‘I Wanna Rock’ Docuseries Tracks ’80s Metal Trials and Tribulations
A new docuseries will chronicle the trials and tribulations of the '80s glam-metal zeitgeist, shining a light on five artists who experienced success and struggle in equal measure.
I Wanna Rock: The '80s Metal Dream will premiere exclusively on Paramount+ on July 18 in the United States and Canada and July 19 in the United Kingdom and Australia, with more international markets to follow, Variety reports. The series will be split into three episodes and follow members of Skid Row, Twisted Sister, Winger, Vixen and the Scream.
You can see the trailer below.
Episode one, "I Wanna Be Somebody," will delve into the '80s hard rock explosion and the aforementioned artists who set out to get their piece of the (cherry) pie. Episode two, "Headed for Heartbreak," finds the '80s metal scene at a fever pitch as the rockers enjoy stardom and battle personal demons and professional hang-ups. The third and final episode, "Smells Like Change," explores these musicians' battles to stay afloat amid the shifting musical tides, as grunge and alternative render '80s metal obsolete.
The artists featured in I Wanna Rock weren't the most successful of the '80s metal crop — that honor goes to the likes of Guns N' Roses, Motley Crue and Def Leppard. But their stories better illustrate the music industry's precipitous highs and devastating lows as a result. Twisted Sister toiled for more than a decade before hitting it big with the triple-platinum Stay Hungry, but they quickly fizzled out and were targeted by the Parents Music Resource Center. Winger enjoyed moderate success in the late '80s before being mocked by Metallica and Beavis and Butt-Head and essentially becoming persona non grata.
Despite being a critical punching bag during its heyday, glam metal — often derisively referred to as hair metal — has enjoyed a cultural resurgence in recent years. I Wanna Rock: The '80s Metal Dream follows the extensive 2021 oral history Nothin' but a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the '80s Hard Rock Explosion, which features interviews with dozens of artists from the scene.
