The Hair Band analogy is spot on. Being an 80s metalhead I remember it all too well.
And it happened so damn fast. That’s the kicker. All the media of the time...Circus, Hit Parader, even RS were all gung ho on hair metal (RS less than the rest) and the Headbangers Ball Ruled MTV. Fashion trends, commercials, comedy, movies...lots of Hair, good time party stuff everywhere. And then Nirvana hit and poof...lumberjack clothes, depression everywhere and the rest.
Now granted, the music had ran it’s course and the whole thing became a parody of itself...
...Just like Hope and change.
History repeats.
Hair metal: Blue-collar guys wanting to look rich and flashy
Grunge: White-collar college guys wanting to look blue-collar (i.e. lumberjacks)
I’m too old for this thread.
I’ll translate this as: The Beatles waving bye bye to Bobby Vinton.