The Hair Band Era Inspires This Fast-Paced Workout Playlist

I’m not sure the term “hair band” requires further explanation. (But if you do need one, it refers to bands made of musicians that sport long—and often poofy—hairdos.) This look is considered a 1980s affectation, but it’s got strong roots in the 1970s, too. To that end, we’ve collected an assortment of workout anthems from dudes with flowing locks, so you can put some of that mane-shaking energy to work in your next run.

Starting with the pioneers, the ’70s provided an introduction to the mighty hair power of KISS, Journey and Aerosmith. Within a decade, they were sharing the charts with mopped offspring like Poison, Bon Jovi and Motley Crue. Some purists might exclude Guns n’ Roses from this company, given that their big hair phase was so short; nevertheless, Axl Rose’s voluminous ’do from the “Welcome to the Jungle” video is cause enough for the band’s inclusion on this list.

Decades after the clouds of hairspray dissipated, what remains are these song’s indelible riffs and hooks. As proof, consult the list below and see how many choruses you can hear in your mind—just from reading the song titles. Put simply, styles change—but melodies endure. When you’re ready to make tracks, you’ll find 10 reliable rockers to power you along below.

Whitesnake – Here I Go Again – 91 BPM

Bon Jovi – Livin’ on a Prayer – 123 BPM

Guns N’ Roses – Welcome to the Jungle – 123 BPM

Poison – Nothin’ But A Good Time – 129 BPM

Motley Crue – Kickstart My Heart – 179 BPM

Van Halen – Jump – 129 BPM

Kiss – Rock and Roll All Nite – 143 BPM

Aerosmith – Dude (Looks Like A Lady) – 128 BPM

Europe – The Final Countdown – 117 BPM

Journey – Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) – 130 BPM

To find more workout songs, folks can check out the free database at Run Hundred. Visitors can browse song selections there by genre, tempo and era to find the music that best fits their particular workout routines.