80s Hair Metal

The 80s hair metal bands were big on sound and bombast. Also known as 'glam metal,' everything was larger than life, from the blistering guitar riff and scorching solos to the makeup and hair. Bands like Kiss, Alice Cooper and Cheap Trick were all influential during this period of music. Learn great songs from Poison, Eddie Van Halen, Winger and more below!

Artist / Title / Progress
Difficulty / style
Autograph image
Turn Up The Radio Autograph

In this song tutorial, Lee Wanner will be teaching you the hard rocker "Turn Up the Radio", by Autograph. Lee will start off with the gear and tones, then get into the details of the verse rhythm guitars and leads. Then we're on to the chorus section, and the main solo and intro and outro leads and solos. As always, we'll put a cherry on top by doing a full performance play-along, then a jam along!

Published: 01/04/2012 Upgrade
David Lee Roth with Steve Vai image
Tobacco Road David Lee Roth with Steve Vai

Dave will show you the guitar parts in this song, from the squealing intro licks, to the power chord riffs in a boogie rhythm, to the whammy bar filled solo. "Tobacco Road" is in the key of D minor and 4/4 time at a tempo of about 140 BPM.

Published: 03/10/2019 Upgrade
Winger image
Headed For A Heartbreak Winger

In this set of 11 lessons, Michael Elsner guides you through the 80's rocker "Head For A Heartbreak" as made famous by Winger. This big hair tune features some straight-forward power chords, blended with some chords not common to hard rock. You'll learn all the twists and turn here to the chords in the verses, choruses, and bridge; you'll learn the rhythmic elements, and you'll also learn the two solos. The soloing here uses whammy bar and tapping techniques, and is a lot of fun to learn and play!

Published: 01/23/2011 Upgrade
Van Halen image
You Really Got Me Van Halen

In these 10 guitar lessons, Neal Walter will be teaching you "You Really Got Me", as made famous by Van Halen in their cover of the song. Neal will introduce you to the tune and talk about the gear and tones, then he'll dive into the classic riff in the intro and the first couple of verses. Then it's time to learn the rippin' shredding solo, followed by the 3rd verse. As always we finish off with a performance play-along, then you jam along as the main guitarist with the "band".

Published: 01/25/2012 Upgrade
Van Halen image
Ice Cream Man Van Halen

Dave will show you both the acoustic and electric guitar parts in this song. The song begins with a solo acoustic guitar playing a boogie pattern in a blues swing rhythm. After a couple of verses the electric comes crashing in with the rest of the band. There's a blazing guitar solo by a young Van Halen and a big bluesy ending to close it out. This song is in the key of E and a fast boogie shuffle in 4/4 time at a tempo of about 176 BPM.

Published: 01/08/2018 Upgrade
Twisted Sister image
We're Not Gonna Take It Twisted Sister

Mike will show you the 2 guitar layers in this song. Guitar 1 plays rhythm riffs with a crunch tone. Guitar 2 is the lead guitar that digs into some memorable licks. The last half of the solo is harmonized by 2 additional lead guitar layers.

Published: 02/15/2019 Upgrade
Motley Crue image
Smokin' in the Boys Room Motley Crue

In these lessons Lee Wanner will teach "Smokin' in the Boys Room", by Motley Crue. Lee will talk about the song then dial in the tones before laying out the intro and verse parts. The shuffle chorus follows, then the rhythm part under the solo. Lee teaches the leads during the choruses, which segue into the non-slide and slide solos. We'll look at the outro guitars before we do a play along and the jam along where you take center stage.

Published: 11/28/2012 Upgrade
Night Ranger image
Don't Tell Me You Love Me Night Ranger

Dave will show you every part of this tune including the cool powerhouse rhythm guitar parts, wild whammy bar tricks, intense picking, and dramatic multiple guitar harmony parts. There's also a single guitar version if you are up to the challenge!

Published: 05/05/2015 Upgrade
Night Ranger image
Sister Christian Night Ranger

Dave will show you all the great layers to this iconic tune. The piano intro has been adapted and arranged for guitar. There are lots of great electric guitar parts as the song goes from a quite introspective dynamic to dramatic loud and anthemic. And then, he'll show you the lyric, fluid, legendary whammy laden solo.

Published: 01/12/2015 Upgrade
Quiet Riot image
Bang Your Head (Metal Health) Quiet Riot

There are 3 guitar layers in this song. Guitar 1 is a crunch guitar that plays the bombastic rhythms throughout. Guitar 2 is a chorused clean guitar heard in the verses, and Guitar 3 is the lead guitar that digs into some killer leads and fills.

Published: 01/28/2018 Upgrade
Cinderella image
Shake Me Cinderella

In this set of lessons, Michael Elsner will give you the low-down on the 80s hard rocker "Shake Me" as made famous by Cinderella. Michael will take you through the basic tones; the chord progressions in the verses, choruses, bridge, and underneath the solos; what the three guitars are playing in the breakdown; the short lick in the turnaround; then all three solos that occur in the song. As always, you can play along with a full performance with our custom backing track!

Published: 02/18/2011 Upgrade
Cinderella image
Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone) Cinderella

This song tutorial will give you all the parts to "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)", as made famous by Cinderella. Mike Olekshy will guide you through the gear and tone, the acoustic guitar parts, the electric power "crunch" elements, the chorus arpeggio's, the solo, and then play through the entire song.

Published: 04/17/2011 Upgrade
Dokken image
It's Not Love Dokken

Dave will show you all the rocking guitar layers in this tune that starts out quiet and sneaky with finger-plucked diads. Eventually it blasts into huge swaggering riffs and dynamic variations from quiet to blasting, all over a deep rocking groove. There's also a short, but tasty guitar solo.

Published: 10/02/2017 Upgrade
Poison image
Every Rose Has Its Thorn Poison

In this series of lessons, Michael Elsner takes you through the various elements of the classic Poison ballad, "Every Rose Has Its Thorn". You'll learn the chords and tuning, the verse and chorus progressions, the bridge and solo section progressions, the strumming variations, the three solos, and of course a play along with our custom backing track.

Published: 11/13/2010 Upgrade
Poison image
Nothing But A Good Time Poison

This group of song lessons is all about the 80s classic "Nothing But A Good Time", as made famous by Poison. Lee Wanner will take you through the intro riff, the cool guitar solos, the song form and chord progressions, some tips on the tone and tuning, all followed up with a full play through at the end.

Published: 01/10/2011 Upgrade