Glam Metal
Emerging from the Sunset Strip rock scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s, glam metal merges the theatricality of 1970s glam rock with the sonic force of heavy metal and hard rock. The subgenre is defined by its polished production, pop-structured songwriting centered on anthemic, multi-tracked vocal choruses, and technically proficient yet highly melodic guitar solos. Its visual and lyrical ethos, heavily influenced by artists like *Alice Cooper*, embraced a flamboyant androgyny, hedonism, and a rebellious posture. This combination of accessible, hook-laden music and a striking visual aesthetic, amplified by the nascent MTV, propelled acts like *M枚tley Cr眉e* and *Bon Jovi* to unprecedented commercial success throughout the 1980s.