Power Ballads - Hair Bands and the women who love them

VH1 counted down the top 25 Power Ballads this week. I assume the ranking was based on sales/radio play. Here are my thoughts on some of them:

23 - Stain'd - It's Been A While - I didn't know that Fred Durst discovered these guys. I've liked this song since it came out in like 2001. It does the best job of expressing sadness since Counting Crows' 'A Long December'. I wouldn't really put this in the category of Power Ballad, though.

22 - Scorpions - Still Lovin' You - I must be too young to remember this one. For them, I would have picked 'Winds of Change' as their best ballad. I am transported back to the late 80's/early 90's when Communism fell and they brought down the Berlin Wall. Jesus Jones' 'Right Here, Right Now' does the same thing.

19 - Kid Rock - Only God Knows Why - Along with "Picture", this is the only other song of his that I have. He is ridiculously hot, but I don't really care for his music. I prefer Uncle Kracker over Kid Rock.

15 - Skid Row - I Remember You - This is the first of three definitive Power Ballads in my book. The line 'Live for your smile, and die for your kiss' makes this required PB listening.

12 - Motley Crue - Home Sweet Home - Again, I would have picked "Without You" for these guys. That was the first song I 'had' with a guy. Awesome video, too.

7 - Poison - Every Rose Has It's Thorn - This is definitive Power Ballad number two. Brett Michaels said he wrote this after calling a girlfriend and hearing a guy's voice in the background and finding out she was cheating on him.

6 - Guns 'N' Roses - November Rain - While this does belong on the countdown, I would put "Sweet Child O' Mine" higher. It was released first and is definitive Power Ballad number three.

4 - Creed - With Arms Wide Open - What? Why is this on here? I thought a Power Ballad was supposed to be from a band that usually played much harder/faster music. WAWO is the only kind of song Creed does.

2 - Aerosmith - I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing - I love Aerosmith, and I liked this song. I think "Cryin'", "What It Takes" or "Angel" might have been better picks, though.

For the curious, Journey's "Open Arms" was number one.

Ones I thought were missing, Ozzy Osborne "Good-bye To Romance", Warrant "Heaven" and "I Saw Red", and Extreme "More Than Words" which would be definitive Power Ballad number four. Okay, I am going to round it out to five and add Meatloaf "Two Outta Three Ain't Bad".

In Summary, the five definitive Power Ballads, in no particular order are:

Skid Row "I Remember You"
Poison "Every Rose Has It's Thorn"
Guns 'N' Roses "Sweet Child O' Mine"
Extreme "More Than Words"
Meatloaf "Two Outta Three Ain't Bad"