mid-to-late ’80s thanks to a combination of pop-savvy hooks, good-time attitude and its purveyors’ pinup good looks. The Sunset Strip scene attracted a major-label feeding frenzy that, admittedly, contributed to a lot of mediocre and copycat music. But the best bands of the glam-metal zeitgeist had more going for them than just their chart hits.

We’ve combed through 11 glam-metal bands’ discographies to find the best and most underrated deep cuts — songs that flex their musicianship, songwriting chops and, occasionally, ability to get heavy. Even though some of these songs have become fan favorites or live staples over the years, they never got their day in the sun as singles, which qualifies them as “underrated” in our book.

Read on to see the most underrated deep cut by 11 legendary hair metal bands.

Bon Jovi, “Homebound Train” (New Jersey, 1988)

No band put the “pop” in pop-metal quite like Bon Jovi, to the point that many rock and metal fans balked at the idea that they deserved a spot among their ranks. But Jon Bon Jovi and Co. flexed their metallic muscle on New Jersey album cut “Homebound Train,” a swaggering outlaw-rock anthem full of slamming drums, a smoldering guitar-harmonica-keyboard duel and some delightfully raspy howls from their namesake frontman.

Cinderella, “Second Wind” (Long Cold Winter, 1988)

Refusing to be written off as a second-rate Poison or Motley Crue, Cinderella beefed up their sound and stripped down their ultra-glam image on their second album, Long Cold Winter. The LP’s first side closes with the terrific “Second Wind,” a raucous blues-rocker stuffed with hellacious riffs, propulsive grooves and Tom Keifer’s raspy, whiskey-and-cigarette howl. The track shows the group’s indebtedness to the likes of Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin while still delivering the necessary production sheen and catchy hooks to stand out among 1988’s class of poofy-haired rockers.

Def Leppard, “Stagefright” (Pyromania, 1983)

Def Leppard never released “Stagefright” as a single, but they clearly recognized the furious Pyromania track’s potential, as it served as their nightly opener on the Hysteria tour. It was a wise move on the Sheffield quintet’s part. While Pyromania as a whole marked Def Leppard’s transition from NWOBHM-adjacent hard rock to ultra-slick pop-metal, “Stagefright” is rooted firmly in the former, boasting some of their fiercest riffs, raspiest vocals and a spectacular one-take solo from newly recruited guitarist Phil Collen.

Dokken, “Lightnin’ Strikes Again” (Under Lock and Key, 1985)

Following the all-out metal assault of Tooth and Nail, Dokken gravitated toward more radio-friendly hard rock on Under Lock and Key — but they didn’t abandon their roots entirely. Case in point: “Lightnin’ Strikes Again,” a tough-as-nails rocker featuring muscular, melodic hooks and stratospheric high notes lead singer Don Dokken. George Lynch shines as always with crunchy riffs and a blazing solo that put him at the front of the pop-metal pack.

Motley Crue, “Red Hot” (Shout at the Devil, 1983)

On Shout at the Devil, Motley Crue evolved from a scrappy glam-punk foursome into a lean, mean metal machine ready for the big leagues. The album’s singles are all time-honored classics, but its deep cuts pack just as much of a punch. Drummer Tommy Lee shines in particular on “Red Hot,” a quasi-speed metal anthem with fiery riffs and fancy double bass footwork that share more DNA with Motorhead than Van Halen. They’d never sound this fierce and feral again.

Poison, “Back to the Rocking Horse” (Open Up and Say … Ahh!, 1988)

Poison’s sophomore album Open Up and Say … Ahh! benefited from the guiding hand of hotshot producer Tom Werman, who helped mold the band’s songwriting smarts and raw charisma into slabs of glossy, stadium-sized pop-metal. It’s the Pennsylvania quartet’s most consistent album, as evidenced by deep cuts like the rowdy “Back to the Rocking Horse.” Propelled by a killer cowbell groove, gigantic riffs and spit-shined vocal harmonies, it shows Poison firing on all cylinders.

Quiet Riot, “Breathless” (Metal Health, 1983)

Buoyed by its epic title track and a Top 5 cover of Slade’s “Cum on Feel the Noize,” Quiet Riot’s Metal Health became the first heavy metal album to top the Billboard 200. Anybody who questioned the band’s metal bonafides need only check out the side two rocker “Breathless.” With its furious, Iron Maiden-like gallop and piercing vocals from Kevin DuBrow, “Breathless” asserted Quiet Riot’s metal credentials while reflecting the hooky songwriting chops that briefly made them superstars.

Ratt, “You’re in Trouble” (Out of the Cellar, 1984)

There’s a good reason Ratt’s debut full-length turned them into multi-platinum upstarts and the heirs apparent to Motley Crue’s glam-metal throne. The album is top-to-bottom bangers, and among the non-singles, “You’re in Trouble” leads the pack. The strutting bass riff and snarling vocals emphasize the band’s streetwise swagger, and guitarist Warren DeMartini delivers one of his most jaw-dropping solos in a career full of them.

Skid Row, “The Threat” (Slave to the Grind, 1991)

Skid Row shed their glam-band trappings and became a full-throated metal juggernaut on their sophomore album, Slave to the Grind. (Still, their origins qualify them for this list.) “The Threat” epitomizes everything that’s unadulteratedly awesome about the LP. The down-tuned riffs bristle with menace, the drums and bass thrum in lockstep and Sebastian Bach delivers one of many otherworldly vocal performances. When the band drops out and he wails, “TO MAKE ME SMILE PRETTY FOR THE WRECKING BALLLLL!” you’ll feel an overwhelming sensation to jump out of your seat and punch the air with both fists. We won’t blame you.

W.A.S.P., “The Flame” (W.A.S.P., 1984)

With their cocksure self-titled debut, W.A.S.P. announced themselves as the most shocking, depraved band of the burgeoning glam-metal movement. But despite the album’s debauched lyrical content and metallic fury, “The Flame” harks back to ’70s arena rock with its simple, three-chord riff and poppy chorus. It’s proof that Blackie Lawless was a savvy songwriter first and provocateur second.

Warrant, “Love in Stereo” (Cherry Pie, 1990)

By the time Warrant debuted with Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich in 1989, critics were beyond sick of the glam-metal zeitgeist and wrote the band off as another gang of sex-obsessed also-rans. And, yes, they were spectacularly horny — but they expressed their carnal desires with a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor and songwriting sophistication that eluded many of their peers. Lyrically, Cherry Pie‘s “Love in Stereo” is a simple ode to threesomes, but its clever riffs, flashy vocals and rollicking piano solo make it an absolute blast all the same.