24 Popular Glam Rock Bands To Listen To Right Now
We list some of the best Glam rock bands to listen to right now. Glam rock is seen as a fashion as well as musical subgenre. Glam rock was prevalent in the UK. The UK charts were inundated with glam rock acts from 1971 to 1975. In the United States, the scene was much less prevalent, with Alice Cooper and Lou Reed, being the only American artists to score a hit in the UK.
What is Glam Rock?
Glam rock is a subgenre of rock music that emerged in the early 1970s, characterized by a highly theatrical style that was influenced by pop music and the fashion and culture of the time. Much as it was about the music, it was also about the spectacle of identity, dressed up in spectacular costumes. Often dappled with glitter, male musicians took the stage in women’s makeup and wore outrageous costumes and hairstyles. David Bowie was one of the pioneers of Glam rock with his alter ego Ziggy Stardust. It consisted of various styles of makeup and costumes, with the most memorable being the orange hair and lightning bolt across the face. Bowie and Bolan inspired acts such as Roxy Music, Pseudo Echo, Adam and The Ants, Slade, and more.
Best Glam Rock Bands
1. Kiss
Kiss (often stylized as KIϟϟ) is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973 by Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss. Well known for its members’ face paint and stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid–late 1970s with its shocking live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood-spitting, smoking guitars, shooting rockets, levitating drum kits, and pyrotechnics. Kiss has also earned 30 Gold albums, the most of any band from the United States.
Stream Kiss songs
2. Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California on January 17, 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, lead singer Vince Neil and lead guitarist Mick Mars. The release of their third album Theatre of Pain (1985) saw Mötley Crüe joining the first wave of glam metal. The band has also been known for their elaborate live performances, which feature flame thrower guitars, roller coaster drum kits, and heavy use of pyrotechnics (fireworks) (including lighting Sixx on fire).
Stream Mötley Crüe songs
3. Def Leppard
Def Leppard is an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement. In the mid-1980s, the band were associated with the growing glam metal scene, mainly due to their mainstream success and glossy production. Def Leppard were also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.
Stream Def Leppard songs
4. Europe
Europe is a Swedish rock band formed in Upplands Väsby in 1979, by vocalist Joey Tempest, guitarist John Norum, bass guitarist Peter Olsson, and drummer Tony Reno. They got a major breakthrough in Sweden in 1982 by winning the televised competition “Rock-SM” (Swedish Rock Championships) It was the first time this competition was held, and Europe became a larger success than the competition itself.
Stream Europe songs
5. Twisted Sister
Twisted Sister was an American heavy metal band from Long Island, New York, United States popularized in comedic music videos on the television channel MTV in the 80s. Twisted Sister evolved from a band named Silver Star, and experienced several membership changes before settling on the classic lineup of Jay Jay French (guitars), Eddie “Fingers” Ojeda (guitars), Dee Snider (lead vocals), Mark “The Animal” Mendoza (bass), and A. J. Pero (drums) in 1982. Although Twisted Sister is often regarded as glam metal due to its use of makeup, Snider considers the term to be inappropriate.
Stream Twisted Sister songs
6. Poison
Poison is a glam rock band from Los Angeles. Formed by drummer Rikki Rockett and singer Bret Michaels. they started out in Pennsylvania in the early 80s. In the 1990s following the release of the band’s first live album, Swallow This Live, the band experienced some line up changes and the fall of glam metal with the grunge movement.
Stream Poison songs
7. T. Rex
T. Rex were a British rock band, formed in London in 1967 by singer/songwriter and guitarist Marc Bolan. The band began as a psychedelic folk-rock combo called Tyrannosaurus Rex, a name that was later shortened to T. Rex. In the 1970s, the band had success with glam rock hits like “Jeepster”, “Get It On”, “Ride a White Swan”, “20th Century Boy”, “Children of the Revolution”, “Hot Love”, “Telegram Sam”, and “Metal Guru”.
Stream T. Rex songs
8. Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters is a four-piece glam pop / disco band, from New York City, NY, USA. The band was formed in 2000, by Jason Sellards (aka Jake Shears – lead vocals) & Scott Hoffman (aka Babydaddy – keyboard / bass). The band came to prominence following the release of their Grammy-nominated and chart-topping disco version of “Comfortably Numb” and subsequent debut album Scissor Sisters (2004). The album was a success, particularly in the UK where it reached number one, and was the best-selling album of 2004.
