Reagan Ray

The hair band movement was a relatively short-lived one, characterized by the wild looks just as much as the music. But if you dig deeper, it was also full of band lettering that featured glorious chrome letters, sharp edges, and 3D type treatments.

There's a popular theory that the hair band movement was ushered in by Van Halen. Although I don't think Van Halen is an actual hair band (though David Lee Roth fits as a frontman), they did set the blueprint by re-introducing hard rock to the mainstream. I also think that they set the blueprint for hair band lettering. The cover of their 1978 debut album had stylized chrome lettering (with wings!), and they took it a step further with their follow-up album in 1979. Van Halen II introduced the isolated "VH" mark while also making the chrome letters 3D. That mark was groundbreaking and is one of the most imitated band logos around.

I realize that some of the artists included are questionable fits. Career-wise, Aerosmith only briefly appeared, and Alice Cooper and KISS are probably more in the hard rock/metal category. I also feel like bands such as Guns N' Roses and Bon Jovi are rock bands with hair band influences. As always, if you have any good ones I missed, let me know.