Such a lack of organization is unfortunate, because several of these artists have aged rather well despite their waning audiences. As Sammy Hagar (of Van Halen) said, "there were moments, like in some of the ballads, I put my heart and soul into those records.

It also helped people see depth in the previously image-reliant glam-rock of Poison, paving the way for them to have a long, successful career that continues for decades. You didn't think you were getting through this list without the most durable power ballad of the '80s, did you?

Without a doubt the hardest-hitting song on this list, relying more on amped-up drums and distorted chords than the jangly guitars of the quieter parts, the third single from Skid Row's self-titled 1989 debut shows off the truly impressive pipes of lead singer Sebastian Bach quite nicely. But somehow that gritty voice sits perfectly amidst the stately pianos and strings, expressing the pain of lost love on this mega-hit from 1988's Long Cold Winter.

Power ballads are the most life-affirming ballads of them all, so we've compiled this playlist of the world's best, so you can wave your lighters in the air like you just don't care '80s Rock Ballads Wherever you go, whatever you do, your favorite '80s ballads will be right here waiting for you. Wherever you go, whatever you do, your favorite '80s ballads will be right here waiting for you. Def Leppard went through all kinds of hell, such as their drummer losing an arm, in the four years between their commercial breakthrough, 1983's Pyromania, and 1987's Hysteria.

An unexpectedly sophisticated classical guitar duet opens this otherwise straight ahead hit from the California band's 1989 album The Great Radio Controversy. Yes, it's another "life on the road" song, complete with a video of scenes from the tour bus, bu the pop songcraft on display here earns this song a high spot on our list.

Total Eclipse of the Heart Fans would do better to track down Razor & Tie's Monster Ballads series, which is much more indispensable to the genre than this "Essential '80s Box" can ever claim to be. This song, from 1988's rather tastelessly titled Open Up and Say ... Ahh, is the reason songwriter and lead singer Bret Michaels is probably way richer than all of his bandmates. Here are the 10 Best '80s Rock Ballads as rated by Ultimate Classic Rock ... Axl Rose would probably be ticked that his delicate, Exile-era Stones-reminiscent acoustic rock ballad from 1988's Lies shares space on this list with a bunch of '80s rock ballads.

By Classic Rock (Classic Rock) 14 February 2015.

Love it or secretly love it, the power ballad was the definitive sound that ruled the airwaves and MTV. The original, and the big brother to just about every other rock ballad on this list, which earns it the top spot.

Why in the world is B.J. Another blunder is the collection's track listing, which inexplicably pairs bands like Starship and Atlanta Rhythm Section with a slew of hair metal heavyweights. The song's lyrics can be read as the tale of a blue-collar father's struggles to be a positive role model for his young child. It's hard to imagine that the famously raspy, strained voice of Cinderella lead singer Tom Keifer could play any role in the creation of such an otherwise lovely '80s rock ballad.

So, maybe it made sense for them to slow things down from their previous balls-out approach and sing about heartbreak on this highly polished, bass-heavy '80s rock ballad.

Find album reviews, stream songs, credits and award information for This Is Rock Ballads: Essential '80s - Various Artists on AllMusic - 2007 - Since 1980s hair metal was all about excess, it's… Thomas' "Hooked on a Feeling" sandwiched between selections from Winger and Poison? Journey pretty much ruled the radio waves in the early '80s, and this soaring ballad from 1983's Frontiers has gone on to be one of their most enduring songs of all time.

Bach would later claim this to be the most popular high school prom theme of the year 1990. Since 1980s hair metal was all about excess, it's appropriate that this collection of the decade's "essential" rock balladry is, for lack of a better word, excessive. comes from its original source; instead, the two-disc collection is congested with irrelevant versions of songs that lose their spark outside of their '80s context. And who authorized Ronnie James Dio to cover "Dream On," a song that -- like "Hooked on a Feeling" -- isn't even from the '80s? Next: Your Choices for Top 10 80's Rock Ballads. Before they made themselves the butt of decades worth of jokes for "Cherry Pie," their clumsy attempt at double entendre, Warrant released this touching rock ballad from 1989's Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich. So while we're treated to two Warrant tunes (including a lackluster remake of "Heaven," complete with noodling piano and a drum machine), only the label execs know which era they're from, and only true Warrant fans will be able to deduce that it's Jani Lane singing, not his subsequent replacement Jaime St. James. From Motley Crue to Def Leppard to Van Halen, hard rock bands loved to slow it down from time to time. There's nothing like a rock ballad from the '80s and '90s.

80s Rock Ballads explores the sensitive side of 80s rock and metal delivered by the best of the decade's hair bands. Jon Bon Jovi betrays his love for Bruce Springsteen's small town character-driven storytelling style by remembering when he lost his keys, and his date lost more than that, on this alternately conversational and anthemic ballad from 1986's Slippery When Wet.

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

In an era full of grown men loaded up on makeup and hairspray, Tesla were delightfully no-frills, going so far as to title this anthemic love song, simply, well, "Love Song.". Not a single track on This Is Rock Ballads! This song also helped kicked off a never ending series of slow-motion live concert montage videos. Regrettably, the compilation still suffers, a victim of Cleopatra Records' illogical track assembly and indifferent packaging.

2. 100 songs (7 hours and 48 minutes) curated by Amazon's Music Experts.

Motley Crue adds piano to their sonic palette and comes up with a truly touching, heartfelt shout-out to their loved ones back home from 1985's Theatre of Pain. What is Howard Jones doing here? So we might as well ask if he was trying to warn us about the patience his fans would need in the future, with all the line-up changes and decades-long delays between albums. 1 (I Just) Died In Your Arms Cutting Crew-Broadcast: 4:40. Here’s our list of the top 12 power ballads of the 1980s.

That album was so packed with hit singles this song didn't even get put out on it's own, but it's still clearly well remembered. Axl Rose would probably be ticked that his delicate, Exile-era Stones-reminiscent acoustic rock ballad from 1988's Lies shares space on this list with a bunch of '80s rock ballads…

Great White sound surprisingly tight on a cover of "Stairway to Heaven," and Cinderella's Tom Keifer retains his platinum-selling, banshee-styled screech on a live cut of "Nobody's Fool." But it's also thoroughly misguided, as Cleopatra Records has simply cobbled together a loose assortment of live tracks, covers, and re-recorded songs. Back then, they sure knew how to write and sing slow love songs and power ballads. It's fun to mock the barrage of '80s rock ballads that came out of the rock and hair metal scene that decade, but as much as we'd like to pretend that upbeat anthems brought everyone out to the big arena rock shows, it was the ballads that got everyone singing along with their cigarette lighters in the air.

Listen to the '80s Rock Ballads playlist with Amazon Music Unlimited. In fact, "context" is the exact thing that Cleopatra seems to be avoiding here. There's no telling when these re-tooled songs were recorded, or even which members were involved, and the scant liner notes (featuring the original credits and nothing more) are less than helpful.