Motley Crue was Nikki Sixx’s finest idea. In a nutshell, this plan involved creating a shocking, theatrically inclined pop-metal band that would appeal to adolescent boys. Sixx wasn’t the first to think of this, nor was the Crue as good as some of its hard-rock predecessors. Still, few bands earned as much success, and some might even view Sixx’s project as one of the greatest rock bands of its time.

Sure, there are some who absolutely hate Motley Crue with a passion. Since I’ve represented their ideas in a previous article, today we focus on the 10 greatest bands by one of the defining bands of the Hair Metal Era.

The Greatest 10 Songs by Motley Crue

10. “Too Fast For Love”

They were a laugh, and were hosts to a good night out. You had to give early Motley Crue that. While most of their contemporaries were busy improving their way through club gigs, Sixx’s quartet was a well-drilled stadium show presented in tiny venues.

For all of his faults, Nikki Sixx could also recognise a good tune when he heard one and knew how to employ good musicians. It’s the Mick Mars guitar riffs and Sixx’s polished hooks that turned “Too Fast For Love” into an underground hit and paved the way for what would follow.

9. “Dr. Feelgood”

Motley Crue often gets by on its reputation. And why not? Whether all of the stories are true or not is rather pointless. In a world of corporate-approved pop, Crue’s musicians present themselves as reckless rock stars.

Some viewed it as being in bad taste, but “Dr. Feelgood,” like “Doctor Robert” by The Beatles, references a showbiz fixer. The video and big chorus were enough to keep the band at the top for a while, still.

8. “Looks That Kill”

The secret of bands like Motley Crue or KISS is that, really, when you take off all of the makeup, they’re power-pop bands. Audiences have never been able to decline support for a band with great melodies. And, “Looks That Kill” has just those kinds of melodies.

Besides that, Sixx and producer Tom Werman do a good job of utilising Vince Neil’s high-pitched, nasally vocals. “Looks That Kill” is a convincing rock song.

7. “Hooligan’s Holiday”

Some fans believe that Motley Crüe improved briefly during the 1990s. The band hired John Corabi, a colossally talented singer with a bluesy tone, and set about making tunes that might appeal to grunge audiences.

While the self-titled record failed to sell, “Hooligan’s Holiday” is a confident, convincing performance. It’s too bad that the band didn’t explore this direction further.

6. “Girls, Girls, Girls”

Los Angeles bands may be jealous of Motley Crue. Sure, for the most part, all pop metal groups covered the same ground. Still, these bands had just as much of an opportunity to market themselves and, likely, most failed.

“Girls, Girls, Girls” has the four musicians playing up their public personas while delivering good-time music inspired by the likes of Aerosmith or Ted Nugent. It was a hit and, cynicism aside, it’s not hard to understand why.

5. “Saints of Los Angeles”

Motley Crue had staged comebacks before, and they’d do it again in the future. The only real shock was “Saint of Los Angeles,” one of the group’s most potent, catchiest songs.

Originally a composition intended for a solo Sixx project, “Saints of Los Angeles” reignited interest in the band. They’ve been touring and threatening to retire ever since.

4. “Home Sweet Home”

Over-the-top power ballads were practically written in the contracts of 1980s hair metal bands. These were the songs that the radio could safely play at any hour. These were the songs that helped grow these groups’ fan base.

“Home Sweet Home” is a surprisingly tender, pleasant of these ballads. Starting with a piano motif courtesy of drumming virtuoso and tabloid darling Tommy Lee, the song climbs all the way to a Mick Mars guitar solo that helps it go stratospheric. For a while, Crue’s career enjoyed a similar trajectory.

3. “Shout At The Devil”

Sure, they wanted to be loud and evil. But Motley Crue wasn’t Slayer. For the most part, it was the reputation, the stage show and the bragging that made the L.A. quartet seem rebellious.

But that’s not true for “Shout At The Devil.” This single sounds like a stadium chant in Hell. It’s a propulsive, intimidating sound that helps the song, and one of the band’s finest.

2. “Wild Side”

Who doesn’t love a cheap thrill? And whoever said that rock n’ roll should necessarily be more than that.

Notoriously, Motley Crue’s musicians talked themselves up as out-of-control drug addicts. But could these kinds of characters play to stadiums of fans for so many years?

All of that experience of entertaining thousands of rowdy rock fans every night rubs off on songs like “Wild Side,” a tune designed to be sung by great crowds of people.

1. “Kickstart My Heart”

Time is the best judge of a band’s abilities. Much of Motley Crue’s appeal now lies in nostalgia. Still, if there’s one of their songs that has survived and continues to thrill modern rock audiences, it’s the exuberant, life-affirming “Kickstart My Heart.”

The song references a supposed drug overdose. But if Nikki Sixx’s story is, by any chance, an exaggeration, it matters little.

“Kickstart My Heart” is built on a Mick Mars guitar performance that could bring a corpse back to life. It’s Motley Crue’s shining moment and one of the best rock songs.