Skid Row

Skid Row distinguished themselves from the legions of pop-metal bands of the late '80s and early '90s chiefly by their attitude, which was closer to Guns N' Roses than to Bon Jovi. They're also distinctive these days, mainly because they're still around. Though their debut is the most radio-friendly and least musically mature of their albums, it does have some excellent songs on it, including the slow but edgy "18 and Life" and the anthem (every metal album must have one) "Youth Gone Wild". Musical talent and vocalist Sebastian Bach's over-the-top delivery made this band stand out from the crowd, although these days the material on this album does sound dated. -- Genevieve Williams