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The Best Hair in Rock & Roll
Rock Hair For The Ages
We’ve celebrated long locks in the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB. We’ve admired manes from world-renowned scientists, American presidents and legendary warriors. We’ve even shown love for the great lettuce in fiction, the old American west and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It therefore seems inconceivable we’ve never covered the best hair in rock and roll… until now.
Rock hair’s heyday was the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s, but some contemporary artists made the list in their own right. And while not every musician is enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, each is a first-ballot fail-safe to the foyer of famous flow.
Whether you spell it rock & roll, rock ‘n roll, or just plain rock and roll, let’s bang our heads and do a deep dive on rock’s best locks.
The Best Locks in Rock
Led Zeppelin
All discussions of best hair in rock and roll start and end with Led Zeppelin. Shown at the peak of their follicle prowess, the song remains the same to this day. Robert Plant, the rock hair GOAT, still dominates the hair game at 72 years young.
All the 80’s glam bands dreamed of being Zeppelin on and off the scalp, but none could wrest “The Hammer of the Gods.” If hair has an afterlife, Led Zeppelin is on a stairway to heaven.
Bob Marley
Bob Marley is the deepest, heaviest rock star ever, and he played reggae music. A huge part of rock is standing up for something. Songs about peace, love and freedom ( I prefer “freeness”) were most powerful and cool when Bob sang them.
Bob Marley’s hair never got shorter, only longer, and it looked alive when he performed, bouncing wildly all night long. Bob Marley said, "Trust the universe and respect your hair." Bare witness to the hair fitness!
Lenny Kravitz
Lenny Kravitz is studly. Lenny had a daughter with Lisa Bonet, who recently split up with Jason Momoa, also studly. Lenny and Lisa’s daughter, Zoë Kravitz, is starring as Catwoman in the new Batman movie, “The Batman.” She is lady-studly. Genetics are real.
Slash
Slash is the Slashiest looking Slash you’ll ever see. He has looked exactly like himself since the first second I saw him back in 1987. That’s 35 years! I was even Slash for Halloween.
He is so known for being Slash you could easily forget he has some of the best hair in rock and roll. Do you think he signs his name with the “Slash” symbol? This symbol here: / He would save so much time, just one pen flick, done.
Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson is a loyal guy. If Willie loves you, you’re with him for life. Weed, his guitar with the holes in it, and his life as a longhair are just a few examples. Willie’s been living and loving this life deep into his 80’s.
With amazing musicianship, classic tunes and unmatched authenticity, he is the ultimate longhair country superstar. Long live Willie Nelson and his beautiful braids!
Nelson
What do you get when you mix twin brothers, six feet of platinum blonde hair, and the 1980’s glam scene? You get Nelson.
Like The Longhairs (see The Great Cut), Nelson is a Guinness World Records title holder as the only family in history to have a number one record in three successive generations (Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, grandparents; Ricky, Nelson, father).
Questlove
Questlove is a likable and talented fellow. From his breakthrough work in The Roots, to leading Jimmy Fallon’s band, Questlove performs miracles on the reg. His hair is not only big, but hard-working as it is often seen carrying his trademark afro pick.
According to his NPR interview, he is fighting to keep creativity, itself, alive. Imagine seeing that on your list of things to do each day. Questlove, and his hair, are up to the challenge.
David Coverdale
David Coverdale was in Deep Purple for years before Whitesnake. I was in deep love with Tawny Kitaen as a teenager. I want to thank Mr. Coverdale for putting his then, soon-to-be wife, Ms. Kitaen in this video with that car.
It changed our lives.
Sincerely,
The Boys of The 80’s.
Honorable mention to all of Whitesnake’s members for keeping Aqua Net in business through the 1980’s and creating the hole in the ozone layer. I kid!
Poison
If that picture doesn’t make you lol, your laughing spot’s broken. OMG, how classic. In the 80’s it was real. Scary. Ha! I don’t know if Poison used Revlon or CoverGirl or both, but I bet they wish they had The Longhairs hair serum back then.
Did you know “Talk Dirty to Me,” was about using too much hair spray? Their tune “Unskinny Bop,” went to #3 in 1990. The term has literally no meaning. Bands like Poison ended the 80’s. They literally made the world need Nirvana. And nirvana.
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Jimi Hendrix is known by many as the sickest guitar player ever. Jimi also had an amazing head of hair. When they went searching for guys to play in Jimi’s new band, Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding proved that three bushy heads of hair are better than one. Most underrated hair of any band ever. Guess that’s what made it The Experience.
Sergio Gutierrez
Rock and roll manes get no more luscious than fine artist and rock guitarist Sergio Gutierrez, masterfully blending music, art and flow with his legendary long curls. A lifetime longhair and rocker to the core, “El Sergioso” is a no-doubter for the best hair in rock and roll.
ZZ Top
Does face hair count? Is it hair? Then it counts. ZZ Top is last alphabetically but first in the hearts of many young men who came of age in the 80’s. Videos like “Legs,” and “Sharp-Dressed Man,” showcased classic cars, lovely ladies, and had young fellas imagining what they’d look like with three-foot beards.
RATT
The 80’s hair bands could have a list all their own, but here’s one last blast from when hair spray, perms, and men in makeup ruled the roost. RATT was San Diego’s contribution to the MTV-driven, cross-dressing funfest that was glam.
The video for their biggest hit, “Round and Round,” is peak 80’s content, featuring Golden Age of Television icon, Milton Berle being served rats at a fancy dinner. They’re RATT, get it???
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains are best known as tortured grunge rockers. Their first record, “Facelift,” was a 1990 record though, the same year Poison scored with “Unskinny Bop.” Glam was not fully dead yet, just on life support.
Alice’s early videos showed off their hair far better than their later, moodier work. Lead singer Layne Stayley and his amigos’ follicle fabulosity was on display in the video for their hit, “Man in The Box.” Their 1992 record, “Dirt,” is epic, and may or may not have been inspired by shampoo.
Who Has the Best Hair in Rock and Roll?
Who has the best hair in rock and roll? Like which song or band is the best, we can endlessly dispute. Are there rock hair legends we overlooked? The Allman Brothers Band, Sly and The Family Stone, Rob Zombie?? Absolutely.
As the debate intensifies, we can safely agree that long hair goes with rock and roll like electric guitars, pyrotechnics and amplified sound. And while some of these manes have passed into rock music history, the make-no-apologies, never-say-die spirit of rock lives on with The Longhairs forever.
Rock on, icons. Rock on.
Who did we miss for the best hair in rock and roll? Tell us in the comments!
Master of Ceremonies Jefferson Jay
Jefferson Jay is a musician, comedy host and content creator. He was the legendary emcee for The Great Cut, tirelessly hosting The Longhairs’ record-breaking event for over 14 hours. Jefferson Jay records are available on Spotify, iTunes, and everywhere music is streamed. His animated series, The Hunt for The Holiday Spirit, will change the way people experience inclusivity.
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