Who Are the Big 4 of Glam Metal?

In my opinion, the Big 4 glam metal are Mötley Crüe, Poison, Def Leppard, and Bon Jovi.

Mötley Crüe basically defined the sleazy, dangerous side of glam metal—loud, messy, and proudly out of control. Poison leaned hard into the glam part: big hair, bright colors, catchy hooks, and zero shame about it. Def Leppard brought polish and massive production, proving glam metal could dominate stadiums worldwide. And Bon Jovi, while sometimes debated, made the genre accessible to the mainstream with huge anthems and crossover appeal.

You could absolutely swap in bands like Ratt, Cinderella, or Skid Row depending on taste, and that’s part of the fun. Glam metal was never about rules—it was about attitude, excess, and songs that made you feel ten feet tall.