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Welcome to the Jungle

Series looking at US rock music from the late 60s to the early 90s. The final part explores the 1980s and the eventual demise of American rock's golden era.

The final part explores the 1980s and the eventual demise of the golden era of American rock.

The beginning of the decade saw the meteoric rise of MTV which completely changed the landscape of rock music. From Los Angeles, a new rock scene emerged of party-anthem pop-metal, tailor-made for the visual medium of TV. Bands like Van Halen, Motley Crue and Poison sported heavy make-up, flashy clothes and huge hair while singing songs of sex, partying, drinking and drugs.

The other side of American mainstream rock attempted to tackle the social and political issues of the time. John Mellencamp, Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen all produced a stadium rock that appealed to the nation's blue-collar workers. Their music filled arenas, but was anybody really listening to the message?

As the decade moved on, MTV exposure directly translated to commercial profit and soon the hugely popular pop-metal - dubbed Hair Metal by its critics - was saturating the market. Power ballads, big choruses and even bigger hair were the order of the day, with the highly marketable Bon Jovi leading the pack. Guns N' Roses saw themselves as the antithesis to what they considered fake rebellion, soft-rock drivel. But, as we discover, even they became neutralised by the commercialisation of the rock industry.

The documentary ends in the early 90s with the emergence of Nirvana and grunge, which wiped away the narcissistic, sexist and pompous music form American rock had grown into. However, it was ultimately another genre of pop music that really replaced the golden age of rock, producing the big personalities the rock scene could no longer provide.

1 hour

Last on

Thu 26 Mar 2015 01:00

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See all episodes from Born to be Wild: The Golden Age of American Rock

Music Played

  • Aerosmith

    Sweet Emotion

  • Jimi Hendrix

    Purple Haze

  • Styx

    Babe

  • Guns N鈥 Roses

    Welcome to the Jungle

  • Journey

    Don't Stop Believin'

  • Chicago

    Hard to Say I'm Sorry

  • Buggles

    Video Killed The Radio Star

  • Duran Duran

    Girls on Film

  • Styx

    Too Much Time on My Hands

  • REO Speedwagon

    Keep on Lovin' You

  • Van Halen

    Panama

  • Van Halen

    Hot for Teacher

  • Van Halen

    Jump

  • Bruce Springsteen

    Cover Me

  • Bruce Springsteen

    Born in the USA

  • Michael Jackson

    Thriller

  • Prince & The Revolution

    Purple Rain

  • Madonna

    Like a Virgin

  • Poison

    Nothin' But a Good Time

  • Ratt

    Lay it Down

  • Quiet Riot

    Cum on Feel the Noize

  • M枚tley Cr眉e

    Looks That Kill

  • M枚tley Cr眉e

    Too Young to Fall in Love

  • M枚tley Cr眉e

    Smokin' in the Boys Room

  • Poison

    Talk Dirty to Me

  • M枚tley Cr眉e

    Girls Girls Girls

  • Ratt

    Round and Round

  • KISS

    I Love it Loud

  • KISS

    Tears are Falling

  • Heart

    Alone

  • 搁耻苍鈥怐.惭.颁. & Aerosmith

    King of Rock

  • 搁耻苍鈥怐.惭.颁. & Aerosmith

    Walk This Way

  • Aerosmith

    Dude Looks Like a Lady

  • Whitesnake

    Here I Go Again On My Own

  • Tom Petty

    Change of Heart

  • Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

    Don't Come Around Here No More

  • John Mellencamp

    Jack and Diane

  • John Mellencamp

    Rain on the Scarecrow

  • W.A.S.P.

    **** like a Beast

  • M枚tley Cr眉e

    Live Wire

  • Bon Jovi

    Livin' On a Prayer

  • Bon Jovi

    Runaway

  • Bon Jovi

    You Give Love a Bad Name

  • Bon Jovi

    Never Say Goodbye

  • Bon Jovi

    Wanted Dead Or Alive

  • Whitesnake

    Is this Love?

  • Poison

    Every Rose had its Thorn

  • Aerosmith

    Angel

  • M枚tley Cr眉e

    Home Sweet Home

  • Poison

    Every Rose had its Thorn

  • M枚tley Cr眉e

    Home Sweet Home

  • Guns N鈥 Roses

    Welcome to the Jungle

  • Guns N鈥 Roses

    It's So Easy

  • Guns N鈥 Roses

    Out ta Get Me

  • Guns N鈥 Roses

    My Michelle

  • Guns N鈥 Roses

    Sweet Child O' Mine

  • Guns N鈥 Roses

    Patience

  • Guns N鈥 Roses

    November Spirit

  • Nirvana

    Smells Like Teen Spirit

  • Nirvana

    In Bloom

  • Wu-Tang Clan

    Da Mystery of Chessboxin'

  • Dr. Dre

    Still D.R.E. (feat. Snoop Dogg)

  • Guns N鈥 Roses

    Paradise City

Credits

Role Contributor
Narrator Shaun Parkes
Producer James Hale
Director James Hale
Executive Producer Paul Bullock

Broadcasts

Born to be Wild 成人论坛 Music Playlist

Hear music from the series, with Bruce Springsteen, Eagles, The Doors & more.