I know hair metal's status as a subgenre of metal (or even a subgenre of music or just a fashion statement) is often debated, as with what bands should be given this label, but I'd rather put that aside and discuss how you guys feel about the scene and the music that is given this label

Glam metal was often picked on by metalheads during the 80s and 90s before the nu metal/metalcore wave came along, and even then I still see some rag on it at times. I found this cringy TheTopTens list here: (https://www.thetoptens.com/metal/reason ... -subgenre/), and let me just say I'm really glad I left this site a long time ago. Like, blaming them for the spawn of core? Blame Pantera (I know they ironically started off as a hair band, but I'm talking about Groovetera). I know "hair metal" is often used as a pejorative, but I actually prefer that term because it sounds better and helps differentiate from 70s glam rock which was kind of a different thing.

Musically speaking I don't have any strong opinions, but I do enjoy some tracks like You Give Love a Bad Name, Too Young To Fall in Love, and Europe the band in general; I also like some other 80s arena rock bands like Magnum. I feel that hair metal made a bigger mark in music history than thought. There were individual artists like Eddie Van Halen, but I think it helped inspire the more fun side of rock and metal music, particularly power metal, as well as the fashion of Visual Kei. It also helped curved the way for grunge and thrash as countermovements, which I count as influences, though you could argue otherwise?

So what are your thoughts? What do you feel about hair metal?

It was my gateway to metal in the early 80s via Motley Crue, Ratt, Twisted Sister, and Def Leppard.

I still enjoy these bands and the genre to this day and say that with no reason to feel embarrassment.
Frankly, it was not uncommon in the 80s to be a fan of Venom, Slayer & Kreator AND Ratt & Motley Crue. At least it was common where I grew up.

Anyway, the obligatory power ballads were more often, than not, terrible and simultaneously lead to the subgrenre's rise and its fall.

Bands such as Dokken, Europe (outside of that appalling hit), Winger, White Lion, etc., remain in heavy rotation for me...love 'em all.