Hair Metal May Not Exist Without These 5 '70s Rock Albums

Here are five albums from the 1970s that paved the way for hair metal.

By the time the 1980s rolled around, hair metal seemed to explode overnight. Fit with loud guitars, flamboyant wardrobes and an attitude that thrived on debauchery and excess.

But like most cultural phenomenons, it didn’t just appear out of thin air. The sound, the swagger, and even the spectacle had been long since brewing throughout the duration of the 1970s and was crafted by bands who helped push rock into new territory.

Hair metal’s DNA can be traced through a handful of pivotal records from that decade; albums that combined glam, virtuosity and showmanship with raw power that helped cater towards mass appeal. These records didn’t just inspire the next generation, but instead gave them a roadmap.

READ MORE: 10 Hair Metal Music Videos That Defined '80s (And Very Early '90s) Pop Culture

Although the five albums and bands on this list are only a few of the many that helped pave the way for the decade of decadence, each of these albums carried a necessary piece of the puzzle.

Together, they laid the foundation for a movement that would dominate arenas, MTV and pop culture for the next decade and beyond. Hair metal wouldn't be the same, or maybe wouldn't exist at all, without them.

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