Stream Scissor Sisters songs
9. Roxy Music
Roxy Music is a British art rock group which formed in 1971 in London, England. Led throughout by Bryan Ferry (vocals, keyboards), the band attained popular and critical success in Europe and Australia during the 1970s and early 1980s, beginning with their 1972 eponymous debut album. The band pioneered more musically sophisticated elements of glam rock while significantly influencing early English punk music, and provided a model for many new wave acts while innovating elements of electronic composition.
Stream Roxy Music songs
10. Quiet Riot
Quiet Riot is an American heavy metal band whose 1983 chart topping success helped pave the way for the glam metal scene’s next decade of commercial prominence. They are best known for their Metal Health album, which displaced Michael Jackson’s Thriller album from the No. 1 chart spot.
Stream Quiet Riot songs
11. The Sweet
Sweet (referred to as The Sweet before 1974) are a popular 70s-era British rock band. Although largely known for their glam rock image and hit singles that dominated the charts, Sweet also released several acclaimed hard rock albums. The classic line-up consisted of Brian Connolly (vocals), Steve Priest (bass), Andy Scott (guitar) and Mick Tucker (drums).
Stream The Sweet songs
12. Slade
Slade formed in Wolverhampton in 1966 and rose to prominence during the glam rock era in the early 1970s. They became a sensation in their homeland as they scored a staggering 11 Top five hits in a four-year span from 1971 to 1974 (five of which topped the charts).
Stream Slade songs
13. The Darkness
The Darkness are a rock band which formed in Lowestoft, England in 2000. The band consists of Justin Hawkins (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Dan Hawkins (guitar, vocals), Frankie Poullain (bass) and Ed Graham (drums). The band came to prominence with the release of their debut album, Permission to Land, in 2003. It was backed by the singles “I Believe in a Thing Called Love”, “Growing on Me”, “Get Your Hands off My Woman”, and “Love Is Only a Feeling”.
Stream The Darkness songs
14. Wizzard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dD-TKXo2DL4
Wizzard was Roy Wood’s post- ELO project. They made catchy glam-rock hit singles like “Angel Fingers” and “See My Baby Jive” with a retro, Phil Spector-style “wall of sound” production. At the same time, they produced decidedly odd, almost avant-garde albums like Wizzard Brew. Wizzard were active from roughly 1972-1975.
Stream Wizzard songs
15. Warrant
Warrant is a glam metal band from Los Angeles, California that enjoyed its greatest success in 1990 with the album ‘Cherry Pie’. Spearheaded by frontman Jani Lane, the band’s brand of metal was often loud, cheesy, sex-obsessed, and usually delivered with a mischievous sense of humor.
Stream Warrant songs
16. Smokie
Smokie is an English pop rock band from Bradford who found success in Europe and the U.S. in the 70s. They formed in 1966 in Yorkshire, England and did some early records under the name “Smokey”. The band broke into the mainstream after teaming up with songwriters Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn, who also wrote songs for glam rock contemporaries Sweet, Mud, and Suzi Quatro.
Stream Smokie songs
17. Mud
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQTvsM9_Vck
Mud, led by singer and guitar player, Abdi Behravanfar, was formed in 2000. Abdi had thought about setting up a rock band years ago. In 1998 when he returned to Mashhad, Iran, performed a concert with Saeed Maghoul (drums),Saeed Bayati (Baritone). Their earlier success came in a pop and then glam rock style, while later hits were influenced by 1950s rock and roll, and they are best remembered for their hit singles “Dyna-mite”, “Tiger Feet”, which was the UK’s best-selling single of 1974.
Stream Mud songs
18. Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel is an English rock band that began in the early 1970s. Their music covers a range of styles from pop to progressive rock, and while they were contemporary with the glam rock period, their music is not truly classifiable as such.
Stream Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel songs
19. Mott The Hoople
Mott the Hoople were a British rock band that was formed in 1968 in Herefordshire, England, near the Welsh border. They were led by Ian Hunter until his departure in 1974. The band itself broke up in 1976. Bowie wrote the glam rock song “All the Young Dudes” for them, which became a huge commercial success in 1972.
Stream Mott The Hoople songs
20. Bay City Rollers
The Bay City Rollers were a Scottish pop band of the 1970s. Their youthful, clean-cut image, distinct styling featuring tartan-trimmed outfits, and cheery, sing-along pop hits helped the group become among the most popular musical acts of their time. The Bay City Rollers have sold over 120 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling artists of all time.
Stream Bay City Rollers songs
Honorable mentions
21. Sparks
22. The Tubes
23. The Rubettes
24. New York Dolls
You may also like:
Why are New York Dolls all the way at the bottom of this list?? Seriously the very last mentioned band was one of the most prominent and prolific.