#9

Saber Rider (1987)

This one was tough. I was originally put Silverhawks here but then I bumped into Saber Rider and well that ended that debate. This is one really long intro being about a minute and a half long. Hell most intros are about 30 seconds to a minute. Anyways this is a great intro complete with breathtaking visuals, pulse pounding action scenes and oh yeah...an extremely tubular guitar solo *Does air guitar*. I may not have seen it when I was younger, but man was I missing out on something good.
Can YOU feel the thunder inside?

#8

Spiral Zone (1987)

OK, if that song did not just make you wanna pull out a laser gun and start laying waste to bad guys then there is something seriously wrong with you...or maybe just me. This song always reminds me of the training scene in Rocky IV where Rocky is in Russia training to fight Drago. It's got that heroic never say die attitude to it. However, I wish there was just a little more instrumental in it. I don't know maybe I'm still just hung up on Saber Rider. So remember that you are not alone when you're up against the spiral zone.

#7

Uncanny X-Men Pilot (1989)

I guess you could technically call this cheating since it really wasn't a show, but I still really like this theme song. It sounds very super heroic to me and, dare I say it, It's almost as good as the 90's X-Men theme song. Remember that that is just in my opinion. I love the way the singer only gets 2 lines, but he makes them sound so epic like he was front running guns n' roses. This pilot was so good that KONAMI made an entire arcade game based soley on the pilot. Not even ninja turtles got that treatment. It's too bad this show didn't make it though, it would have been a great 80's show; although the Australian Wolverine thing was just a bit too weird.
All together now...Colossus Yell!
AHHHHHHHHH!!!

#6

M.A.S.K (1985-1986)

Man that intro just screams 80's doesn't it? Transforming cars, jets and boats with awesome music to back you up = M.A.S.K. This was one of my favorite shows when I was a youngin'. It may not seem very metal to some folks, but not all metal songs had to be hard core back in the 80's. This song has great music, great lyrics and in your face action to boot! It's too bad that the actual MASKS were ridiculous, but then again it was the 80's. Love it or hate it this show knew that to fight crime you had to do some overtime...With Awesome Instrumentals!

#5

Bucky O'Hare (1991)

Sort of the black sheep of this list, Bucky O'Hare was a must for me to put in here. I know it kinda comes off as a rap song, but the music is what attracted me to it. This song was catchy as well as fast paced. Seriously watch it again without sound and look how fast the animation is. Either way Bucky O'Hare was extremely popular back in the early 90's both for its show and its toy line. I guess you could say that it was just another anthropomorphic cartoon show, but hey the toys and show were really cool. I still have my Bucky O'Hare, Toad Air Marshall and Deadeye Duck to this day and am proud to announce that my son likes them just as much as I did. If you're willing to let go of reality for half an hour and just wanna enjoy some green furred rabbit fight sinister toads then this show is for you.
Let's croak us some toads!

#4

Swat Kats (1993-1995)

Though technically not an 80's cartoon, Swat Kats is definitely one of the most METAL songs on this list. I love the way it starts off all slow and mysterious and then hits you with some seriously ominous music; and just when you think all is lost the siren goes off and that radical guitar solo kicks in. This song always made me want to be a fighter pilot zooming through the air, blowing up bad guys with dozens of heat seeker missiles and flying upside down above another jet fighter to take a picture of him/her. See what I did there. The animation is nice (almost anime style) and the show is just as good; if you haven't seen it yet check it out online or on Boomerang.

#3

Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors (1985)

Again, one of my favorite shows growing up as a kid. Jayce and the Wheel Warriors was a strange show at a time when turtles were ninjas and robots fought amongst us on our planet without the need for Michael Bay to ruin the fun(You know what you did Bay!). I really don't know what to say about this show, except what an amazing theme song. It starts off kinda slow and expositiony, but then that drum starts to go off and you know $#!T just got real! So why put this so high on the list? To answer your question: The Singer. He knows that he has got to make this ridiculous show look good and man does he sell it. I swear every time I hear them say "Wheel Warriors" all I can think of is Red Dawn's "WOLVERIIIINES!!!". This is one hell of a song that made me forget that I'm watching plants fight construction vehicles. Kudos Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors.

#2

Ring Raiders (1989)

I love this intro not just for its wicked cool fighter jets (I personally like the tiger shark one), but for its great use of musical accompanyment. It sounds like a missing song from the movie Top Gun. It's actually because of this show that made me wanna watch that movie. The way the music builds in the beginning sounds like the ignition of a jet fighter about to take off. Seriously, pick up any copy of Ace Combat, for any video game system, and play this song in the background and you'll definitely feel like Maverick. Ring Raiders is a great show that makes you wanna reach for the sky.

#1

Defenders of the Earth(1986-1987)

There's no doubt about it Defenders of the Earth had to be number 1. I know many will disagree with me, but hear me out. Out of all the songs you have just listened to, how many of the singers sounded like they actually care about what they are singing? A few, maybe some? Regardless of that this vocalist just straight up owns this song like it was his newborn kid. He sings with such fervor and intensity that you have no choice but to get pumped up with him. He makes even the Phantom look extremely bad@$$ and did you see that movie?! I practically hail this song as the most METAL song because this guy overshadows not only the music, but the action scenes going on and the plot points being explained. This would make one hell of a remix if done by AC/DC, Metallica, Aerosmith or even Ozzie himself...ok maybe Tenacious D too. My favorite 80's cartoon along with my favorite music genre, 80's song writers, where are you today? Shows these days could learn a thing or two from these intros.