Monster Ballads is the first in a series of compilation albums that feature a combination of many popular and lesser-known power ballads, usually from the glam metal and soft rock genres, many of which charted in the Top 10 or Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100.

Like Monsters of Rock, it was released in both single and 2 disc versions, which were heavily promoted by TV commercials.

The single disc version (containing 16 songs) was eventually certified platinum by the RIAA in 1999, while the 2 disc version (containing 35 songs) was certified gold that same year.