The Best Of 80's Rock: 20Th Century Masters The Millennium Collection (2003)

2003 "Universal Music" V/A Compilation

V/A: 80's Hair Metal

should really be called The Best of '80s Hair Metal because, despite a few notable MIAs like Ratt, the lineup reads like a who's who of the hair spray abusing style. Most of the tracks do indeed rock; there are only two examples of that dreaded (or much-loved) '80s malady: the power ballad. The two that were chosen are among the two best ever: Cinderella's fantastically overblown and over the top "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)" and Night Ranger's prom staple "Sister Christian." The highlights of the rest of the set are the Scorpions' howling "Rock You Like a Hurricane," Poison's glittery good-time romp "Your Mama Don't Dance," and the unmasked version of Kiss' best song, "Lick It Up." There isn't a duff track here (except for Extreme's crummy "Kid Ego"), and although it skips over a whole bunch of the '80s rock landscape, the collection is a fun (and cheap) little slice of hair metal heaven.