Best hair metal albums of the 2000s?

What were your fav hair metal/pop-metal/melodic hard rock (or whatever you call the genre) albums of the 2000s (2000-2009)? Some of my favs include

Poison-Crack a Smile (recorded in 1995 but not released until 2000 so it counts)
Bret Michaels-Songs of Life (2003)
Stryper-Murder By Pride (2009)
Tesla-Into the Now (2004)
Jackyl-Relentless (2002)

Some of my favorites....


ACTION - S/T




FOREIGNER - CAN'T SLOW DOWN




LINE OF FIRE - MOMENTUM




UNRULY CHILD - WORLDS COLLIDE




LOU GRAMM BAND - S/T




WHITESNAKE - GOOD TO BE BAD

Crashdiet's GENERATION WILD

I'd add Winger's Karma.

Hardcore Superstar. Even though HS's last couple have been a little weak, I think their S/T is much better than anything by Crashdiet. I've tried and tried to like Crashdiet but I just find them bland.

Fat Freddy wrote:

Crashdiet's GENERATION WILD

I'd also go with this one

Here is my favorite

jettafiend wrote:

Here is my favorite

Yeah, Runnin' Wild is a great album!

sorry...... but Tesla is NOT and NEVER was a hair metal band.


End of "old guy" rant

Hey Spec! Cheers for mentioning LOF!!

tohostudios wrote:

Hardcore Superstar. Even though HS's last couple have been a little weak, I think their S/T is much better than anything by Crashdiet. I've tried and tried to like Crashdiet but I just find them bland.

toho tells the truth. I would also add:

Ratt - Infestation
Reckless Love - S/T

I love Danger Danger's Revolve.

Another would be Lillian Axe's Waters Rising.

I agree with Toho. Hardcore Superstars self titled is one of the best.

Also really dig Blackrain-License to Thrill
Miss Crazy-S/T
Vains of Jenna-Lit Up/Let Down

Whitesnake - Forevermore

Troublezone wrote:

Whitesnake - Forevermore

Spun that one while mowing on Saturday!

It's new, but I think everyone should check out the new Tango Down album 'Identity Crisis'...it features David Reece from Accept on vocals and it is a killer record!! One of the strongest I've heard this year...

The two Dirty Penny albums, for sure.

Also Pretty Boy Floyd's KISS tribute album.

Loving L.A. Guns new one.

Reckless Love's first would be up there.

And while I don't listen to it much now, when Motley Crue's Saints of Los Angeles first came out, I listened to it a LOT.

Also, did Quiet Riot's Guilty Pleasures come out this millenium? I think it did. So that one too.

I want to look into that Ted Poley one. He seems to, mostly, be pretty consistent with melodic rock releases, whether solo or with DD or some of his other bands.

ZombieHavoc wrote:

I want to look into that Ted Poley one. He seems to, mostly, be pretty consistent with melodic rock releases, whether solo or with DD or some of his other bands.

It's really good...largely written w/ Vic from AdrianGale with guest solos from Pete Lesperance (Harem Scarem), Bill Leverty (Firehouse) and Andy Timmons (Danger Danger)...great melodic record!

Probably too much to mention. I was but before I was finished typing, my finger slipped and I lost everything. Damn I hate the keyboards on laptops! I will mention however, my absolute favorite:



Some of the best stuff:

James B. wrote:

sorry...... but Tesla is NOT and NEVER was a hair metal band.


End of "old guy" rant

Actually, almost none of the groups here are 'hair bands'. No spandex, make-up, or hairspray involved.

DallasBlack wrote:

James B. wrote:

sorry...... but Tesla is NOT and NEVER was a hair metal band.


End of "old guy" rant

Actually, almost none of the groups here are 'hair bands'. No spandex, make-up, or hairspray involved.

I used to split those hairs too...but I got tired of debating it...now I just go with it.

tohostudios wrote:

Hardcore Superstar. Even though HS's last couple have been a little weak, I think their S/T is much better than anything by Crashdiet. I've tried and tried to like Crashdiet but I just find them bland.

I agree with your assessment of HS, but the debut Crashdiet is brilliant! After, though, they went for those chunky riffs and whatnot, like HS has done since the self-titled, and that just kind of weighs them down a bit.

But Rest In Sleaze...man, that one rules! It sounds like it came straight out of the 80s.



Another lesser known band is Dirty Penny. Well worth seeking out.

Mainly for the Kitsch-Factor, but I really enjoy the Steel Panther and Big C*ck albums. Otherwise, ALL of the Whitesnake and Helix albums kick tons of ass.


This might be my fav "true hair metal" from that time period though:

DallasBlack wrote:

James B. wrote:

sorry...... but Tesla is NOT and NEVER was a hair metal band.


End of "old guy" rant

Actually, almost none of the groups here are 'hair bands'. No spandex, make-up, or hairspray involved.

Have you seen Crashdiet or Hardcore Superstar? Eyeliner aplenty.