100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs of the 80s and 90s

The blistering sound of distorted guitars encompassed with high pitched voices set to the backdrop of thunderous drums, bass and keyboards describes hard rock in a picture perfect way. A wave of hard rock bands emerged in the 80s bringing fresh musical soundscapes that enamored rock fans. The tight knit hard rock sound spread globally becoming an independent musical entity in the realms of rock. A new sense of musical freedom prevailed with hard rock songs in the 80s and early 90s. Glam metal bands and hair metal bands started being associated with the Hard rock scene. The term Hard Rock was used as an umbrella term to describe a brand of metal music in the realms of rock. Hard rock songs in the 80s and 90s had a raw sounding polished feel making them accessible in mainstream.

Hard Rock Songs and Hard Rock Bands of the 80s and 90s

Some hard rock bands were promoted in a big way on music television channels in the 80s, MTV in particular. Thanks to music radio channels, hard rock songs reached a wide audience globally. The intensity and passion associated with hard rock became a rage globally. Hard rock bands toured extensively along with AOR acts. A number of hard rock band performed songs from their albums at sellout venues. Screaming fans at hard rock concerts were testimony to the fact that hard rock had emerged powerful in the 80s. Record labels were quick to sign up new and upcoming bands in this genre. A number of record labels released Greatest Hits and Best of compilations of hard rock bands in the 80s and early 90s.

Every hard rock band released albums with a mix of uptempo tunes and ballads. The brand of hard rock ballads, hard rock love songs and power ballads became hugely popular with youth globally. Hard rock became a music movement among college goers. Hard rock songs, ballads in particular became the signature sound at prom parties. Heavy metal magazines and rock magazines featured columns on hard rock bands and their albums regularly. A number of hard rock songs of the 80s have become anthems among the rock community. The lyrics in hard rock songs are a diverse mix of elements associated with love, breakup, romance, heartache, rebellion, grief, peace, angst, and society,

The hard rock scene seemed invincible up until the grunge revolution took over in the 90s. Suddenly, the hard rock sound was overshadowed by bands in grunge and alternative genres. A number of hard rock bands disbanded in the 90s as recording companies ended their contracts, thus putting to end a spree of magical music. Few hard rock bands who headed in a new musical direction latching onto the grunge and alternative sound did find success and also their share of resentment among die-hard hard rock fans for shifting loyalties towards popular genres. While the hard rock is yet a popular genre among the rock community in present times, the glory days for hard rock were the 80s. Will the hard rock sound of the 80s make a comeback? Let’s hope and pray it does.

The lines below showcase an epic list of hard rock songs, hard rock love song, power ballads, and hard rock ballads of the 80s and 90s

100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs of the 80s and 90s

1. Welcome To The Jungle- Guns N Roses
2. Rock You Like a Hurricane- Scorpions
3. I Wanna Be Somebody- W.A.S.P.
4. Eye of the Tiger- Survivor
5. Here I Go Again- Whitesnake
6. Cum Feel The Noise- Quiet Riot
7. Sweet Child O’ Mine- Guns N’ Roses
8. Painkiller- Judas Priest
9. Back in Black- AC/DC
10. Breaking the Law- Judas Priest
11. Crazy Train- Ozzy Osbourne
12. The Final Countdown- Europe
13. I8 and Life- Skid Row
14. Dr. Feelgood- Motley Crue
15. Poison- Alice Cooper
16. I Wanna Rock- Twisted Sister
17. Rock of Ages- Def Leppard
18. You Give Love A Bad Name- Bon Jovi
19. Round and Round- Ratt
20. Nightrain- Guns N’ Roses
21. Talk Dirty To Me- Poison
22. Pour Some Sugar on Me- Def Leppard
23. Cult of Personality- Living Colour
24. Seventeen- Winger
25. Janie’s Got A Gun- Aerosmith
26. Holy Diver- Dio
27. Hot for Teacher- Van Halen
28. Cherry Pie- Warrant
29. Ace of Spades- Motorhead
30. Jump- Van Halen
31. Perfect Strangers- Deep Purple
32. Rainbow in the Dark- Dio
33. Livin’ On a Prayer- Bon Jovi
34. Thunderstruck- AC/DC
35. Electricland- Bad Company
36. Paradise City- Guns N’ Roses
37. Live it Loud- Kiss
38. No One Like You- Scorpions
39. Dude (Looks Like a Lady)- Aerosmith
40. Bark at the Moon- Ozzy Osbourne
41. Still of the Night- Whitesnake
42. Runnin’ With The Devil- Van Halen
43. Metal Health- Quiet Riot
44. Love In an Elevator- Aerosmith
45. Rebel Yell- Billy Idol
46. Fallen Angel- Poison
47. That’s The Way I Wanna Rock N’ Roll- AC/DC
48. Lick it Up- Kiss
49. Rock The Night -Europe
50. Fool For You Loving- Whitesnake
51. Kickstart My Heart- Motley Crue
52. Photograph- Def Leppard
53. Heart of Steel- Trixter
54. Cherokee- Europe
55. Into The Fire- Dokken
56. Modern Day Cowboy- Tesla
57. The Price- Twisted Sister
58. Bad Reputation- Joan Jett
59. Turn Up the Radio- Autograph
60. Hysteria- Def Leppard
61. Girls, Girls, Girls- Motley Crue
62. Separate Ways- Journey
63. Rock You- Helix
64. Die Young- Black Sabbath
65. Livin’ On The Edge- Aerosmith
66. Breaking the Chains- Dokken
67. Youth Gone Wild- Skid Row
68. Big City Nights- Scorpions
69. Mr. Crowley- Ozzy Osbourne
70. For Those About To Rock We Salute- AC/DC
71. In My Dreams- Dokken
72. Y&T- Summertime Girls
73. Street of Dreams- Rainbow
74. Dream Evil- Dio
75. Let’s Get Rocked- Def Leppard
76. We’re Not Gonna Take It- Twisted Sister
77. Epic- Faith No More
78. Working for the Weekend- Loverboy
79. Spotlight Kid- Rainbow
80. The Wild and the Young- Quiet Riot
81. 10,000 Lovers (In One)- TNT
82. Same Ol- Situation (S.O.S)- Motley Crue
83. Panama- Van Halen
84. Stone Cold- Rainbow
85. Don’t Tread on Me- Damn Yankees
86. Rag Doll- Aerosmith
87. Everyone’s a Star- TNT
88. Up All Night - Slaughter
89. Kiss ME Deadly- Lita Ford
90. Somebody Save Me- Cinderella
91. Rocket- Def Leppard
92. Scared- Dangerous Toys
93. Screaming in the Night- Krokus
94. I Surrender- Rainbow
95. The Stroke- Billy Squier
96. Simple Man- Junkyard
97. Lipstick and Leather- Y&T
98. Rip and Tear- L.A. Guns
99. Stranger Than Paradise- Sleeze Beez
100. New Thing- Enuff Z’Nuff

