Top 100 Power Ballads and Acoustic Rock Ballads of the 80s and 90s

The 80s and 90s were without doubt the best decades for power ballads and acoustic rock ballads. Hair metal bands and glam metal bands reigned supreme in the years of lipstick and leather. High pitched vocals set to the strains of an acoustic backdrop became hugely popular. Every album released by rock bands in the 80s and 90s featured power ballads and acoustic rock ballads. The tunes from these decades gave an anthem new meaning. This is a showcase of the best power ballads and acoustic rock ballads from the 80s and 90s that give balladry new meaning.

If you’re one amongst the many that love high pitched vocals, you just cannot miss hair bands from the 80s and 90s. A number of rock bands dishing out acoustic rock ballads and power ballads emerged in an era when torn jeans, spandex and long haired rockers ruled. Lyrics about love, heartache, anger and guilt ruled supreme in ballads. Rock ballads became popular in the 80s and 90s because of the lyrical stories interpreted through heart. Gut wrenching vocals smooth as silk and guitar solos that could heal a broken heart formed an integral part of power ballads and acoustic rock ballads.

80s and 90s-The Power ballad and Acoustic Rock Ballad era

As music channels sprung up in the 80s and 90s, several glam metal bands got the needed exposure to propel forward. A number of bands started releasing albums that had power ballads aside from the heavy dose of rock n roll.

AOR (Album Oriented Rock) became a rage in the 80s and 90s. Passionate high pitched voices ruled the decades of lipstick and leather. Acoustic intros formed an integral part of slow rock songs and power ballads. Record companies realized audiences had started taken a liking to rock ballads and this lead to the steady growth of compilations, both power ballads and acoustic rock ballads. Suddenly compilation albums of rock bands started hitting music stores in a big way. Thanks to Music Television channel MTV, glam metal and hair metal bands got significant airplay in the 80s and 90s.

Hair bands began to fade away in the late 90s after other genres of music, grunge and alternative in particular established a firm footing. With the emergence of the alternative and grunge bands in the 90s, several record companies parted ways with glam metal bands and hair metal bands. Only a few hair bands survived the grunge onslaught. While many hair metal purists believed it was the end of the power ballad era, it wasn’t to be. Post 2000 a number of hair bands from the 80s and 90s formed reunions and released albums. Power metal bands became hugely popular in the late 90s and post 2000s. Power metal ballads continue the tradition of acoustic rock ballads and power ballads hair bands from the 80s and 90s brought to life. It’s not ended; this is the beginning, a beginning of a new era of power ballads.

Below is a list of memorable rock ballads. Feel free to be a part of the nostalgia and voice your opinion. Do feel free to add to the list and help it grow.

Greatest slow rock songs of the 80s and 90s

  1. Is This Love- Whitesnake
  2. Still Loving You- Scorpions
  3. Where You Goin’ Now- Damn Yankees
  4. I Remember You- Skid Row
  5. Without You- Motley Crue
  6. Don’t Close your Eyes- Kix
  7. Every Rose Has Its Thorn- Poison
  8. Love Is On the Way- Saigon Kick
  9. Save Your Love- Great White
  10. Heaven In Your Eyes- Loverboy
  11. To Be With You- Mr Big
  12. Headed For a Heartbreak- Winger
  13. When I look Into Your Eyes- Firehouse
  14. More Than Words- Extreme
  15. Heaven- Warrant
  16. Miles Away- Winger
  17. She’s Gone- Steelheart
  18. Mama, I’m coming Home- Ozzy Osbourne
  19. When the Children Cry- White Lion
  20. Honestly-Stryper
  21. Carrie- Europe
  22. What Love Can Be- Kingdome Come
  23. Silent Lucidity- Queensryche
  24. Send Me an Angel- Scorpions
  25. High Enough- Damn Yankees
  26. Anytime- MSG
  27. Don’t Know What You Got- Cinderella
  28. Amanda- Boston
  29. Sister Christian- Night Ranger
  30. I’ll Be There for You- Bon Jovi
  31. Can’t Fight This Feeling- REO Speedwagon
  32. Just Take My Heart- Mr. Big
  33. More Than Words Can Say (I Need You Now)- Alias
  34. Faithfully- Journey
  35. 18 and Life- Skid Row
  36. Patience- Guns N Roses
  37. Goodbye- Night Ranger
  38. Fly High Michelle- Ennuf Z’ Nuff
  39. I’ll See You in My Dreams- Giant
  40. The Ballad of Jayne- L.A. Guns
  41. November Rain- Guns N’ Roses
  42. House of Pain- Faster Pussycat
  43. Forever Free-W.A.S.P
  44. Angel- Aerosmith
  45. Love Bites- Def Leppard
  46. Africa- Toto
  47. Fly To the Angels- Slaughter
  48. Winds of Change-Scorpions
  49. I Live My Life for You- Firehouse
  50. Keep On Loving You- REO Speedwagon
  51. Bed of Roses- Bon Jovi
  52. The Angel Song- Great White
  53. Don’t Walk Away- Danger Danger
  54. Wasting Love- Iron Maiden
  55. If You Needed Somebody- Bad Compony
  56. When I’m With You- Sheriff
  57. Heart of Steel- Manowar
  58. What Keeps Me Loving You- XYZ
  59. Heartbreak Station- Cinderella
  60. Days Gone By- Slaughter
  61. Waiting for a Girl Like You- Foreigner
  62. Sometimes She Cries- Warrant
  63. I Still Think About You- Danger Danger
  64. Tears Of A Dragon- Bruce Dickenson
  65. Alone Again-Dokken
  66. In You Arms- Little Ceaser
  67. I’ll Never Let You Go (Angel Eyes)- Steelheart
  68. Love of a Lifetime- Firehouse
  69. Sweet Child O’ Mine- Guns N’ Roses
  70. The Search Is Over- Survivor
  71. I Don’t Want To Live Without You- Sleeze Beez
  72. Home Sweet Home- Motley Crue
  73. The Day That I Met You- Lillian Axe
  74. Time-MSG
  75. Burning Heart- Vandenberg
  76. Surrender- Trixter
  77. The Flame- Cheap Trick
  78. What’s Forever (For)- House of Lords
  79. Always- Bon Jovi
  80. Vixen- Love Is a Killer
  81. I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing- Aerosmith
  82. Can’t Live Without Your (Love and Affection) - Nelson
  83. Don’t Cry- Guns N’ Roses
  84. Dream On- Nazareth
  85. In a Darkened Room- Skid Row
  86. Forever- Kiss
  87. When I See You Smile- Bad English
  88. Just Between You and Me- April Vine
  89. Open Arms- Journey
  90. Standing Alone- Tyketto
  91. Save The Weak-Britney Fox
  92. Love Song- Tesla
  93. When it’s Love- Van Halen
  94. Love Kills- Vinnie Vincent Invasion
  95. Close My Eyes Forever- Lita Ford with Ozzy Osbourne
  96. Hard To Say I’m Sorry- Chicago
  97. Amazing- Aerosmith
  98. Givin’ Yourself Away- Ratt
  99. I Still Love You- Kiss
  100. The Flame- Cheap Trick

TAGS : power ballads acoustic rock ballads best 80s 90s hair bands glam metal bands slow rock songs

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