why is the phrase "power ballad" used like dirty words

[KeVoRkIaN]

Analyzing the Black Album is like searching for corn in a turd

[im rickjames bitch]

are these songs power ballads?
skid row
18 and life
i remember u
iron maiden
children of the damned
metallica
one
fade to black
unforgiven I and II
welcome home
pantera
cemetary gates

[Dot]

I think that when people hear "Power Ballads" they immediately take themselves to the hair spray, make up and leather gay clothes of the 80s, but power ballads are cool.

[Mattman]

Analyzing the Black Album is like searching for corn in a turd

Why are people so tough on post-Black Album Metallica, especially on a Guns N' Roses fan site?  The fact is, our favourite band is far closer to 90s Metallica than 80s Metallica.  So why the hate?  I don't get it.  But maybe it's just because Load is my second-favourite Metallica album after Master of Puppets.

are these songs power ballads?
skid row
18 and life
i remember u
iron maiden
children of the damned
metallica
one
fade to black
unforgiven I and II
welcome home
pantera
cemetary gates

The Skid Row tunes are power ballads, but everything else doesn't really count.  I think of "power ballads" as being more commercial, with lyrics often about sentimental love or heartbreak.  The rest of the songs you listed are heavy metal songs that start out kind of soft, and while these are sometimes balladic in nature (especially "Fade to Black"), they're metal, not commercial hard rock, and they're too heavy to be power ballads in the usual sense of the term.

[SLCPUNK]

No way in hell I'd consider November Rain to be a power ballad...no way.

Well, it does have a lot of the qualities of a power ballad.? Soft, intricate music...lyrics about lost romance...all building up to a screaming guitar solo.

The power ballads that I really hate are mainly the ones by the bottom-tier 80s hair bands.? "Honestly" by Harem Scarem, "Love of a Lifetime" by Firehouse, "Carrie" by Europe, and something by Stryper that I can't remember the name of...these are the worst kinds of power ballads.? They're sloppy, formulaic, predictable, and not even all that catchy or emotional.? They're so corporate and putrid that I can't stand them.

On the next level up, you have the power ballads that are just as formulaic as the worse ones, but are catchier and have a bit more emotion.? For these I include "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" by Poison, "I Remember You" by Skid Row, "Here I Go Again" by Whitesnake, and "Heaven" by Warrant.? Yeah, you know the drill, but for some reason these songs stay with me a little more.

Further on up, we have the power ballads that are interesting and catchy, and actually merit some level of respect among the modern casual music fan as guilty pleasures.? These included Motley Crue's "Home Sweet Home", Def Leppard's "Bringin' On The Heartbreak", and most Bon Jovi or Aerosmith power ballads.

And finally, we have the giants, the songs that are by all accounts and purposes power ballads but are still hugely popular classics.? These are tunes like "Dream On" by Aerosmith, "Love Hurts" by Nazareth, "Don't Cry" by Guns N' Roses, "Mama I'm Coming Home" by Ozzy Osbourne, and "Nothing Else Matters" by Metallica.

Define power ballad then.

Bringin on the heartbreak was waaaay before "hair metal" for starters (as the other songs listed). So I think you are getting way beyond your years with what you are saying. No offense, seriously.

But the term "Power Ballad" to me symoblizes what also destroyed hair bands (besides grunge) was their copycat style. That is what a power ballad was, ie: a formula. They said "hey, the girls like these types of songs and they sell records..." Then everybody had that one song.

November rain was obviously much more than "baby come back and I'll treat you right this time" type of format.

[Queen of Everything]

Two good examples of modern day power ballads are Creed's "With Arms Wide Open" and Simple Plan's "Untitled".? Both start out slow and soft, and build to gigantic choruses and/or big guitar solos.? In addition, both are widely considered to be cheesy, which also seems to be a prerequisite for power ballads.? I like 'em both, though.? The Simple Plan one I like mainly because it has a guitar solo.? Even if it is a simple one.? The song gives such an 80s hair metal power ballad feel that I gotta love it.

Simple Plan is the dirty word ther, not Power Ballad.... Simple plan should be crucified

[dustNroses]

Power Ballads are legendary, When your in love at first, and the one you love doesnt know how you feel yet, You live off Power ballads, Its all i listened too when i fell in love. If they didnt exist, I dont know where id be now.