glam rock
noun
: rock music characterized by performers wearing fanciful costumes and flamboyant makeup
It was 1972 and a new musical craze, glam rock, was on the rise. Characterised by glittery flamboyant outfits, extravagant make-up, androgynous stage personas, and loud anthemic songs, its prime exponents included David Bowie, Slade, Sweet, Alice Cooper, Roxy Music, Suzi Quatro and Mott The Hoople.—
David Morton
—often hyphenated when used before another nounDavid MortonTaking their inspiration from the old glam-rock bands like Alice Cooper and the New York Dolls, today's metal bands … arrived in carnival costumes and heavy make-up, singing catchy melodies and riding any one of the ever-popular bad boy myths.—Divina Infusino
Divina Infusinocalled also glam, glitter rock
Examples of glam rock in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This season has been a unique opportunity to bring together two of my true passions–gritty glam rock and 18th century historical dress.
—
Caroline Reilly,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Batman movie, working from a script that put Peter Pan, Anne Rice, glam rock, and The Goonies into a blender and pressed purée.
—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
27 Apr. 2026
The hair got even bigger as Heart moved into their glam rock phase, but these days Wilson favors tousled braids, while letting her powerhouse vocals do the talking.
—
John Russell,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
In season one, Davy gravitated toward the pastel shades and winged liner of the late 1960s—an era that’s heavily inspired her over the years—as well as ’70s glam rock, ’80s elongated cat eyes, and ’90s grunge liner.
—
Kirbie Johnson,
Allure,
13 Apr. 2026
Years later, in Austria’s Salzburg, a now late teen Wolfgang Mozart performs a piece which is one part period piano, another part glam rock with a swelling modern orchestra, a powerful Freddie Mercury-esque choir and Mozart slamming his piano.
—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
2 Apr. 2026
The single is accompanied by a fun, dramatic, and exuberant video — filmed in Miami — that shows Castro and the members of Bajofondo in glam rock like never before.
—
Natalia Cano,
Billboard,
20 Feb. 2026
The group rode the glam rock wave to stardom, selling more than 100 million records worldwide and entering the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.
—
Alex Sundby,
CBS News,
23 Dec. 2025
Ace Frehley, the original lead guitarist and founding member of the glam rock band Kiss, who captivated audiences with his elaborate galactic makeup and smoking guitar, died Thursday.
—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
18 Oct. 2025
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Caroline Reilly,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Batman movie, working from a script that put Peter Pan, Anne Rice, glam rock, and The Goonies into a blender and pressed purée.
—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
27 Apr. 2026
The hair got even bigger as Heart moved into their glam rock phase, but these days Wilson favors tousled braids, while letting her powerhouse vocals do the talking.
—
John Russell,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
In season one, Davy gravitated toward the pastel shades and winged liner of the late 1960s—an era that’s heavily inspired her over the years—as well as ’70s glam rock, ’80s elongated cat eyes, and ’90s grunge liner.
—
Kirbie Johnson,
Allure,
13 Apr. 2026
Years later, in Austria’s Salzburg, a now late teen Wolfgang Mozart performs a piece which is one part period piano, another part glam rock with a swelling modern orchestra, a powerful Freddie Mercury-esque choir and Mozart slamming his piano.
—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
2 Apr. 2026
The single is accompanied by a fun, dramatic, and exuberant video — filmed in Miami — that shows Castro and the members of Bajofondo in glam rock like never before.
—
Natalia Cano,
Billboard,
20 Feb. 2026
The group rode the glam rock wave to stardom, selling more than 100 million records worldwide and entering the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.
—
Alex Sundby,
CBS News,
23 Dec. 2025
Ace Frehley, the original lead guitarist and founding member of the glam rock band Kiss, who captivated audiences with his elaborate galactic makeup and smoking guitar, died Thursday.
—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Glam rock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glam%20rock. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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