Hair metal — that dreaded colloquialism for the commercial, party-hearty hard rock that dominated the airwaves in the '80s — is known for its hotshot guitar players and over-the-top showmanship.

“Hair metal” is not an actual genre. You know it, we know it and the myriad bands that got unfairly lumped into the category know it. That said, the pejorative phrase serves a purpose her ...