[1] The alternate term "metal pop" was coined by critic Philip Bashe in 1983 to describe bands such as Van Halen and Def Leppard.
[3] The catchy hard rock of Kiss and Van Halen in the 1970s helped spawn the genre,[1] along with acts such as Thin Lizzy and AC/DC.
[4] Van Halen's 1978 debut album marked a turning point in the style, making that sound "flashier, more creative, and more energetic than ever before.
"[4] The first wave of pop metal, which was not as pop-oriented as later developments, included bands such as Mötley Crüe, Quiet Riot, Dokken, Ratt, and Twisted Sister.
[1] More melodic acts such as Def Leppard and Bon Jovi saw further success in the 1980s with albums like Pyromania (1983) and Slippery When Wet (1986), while the hair metal variation became dominant.