Cinderella

It's been 40 years. How did things pan out for the band's that were just making an imprint on the music scene in 1986?

From the Sunset Strip to the global stage, these bands helped define the year.

There's way more substance here than haters would lead you to believe.

The hair metal era exploded in a big way while some classic rock and thrash favorites were still going strong in 1986.

It was the decade of the guitar hero — but sometimes one wasn't enough.

They were defined by their tireless work ethic and defiant attitude.

The genre's best bands had a penchant for reinvention — making this list especially difficult.

Embrace the heartache, pain and in some cases, true life stories.

Back to an era of big hair and even bigger video hits. How well do you remember the '80s hair metal videos playing on MTV?

Fromage in hard rock ballad form.