Originally dismissed as a Led Zeppelin knockoff, Whitesnake, fronted by ex-Deep Purple singer David Coverdale, clattered around their hometown of Yorkshire, England for about six years before being discovered in the U.S. Their U.S. debut (fourth album) Slide It In (1984) captured the libidinous, restless spirit of frustrated youth, and climbed to No. 40 on the Billboard album chart. Eventually, it went double platinum on the back of the stealthy, pulsing "Slow An' Easy" and the propulsive title track. Shortly before recording the album, Coverdale recruited former Thin Lizzy guitarist John Sykes, who provided the band with the flair and technical wizardry it needed to become a contender in the big-hair, pop metal sweepstakes. --Jon Wiederhorn