The Most Popular Hairstyle for Men the Year You Were Born

A bad haircut is unfortunate, but what's worse is looking back at an old style you rocked for years that's now the definition of cringe-worthy. From perms to frosted tips, we've tracked down the trendiest hair through the years. So sit back and try not to judge, because who knows what we'll think of hair from 2023 a few years from now.

Whether you were male or female, the '80s was all about perms, a treatment process that would make your curly and full. Singer Jon Bon Jovi was clearly sold on this trend back in the day.

When it came to hair in 1981, bigger was definitely better. And if you won't take our word for it, just look at David Hasselhoff, who sported a thick mane throughout the '80s.

Michael Jackson brought Jheri curls into the spotlight during the '80s, debuting them at the beginning of the decade and inspiring other artists like Lionel Richie and teenagers everywhere to do the same.

"I pity the fool" who attempted to rock a mohawk like pro wrestler Mr. T. He entered the scene sporting this hairdo, which lead to an entire generation's worth of embarrassing throwback photos.

This slicked-back style was a go-to during the mid to late '80s, but we're still not sure if anyone can pull it off quite like John Cusack.

The business in the front, party in the back style was super popular in the '80s, and celebrities like Rob Lowe and Billy Ray Cyrus lead the charge on making it mainstream.

By the mid-eighties, some men were looking for tamer, preppy cuts. Father-son duo Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez were just two of Hollywood's biggest stars to go this route.

Interestingly enough, punk was also popular in the late '80s. As a result, seeing dyed and spiky hair on the street (perhaps next to someone rocking a "pretty boy" cut) became common. Billy Idol was an icon amongst punk fans.

Tall and perfectly trimmed, the Hi-top fade was a look that defined the era thanks to icons like Scottie Pippin and Christopher Reid from Kid 'n Play (left).

By the end of the '80s, some stars like Tom Cruise were chopping of their hair for something short and simple. It was often longer than a buzz, but shorter than a clean cut.

Around the time his biggest hit, "U Can't Touch This," was blowing up, MC Hammer sported multiple shaved lines in the side of his hair. He ignited a fad, which would peak in popularity later in the '90s.

Can you really call yourself a teen idol if your signature hairstyle isn't copied by youth throughout America? The flat top style that Jason Priestley's character on 90210 rocked became a huge trend in the early '90s.

Joey Lawrence's hair on his hit TV show Blossom was just one example of a '90s icon who rocked a long style that wasn't quite short enough on top to be a mullet, but not quite long enough to hit his shoulders.

By the mid-nineties, grunge had spread across the country thanks to Kurt Cobain and his band, Nirvana. In the band's prime, the rock icon's chin length cut became the easiest way to achieve the popular grunge look.

Seemingly every '90s heartthrob rocked this short and loose look (including Leonardo DiCaprio), hence it's name. It's also referred to as "hero hair" after studies found that women raised in the '90s were attracted to men who wore this style due to its close resemblance the hair of princes in Disney movies.

During the mid-nineties, a short cut up front called the "Caesar bang" became quite popular and, honestly, we understand why. Between the short length and limited layers, it seems like a pretty no-muss, no-fuss style.

Snoop Dogg was one of the most iconic artists to wear this hairstyle back in the mid-nineties, around the same time that his second album, Tha Doggfather, was released.

The treacherous bowl cut was, unfortunately, hugely popular in the 1990s. For proof that it was not just limited to your school picture day, please enjoy exhibit A featuring Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter jumping on the trend.

Another popular boy band look: frosted tips. NSYNC star, Lance Bass, embraced this trend and took it up another notch by wearing it in a spiked style, which was the epitome of cool at the time.

If you were one of those kids whose mom wouldn't let them bleach their hair, all it took was some gel and a comb to go the spiky route that was so popular in the '90s.

From the late '90s to early '00s, an effortlessly coiffed style was all you needed to channel your inner Mr. Big. Sure, you didn't who he was in Sex and the City, but you know all the women in your life were obsessed with him.

The biggest trend throughout the 2000s: styles that looked easy going and natural, but were far from it. For example, the shaggy style Brad Pitt rocked in 2001 most likely required a great deal of blowdrying to get it to look so effortless. Just a hunch.

Luckily for low-maintenance men, another style was also popular. After years of rocking ramen hair, Justin Timberlake said farewell to his hair with a buzz cut.

From Bruce Willis to Vin Diesel, a host of actors debuted a hairless look in the early 2000s. Honestly, Willis is proof that some men just look better without hair.

The rise in popularity of the "mop head" look let teenage boys everywhere grow out their hair with minimum maintenance or styling required. And for that, we in part have Shia LaBeouf to thank.

When Zac Efron became a huge star thanks to Disney's High School Musical, boys everywhere were suddenly copying his iconic side swept bangs—no doubt to impress the millions of teenage girls who were were in love with the actor.

The faux hawk was an indefinable trend during the '00s, and Joe Jonas is just one prime example. Hey, at least it was less of a commitment than its '8os counterpart, the mohawk.

In 2007, punk rock was at its peak with bands like Fall Out Boy, Good Charlotte, and The All-American Rejects, and to accompany the genre was a whole new set of trendy hairstyles like emo bangs paired with pin straight locks, as seen here on Pete Wentz.

When Twilight debuted, the vampire franchise brought with it Robert Pattinson's signature bedhead look featuring extreme texture and volume.

This short and styled look with texture on the top was hugely popular amongst the decade's biggest stars, like Tayler Lautner, but required more work than one would imagine.

When America came down with Bieber fever in 2010, the Youtube star turned pop icon's hair became one of the year's most popular trends.

Game of Thrones star, Kit Harington, inspired many with the burly and rugged style her rocked for his character, Jon Snow. The look paired with some sort of facial hair became a precursor for the impending hipster years.

By 2012, One Direction was the newest and biggest boy band and, just as was the case of the boy bands before them, they too dictated that year's hair trend with their messy locks, as seen here on Harry Styles.

In 2013, America remained massively divided on beards. You either loved them or hated them. Regardless of where you landed on the spectrum, George Clooney made a case for the look when paired with his fresh cut.

We were once convinced that comb overs were an attempt to prevent the appearance of balding, that was until Adam Levine voluntarily buzzed the sides of his head in 2014 to rock the style.

There are many things about Ryan Reynolds that we envy, but at the top of the list is this stylish and trendy chop that he made look effortless.

As of late, men have become more confident in playing around with different colors. From Zayn Malik's light pink tips to Jonah Hill's blonde 'do, it's a trend that's made red carpets far more interesting.

In the last few years, actors have been sporting a polished side part style that harkens back to Hollywood's golden age. Here, Chris Evans reminds us all of the difference a simple part can make.

We all know that trends come back in style, but seeing Brooklyn Beckham rock this '90s nostalgia look makes us feel extremely old. That aside, the model is killing his ode to the heartthrob haircut.

This year, men are experimenting with hair lengths, colors, and cuts more than ever. Jared Leto, the poster child for hair experimentation, has been sporting longer, darker hair, and we expect to see many follow his lead in the years to come.