Top 85 Hair Band Ballads & Power Ballads For Lovers

Last Updated: June 20, 2022 | Written by Matthew Campbell (Editor of My Wedding Songs and wedding DJ)

We compiled a list of the best hair band power ballads for weddings to get people on the dance floor.  For purposes of our list, we will combine glam-rock and pop-metal artists on our list.  Many Hair Band ballads can be characterized as power ballads – a slow, emotional song that gradually builds to a strong finale.

Webster dictionary describes a ballad as a slow romantic or sentimental song. Some ballads can be a bit more difficult to dance to as the song builds and then falls several times.  Enjoy our list of the best hair band songs.

Beginning glam rock bands in the early 1980s included Def Leppard, Twisted Sister, Quiet Riot, and Motley Crue. The second half of the 1980s featured bands like Bon Jovi, Motley Crue’s continued success, Guns ‘N’ Roses and Van Halen. Hairbands continued to be successful in the early 1990s with W.A.S.P. and Slaughter.

With the creation of grunge rock with bands like Nirvana, teens turned their focus away from glam rock to more popular grunge music.

What is a Hair Band?

Hair bands were popular in the 1980s to early ’90s. Hair bands were rock bands of their own genre called glam rock, hair metal, and pop-metal. Hair bands produced rock, hard rock, and heavy metal styles of music. Hair bands were characterized by their long hair, flashy clothing, and heavy makeup. 

Top 5 Hair Band Power Ballads for Wedding Receptions:

1. “Faithfully” by Journey
2. “Heaven” by Warrant
3. “I’ll Be There For You” by Bon Jovi
4. “The Search Is Over” by Survivor
5. “Love Of A Lifetime” by Firehouse

Top Hair Band Ballads List

38 Special – Second Chance
1988, Rock & Roll Strategy

Aerosmith – Angel
1987, Permanent Vacation

Alcatrazz – Suffer Me
1983, No Parole from Rock ‘n’ Roll

Alias – I Need You Now (More Than Words Can Say)
1990, Alias

Alice Cooper – Only My Heart Talkin’
1989, Trash

Bad English – When I See You Smile
1989, Bad English

Black ‘N Blue – I’ll Be There For You
1986, Nasty Nasty

Blue Murder – Out Of Love
1989, Blue Murder

Bon Jovi – I’ll Be There For You
1988, New Jersey

Bon Jovi – Never Say Goodbye
1986, Slippery When Wet

Bon Jovi – Wanted Dead or Alive
1986, Slippery When Wet

Boston – Amanda
1986, Third Stage

Britny Fox – Dream On
1989, Boys in Heat

Cheap Trick – The Flame
1988, Lap of Luxury

Cinderella – Don’t Know What You Got (Til It’s Gone)
1988, Long Cold Winter

Cinderella – Nobody’s Fool
1986, Night Songs

Damn Yankees – High Enough
1990, Damn Yankees

Danger Danger – I Still Think About You
1991, Screw It!

Def Leppard – Love Bites
1987, Hysteria

Def Leppard – Two Steps Behind
1992, Adrenalize

Def Leppard – When Love And Hate Collide
1995, When Love and Hate Collide

Dokken – Alone Again
1984, Tooth and Nail

Enuff Z’nuff – Fly High Michelle
1989, Enuff Z’nuff

Europe – Carrie
1986, The Final Countdown

Extreme – More Than Words
1990, Extreme II: Pornograffitti

Faster Pussycat – House Of Pain
1989, Wake Me When It’s Over

Firehouse – Love Of A Lifetime
1990, FireHouse

Firehouse – When I Look Into Your Eyes
1992, Hold Your Fire

Foreigner – I Want To Know What Love Is
1984, Agent Provocateur

Giant – I’ll See You In My Dreams
1989, Last of the Runaways

Great White – The Angel Song
1989, …Twice Shy

Guns N’ Roses – November Rain
1991, Use Your Illusion I

Guns N’ Roses – Patience
1989, G N’ R Lies

Hanoi Rocks – Don’t You Ever Leave Me
1984, Two Steps from the Move

Heart – Alone
1987, Bad Animals

Heart – These Dreams
1986, Heart

John Waite – Missing You
1984, No Brakes

Journey – Faithfully
1983, Frontiers

Journey – Open Arms
1981, Escape

Keel – Because The Night
1986, The Final Frontier

Kingdom Come – What Love Can Be
1988, Kingdom Come

Kiss – Beth
1976, Destroyer

Kiss – Forever
1989, Hot in the Shade

Kix – Don’t Close Your Eyes
1988, Blow My Fuse

Krokus – Screaming In The Night
1983, Headhunter

L.A. Guns – Ballad Of Jayne
1989, Cocked & Loaded

Lita Ford & Ozzy Osbourne – Close My Eyes Forever
1988, Lita

Loverboy – Heaven In Your Eyes
1986, Top Gun

Metallica – Nothing Else Matters
1991, Metallica

Michael Schenker Group (MSG) – Anytime
1989, Save Yourself

Motley Crue – Home Sweet Home
1981, Too Fast for Love

Mr. Big – To Be With You
1991, Lean into It

Nelson – Only Time Will Tell
1990, After the Rain

Night Ranger – Sister Christian
1983, Midnight Madness

Ozzy Osbourne – Mama I’m Coming Home
1992, Mama, I’m Coming Home

Poison – Every Rose Has It’s Thorn

Poison – Something To Believe In
1990, Flesh & Blood

Queensryche – Silent Lucidity
1990, Empire

Ratt – Givin’ Yourself Away
1990, Detonator

REO Speedwagon – Keep On Loving You
1980, Hi Infidelity

Saigon Kick – Love Is On The Way

Scorpions – Still Loving You
1984, Love at First Sting

Scorpions – Wind Of Change
1990, Crazy World

Sheriff – When I’m With You
1983, Sheriff

Skid Row – I Remember You
1989, Skid Row

Slaughter – Fly To the Angels
1990, Stick It to Ya

Steelheart – I’ll Never Let You Go
1990, Steelheart

Stryper – Honestly
1986, To Hell with the Devil

Styx – Babe
1979, Cornerstone

Survivor – The Search Is Over
1984, Vital Signs

Tesla – Love Song
1989, The Great Radio Controversy

Thunder – Love Walked In
1990, Backstreet Symphony

Trixter – One In A Million
1990, Trixter

Twisted Sister – The Price
1984, Stay Hungry

Van Halen – Love Walks In
1986, 5150

Vixen – Cryin’
1988, Vixen

W.A.S.P. – Hold On To My Heart
1992, The Crimson Idol

Warrant – Heaven
1989, Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich

Warrant – I Saw Red
1990, Cherry Pie

White Lion – When The Children Cry
1987, Pride

Whitesnake – Here I Go Again
1982, Saints & Sinners

Whitesnake – Is This Love
1987, Whitesnake

Winger – Headed For A Heartbreak
1988, Winger

Winger – Miles Away
1990, In the Heart of the Young

Y&T – I Believe In You
1981, Earthshaker

Similar song lists for further reading:

• 1980s love songs
• 1980s songs
• Rock songs

About Matthew Campbell