Ballad Salad

Yes, I ripped off the name from the program on XM 41 Da Boneyard, but I thought it was appropriate. (Update: sadly, this channel as I loved it died during the merger. Sigh...)

If you know me, you'll know that my favorite genre of music is classic hair metal. What better way to honor Valentine's Day (a made-up holiday that I'm not fond of) by listing my Top 20 Hair Metal Ballads of all-time.

Granted, these aren't the greatest "love" songs, nor do they even have to be about love. They are generally slow & I purposely left off "power ballads", when possible.

I also tried to shy away from the more popular songs, although some may have slipped in. Again, these are simply my favorites, not what critics or other fans think are the best.

Please forgive me if I've omitted any obvious ones. This idea came to me driving home tonight, so I simply whipped through my iPod to find the songs.

**Special treat!! I was going to copy & paste selected lyrics for each song, but due to time constraints, that may have to come later.

In the meantime, I've found a way for you to listen to them! Click here for the playlist over at finetune.com. (NOTE, this playlist includes some honorable mention songs as well.)



HONORABLE MENTION
Just Take My Heart, To Be With You, Carrie, Don't Know What You've Got 'Til It's Gone, Damn Good, Alone Again, Slippin' Away, Cryin' (Vixen, not Aerosmith. Yuck!) Love of A Lifetime, When the Children Cry, If You Needed Somebody, Angel Song, It Ain't Easy, November Rain, Estranged, Deep Cuts the Knife, Tear Down the Walls, Love Bites, All I Want is Everything, Home Sweet Home, Every Rose Has It's Thorn, Silent Lucidity, I Remember You, Fly To The Angels, Love Song, Heaven, Now You're Gone, Miles Away

#20
"I'll Never Let You Go", Steelheart

#19
"Wind of Change", Scorpions

#18
"Nothing Else Matters", Metallica

#17
"Call to the Heart", Giuffria

#16
"Bed of Roses", Bon Jovi

#15
"Will the Sun Rise?", Dokken

#14
"Givin' Yourself Away", Ratt

#13
"In a Darkened Room", Skid Row

#12
"Broken Hearts", Living Colour

#11
"Heartbreak Station", Cinderella

#10
"More Than Words", Extreme

#9
"The Ballad of Jayne", LA Guns

#8
"What You Give", Tesla

#7
"Walk Away", Dokken

#6
"Is This Love", Whitesnake

#5
"High Enough", Damn Yankees

#4
"I Saw Red", Warrant

#3
"Headed for a Heartbreak", Winger

#2
"Promise Her the Moon", Mr. Big

#1
"Hysteria", Def Leppard