This article previously appeared at EightiesKids.com

Michael Bolton

When Michael Bolton first rose to superstardom in the late 80s, the American singer-songwriter was every bit as famous for his luxuriant mullet as he was for his silky, soulful voice. When he finally snipped it all off in 1997, there were fears that it would ruin his career; Bolton has described the experience as “really traumatic,” but he’s never grown it back since.

Mel Gibson

A number of our favourite Hollywood males made the mullet look great during the 1980s, but we really do believe that one wore it far better than all of the others: Mel Gibson, playing loose cannon cop Martin Riggs in the Lethal Weapon movies. There’s very little mystery as to why 1998’s Lethal Weapon 4 was nowhere near as big a hit as the first three: Gibson cut his hair short for that one!

Andre Agassi

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Like one or two of the other celebrities on this list, hair loss meant that former world number one tennis player Andre Agassi eventually had to say goodbye to his marvellous mullet. As well as being an eight-time major champion, Agassi was a sex symbol who once dated Barbra Streisand, despite her being 28 years his senior.

Richard Dean Anderson

Famed for being Patty and Selma’s celebrity idol on The Simpsons, Richard Dean Anderson found small-screen superstardom in the title role of the hit 80s action series MacGyver, supported by his magnificent head of hair. The late 90s saw a shorn, greying Anderson go on to enjoy further TV success on Stargate SG-1 as Colonel Jack O’Neill, a role previously taken in the movie by another prolific mullet wearer, Kurt Russell.

Billy Ray Cyrus

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Long before he was known primarily for being Miley’s dad, country rock superstar Billy Ray Cyrus conquered the world with his hit record Achy Breaky Heart, and similarly wowed audiences with his lionesque mane. These days he wears a more balanced head of long hair, but clearly, Billy Ray is sometimes nostalgic for the old days as in 2006 he released a single entitled I Want My Mullet Back.

Patrick Swayze

Patrick Swayze was one of the most iconic leading men of the 80s, and his mighty mullet was definitely a big part of his appeal. The sadly missed star wasn’t actually a fan of the look, however, as on 1989’s Road House, he called his haircut “the bane of [his] existence.” This didn’t stop Swayze from rocking it long in the back once more for his 1991 classic Point Break.

George Clooney

George Clooney found small screen stardom as the short-haired Dr Ross on E.R., and soon afterwards embraced the grey to became the quintessential big-screen silver fox. Long before that, however, Clooney clawed his way up the Hollywood ladder equipped with a very different, less restrained haircut. The younger Clooney worked his mullet-y magic in such 80s classics as Return to Horror High and Return of the Killer Tomatoes.

Limahl

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After starting out as the frontman of the pop band Kajagoogoo, Limahl became a legend thanks to his iconic theme song in the 1984 movie The NeverEnding Story. However, equally legendary was the English singer-songwriter’s haircut. Spiky on top with vast quantities of bleach and hairspray applied, Limahl’s mullet was a bona fide work of modern art.

John Stamos

Every girl in the 80s had a poster of Full House star John Stamos on their bedroom wall, and it wasn’t just his dreamy eyes that prompted mass swooning; it was that glorious mullet. Sadly, his hair just kept getting shorter in the back as the sitcom continued. Stamos has remarked in recent times, “It’s taken me years to have people realize that I can do more than that mullet-headed, guitar-playing motorcycle guy.” Poor dude.

David Bowie

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If anyone can be credited with starting the long-back, short-front trend, it has to be musical legend David Bowie. The late British singer-songwriter first adopted the striking hairdo when he introduced his character Ziggy Stardust to the world all the way back in 1972. Sadly, Bowie left countless wannabes under the impression that they too could pull off the outrageous look. Spoiler alert: they couldn’t.