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
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
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
Whitesnake image
Is This Love Whitesnake

In this series of song lessons, Lee Wanner will teach you the 80's power ballad "Is This Love", by Whitesnake. Lee will go over the gear and tone to start, then break down the two guitar parts in the verses and choruses. Then it's on to the harmonized leads in the chorus and the short solo, and the main solo. We'll bring things to a close with a full performance and a jam-along.

Published: 02/08/2012 Upgrade
Whitesnake image
Give Me All Your Love Whitesnake

Dave will show you both guitar parts to this song that comes crashing out of the gate with huge riffs and a swaggering swing groove. After a few verses and choruses the song unleashes a blazing solo. Then brings it down dynamically in the Bridge section, before wrapping up with a dramatic finish.

Published: 03/31/2017 Upgrade