They shredded, strutted and singlehandedly melted a million faces, all while rocking tons of hairspray and gaining countless groupies. In the heyday of hair metal, it was the guitarists who brought the thunder. Sure, the singers got the spotlight and lots of attention, but behind the scenes, and often on center stage, these axe-wielding glam gods were the real rock ‘n’ roll royalty. What’s not to love about this period of rock history?
In honor of glitz and glam, Audio Ink Radio is naming the 10 best hair metal guitarists, the flashiest, fiercest and most unforgettable fret-scorchers of the era. From legendary innovators to lipstick-smeared riff machines, these players didn’t just look the part, they played it like nobody else. Let’s dive in.
1. Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen)
Let’s get one thing straight, Eddie Van Halen didn’t just redefine hair metal, he rewrote the rules of guitar playing altogether. With his signature finger-tapping technique, shimmering harmonics and swaggering solos, Eddie was the blueprint. While Van Halen’s roots were more hard rock than hair metal, their style, sound, and stage presence were so glam, they became icons of the genre by default. From “Eruption” to “Hot for Teacher,” Eddie’s playing was jaw-droppingly fast, but never without feel. He made it look effortless, and sounded like no one else on Earth.
2. Randy Rhoads (Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne)
Before he became a metal martyr alongside Ozzy Osbourne, Randy Rhoads was tearing it up in Quiet Riot, a band that helped birth the L.A. glam scene. With his classical training and lightning-fast arpeggios, Rhoads married elegance with explosive power. Even though Ozzy was pure heavy metal, Randy brought the glam flair. Leopard print, teased blonde hair, and a polka-dot Flying V made him a poster boy for early hair metal, but it was his technical brilliance and soulful phrasing that made him immortal. So, yes, even though Rhoads wasn’t a “hair metal” guitarist with Ozzy, he was before his time with him.
3. George Lynch (Dokken, Lynch Mob)
George Lynch didn’t just play guitar, he attacked it. With a snarl on his face and a flame-painted ESP in his hands, the Dokken shredder delivered solos like a heavyweight boxer, aggressive, precise and impossible to ignore. “Mr. Scary” was more than just a nickname, it was a warning. Lynch’s tone was thick as molasses, his vibrato was lethal, and his riffs on tracks like “Tooth and Nail” and “Into the Fire” became instant glam metal canon. Dangerous never looked so good.
Check out Audio Ink Radio’s interview with Lynch, and you can watch it here, too.
4. Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme)
Hair metal’s final act was also one of its finest. Nuno Bettencourt burst onto the scene with Extreme just as the genre was slipping into its leather-pants swan song. But don’t let the timing fool you, Nuno’s virtuosity could hang with the best of them. His playing on hits like “Get the Funk Out” and the acoustic ballad “More Than Words” showcased dazzling technique and serious songwriting chops. His blend of funk, metal, and pop helped redefine what a glam guitarist could be. Bonus points for cheekbones that could cut glass.
Audio Ink Radio interviewed Bettencourt about his work with Extreme and touring with Rhianna. Check it out, and get your shred on.
5. Mick Mars (Motley Crue)
Dark, dangerous and a little mysterious, Mick Mars was the goth uncle in a band of Sunset Strip maniacs. With his jet-black hair and icy stares, Mars didn’t do the flashy poses or high-kicks, he let his guitar do the screaming. His riffs on “Kickstart My Heart,” “Dr. Feelgood” and “Live Wire” powered Motley Crue’s sleazy anthems into stadiums around the globe. While his bandmates courted chaos, Mars kept it cool, delivering greasy, bluesy licks that gave Crüe their raw edge. He was the engine in the glam-metal muscle car.
6. Slash (Guns N’ Roses)
Okay, Guns N’ Roses were not hair metal. They were too gritty, too real, too obsessed with punk and danger to fully fit the glam mold. But with that said, Slash’s early days were soaked in Aqua Net and attitude, and his playing had a swagger that glam fans couldn’t resist. From the iconic opening notes of “Sweet Child O’ Mine” to the blues-drenched fire of “Welcome to the Jungle,” Slash brought raw, untamed passion to the glam-adjacent world. With his top hat, leather pants and untamed curls, he was a walking guitar god fantasy.
7. Vivian Campbell (Dio, Whitesnake, Def Leppard)
Before he became a stadium regular with Def Leppard, Vivian Campbell was Dio’s secret weapon, a Northern Irish shredder with speed, soul and spectacular chops. In Whitesnake, he added a polished sheen. But it was his glammy work in the late ’80s and early ’90s that showcased his blend of technical mastery and melodic instinct. His solos were always tasteful, his tone sparkling, and his stage presence as polished as a new Strat. Whether playing arenas or MTV Unplugged, Campbell made it look easy.
8. C.C. DeVille (Poison)
He wasn’t the fastest. He wasn’t the most technical. But when it came to fun, C.C. DeVille was in a league of his own. With his candy-colored guitars and mile-wide smile, the Poison axeman helped define the bubblegum side of glam metal. His solos on “Talk Dirty to Me” and “Nothin’ But a Good Time” were flashy, fizzy, and full of personality. DeVille brought the party to every stage he hit, and while critics scoffed, fans screamed. Loudly. Often. And with very big hair.
9. Tracii Guns (L.A. Guns)
The name might sound familiar, yes, he was part of the original Guns N’ Roses lineup, but Tracii Guns made his mark with L.A. Guns, a band that blended sleaze, glam, and straight-up rock ‘n’ roll swagger. His tone was raunchy, his solos full of spit and shine, and his attitude pure Sunset Strip. Songs like “The Ballad of Jayne” and “Electric Gypsy” showed off his ability to go from heartfelt to hair-raising in a single verse. Glam’s bad boy? That was, and is, Tracii.
10. Tom Keifer (Cinderella)
Yes, Tom Keifer was Cinderella’s singer, but don’t sleep on his guitar skills. Equal parts bluesman and glam rocker, Keifer brought soulful slide work, soaring solos and gritty rhythm chops to every Cinderella track. His playing on “Nobody’s Fool,” “Shake Me,” and “Gypsy Road” combined classic rock roots with ’80s flair. And with his raspy growl and glam-goth vibe, he was a multi-tasking marvel. A glam king with a Les Paul and a throat full of gravel.
Hair metal might be remembered for its flash, the lipstick, the leopard print, the lighters-in-the-air ballads, but beneath the glam were guitarists of true talent. These ten players weren’t just pretty faces with power chords. They were innovators, icons, and inspirations. Sure, the hairspray has settled. But their solos are still screaming.
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