3 Glam Metal Songs From the 1980s That Even Diehard Classic Metalheads Aren’t Afraid To Listen to in Public

There’s glam metal, with its pop leanings and major focus on aesthetics, and then there’s classic heavy metal. Diehard metalheads have often scoffed at the coiffed and overly polished songs that came out of glam metal in the 1980s. But when it comes to the following three tracks, even the most “traditional” metalheads out there can’t help but enjoy them. At least a little. Let’s take a look, shall we?

“Shout At The Devil” by Mötley Crüe from ‘Shout At The Devil’ (1983)

Even if the glam metal stylings of Mötley Crüe aren’t your thing, one can’t deny that those spooky, almost menacing riffs throughout “Shout At The Devil” are metal as metal can get.

“Shout At The Devil” by Mötley Crüe ended up being a pretty noteworthy hit in 1983, reaching No. 23 on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart in the US. It also peaked at No. 30 on the Mainstream Rock chart. That’s pretty surprising, considering how much controversy this song stirred up for allegedly encouraging “devil worship.”

“Wild Child” by W.A.S.P. from ‘The Last Command’ (1986)

It might be more on the glam side of the metal spectrum, but “Wild Child” by W.A.S.P. has that agro, rebellious heavy metal vibe that’s hard to hate if you love metal in any of its many forms. While this song wasn’t an enormous hit in the States, it did manage to chart in the UK. And, in retrospect, “Wild Child” is seen as an example of a band evolving as they see fit in what was an ever-changing rock landscape at the time.

“Metal Health (Bang Your Head)” by Quiet Riot from ‘Metal Health’ (1983)

There’s no way I’d leave this track off our list of glam metal songs from the 1980s that “traditionalist” metalheads love. “Metal Health (Bang Your Head)” by Quiet Riot is a certified heavy metal anthem, and it’s a banger musically, too.

“Metal Health (Bang Your Head)” by Quiet Riot remains one of the band’s most well-known songs. It’s also one of the most enduring tracks from their breakthrough album of the same name. This tune made it to No. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It did similarly well on the Mainstream Rock chart.

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