The Best Sleaze Rock Bands

Over 1.8K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Sleaze Rock Bands
Voting Rules
Sleaze rock bands and artists only.

Sleaze rock has a number of connotations associated with it, but the one most common is its association with the hair metal and hard rock movements of the 80's. Combining elements of those genres with glam rock, sleaze rock bands were wildly popular during their heyday. A lot of these bands ruled rock radio and were associated with the Sunset Strip scene of Los Angeles. Their songs talked about, well (you guessed it), sleazy topics, primarily excess and decadence; which ultimately served as the definition of the genre. 

So, what are the best sleaze rock bands? For starters, you need to include the names Motley Crue, Guns N' Roses, Skid Row, Hanoi Rocks, and L.A. Guns on this list. These groups are some of the most well known sleaze rock bands of all time, and with good reason. Their singles have managed to endure and outlive that initial era of popularity of which they defined for future generations of rockers. And in fact, the best sleaze rock bands still tour and manage to sell out arenas / ampitheatres while also headlining rock and roll festivals.

That said, it's up to you to decide which sleaze rock bands are the best. This list answers the questions "what are the top sleaze rock groups of all time?" and "who is the greatest sleaze rock musician ever?" If you know enough about the genre, please vote based on the quality of the bands' music (i.e. albums and songs) and legacies, instead of just voting for the most popular or famous sleaze rock artists whom you might've heard of.

Most divisive: Santa Cruz
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