100 Hard Rock Love Songs, Power Ballads and Hard Rock Ballads of the 80s and 90s

1. Don’t Close Your Eyes- Kix
2. Love Bites- Def Leppard
3. Still Loving You- Scorpions
4. Is This Love- Whitesnake
5. Open Arms- Journey
6. Never Say Goodbye- Bon Jovi
7. Every Rose Has It’s Thorn- Poison
8. When I See You Smile- Bad English
9. Love Song- Tesla
10. Faithfully- Journey
11. I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing- Aerosmith
12. I Live My Life For You- Firehouse
13. Don’t Know What You Got (Till IT’s Gone)- Cinderella
14. The Ballad of Jane- L.A. Guns
15. I’ll Be There For You- Bon Jovi
16. Miles Away- Winger
17. Can’t Stop Loving You- Van Halen
18. The Flame- Cheap Trick
19. I’ll Never Let You Go (Angel Eyes)- Steelheart
20. Save Your Love- Great White
21. I Don’t Want To Live Without You- Foreigner
22. Angel- Aerosmith
23. Just Between You and Me- April Wine
24. When It’s Love- Van Halen
25. I’ll See You In My Dreams- Giant
26. I Want To Know What Love Is- Foreigner
27. Anytime- McAuley Schenker Group (MSG)
28. Nobody’s Fool- Cinderella
29. Waiting for a Girl Like You- Foreigner
30. Dreaming (Tell Me)- Yngwie Malmsteen
31. Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad- Def Leppard
32. I Won’t Forget You- Poison
33. That Time of the Year- Vinnie Vincent Invasion
34. More Than Words Can Say- Alias
35. All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You- Heart
36. She’s Gone- Steelheart
37. Where You Goin’ Now- Damn Yankees
38. Remember My Name- House of Lords
39. The Deeper The Love- Whitesnake
40. Wanted Dead or Alive- Bon Jovi
41. Love Is On The Way- Saigon Kick
42. Heartbreak Station- Cinderella
43. I Believe In You- Stryper
44. Price of Love- Bad English
45. Only Time Will Tell- Nelson
46. Don’t Tell Me You Love Me- Night Ranger
47. Sentimental Street- Night Ranger
48. Close My Eyes Forever- Lita Ford and Ozzy Osbourne
49. Every Time I Look At You- Kiss
50. Baby, You’re The Greatest- Enuff Z ‘Nuff
51. November Rain- Guns N’ Roses
52. What Love Can Be- Kingdom Come
53. Home Sweet Home- Motley Crue
54. Just Take My Heart- Mr. Big
55. Headed For A Heartbreak- Winger
56. Burning Heart- Survivor
57. Love Of A Lifetime- Firehouse
58. Heaven- Warrant
59. I Still Think About You- Danger Danger
60. Heaven In Your Eyes- Loverboy
61. Elisa- Sheriff
62. When You Love A Woman- Journey
63. Bed of Roses- Bon Jovi
64. Alone Again- Dokken
65. The Day I Met You- Lilian Axe
66. When I’m With You- Sherriff
67. When I Look Into Your Eyes- Firehouse
68. Too High To Fly- Dokken
69. When Love and Hate Collide- Def Leppard
70. Never Ending Nightmare- MSG (McAuley Schenker Group)
71. Tears Of Fire- Keel
72. The Best of Times- Styx
73. What Keeps Me Loving You- XYZ
74. Too Much Too Young- Little Angels
75. Wind of Change- Scorpions
76. (Can’t Live Without Your) Love and Affection- Nelson
77. Never Say Goodbye- Bon Jovi
78. Don’t Let It End- Styx
79. Fly To The Angels- Slaughter
80. Reason To Live- Kiss
81. Find Another Way- Heavens Edge
82. Don’t Walk Away- Danger Danger
83. These Dreams- Heart
84. Wait- White Lion
85. High Enough- Damn Yankees
86. Honestly- Stryper
87. In Your Arms- Little Caesar
88. Forever- Kiss
89. Sister Christian- Night Ranger
90. Show Me The Way- Styx
91. Love Walked In- Thunder
92. Send Her My Love- Journey
93. The Search Is Over- Survivor
94. Edge of a Broken Heart- Vixen
95. Carrie- Europe
96. Something To Say- Harem Scarem
97. Feels Like Love- Danger Danger
98. Womankind- Little Angels
99. Crazy Without You- Sheriff
100. Edge of a Broken Heart- Vixen