Wasted Youth (Girl album)

Wasted Youth is the second studio album by the American rock band Girl, released in 1982. It marked a significant shift in the band's sound from melodic hard rock to a heavier, more glam-influenced metal style, often categorized as a precursor to hair metal. This change was largely due to the influence of new guitarist Phil Collen, who later joined Def Leppard.

The album features a darker and more aggressive lyrical content compared to their debut, exploring themes of alienation, rebellion, and societal disillusionment, reflective of the "wasted youth" concept. While the album did not achieve significant mainstream success at the time of its release, it has since gained recognition as a cult classic and an important bridge between the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) and the emerging glam metal scene of the early 1980s. Key tracks on the album include "Thirteen," "Ice in the Blood," and "Wasted Youth." Despite its musical merit, internal tensions within the band contributed to its relatively short lifespan following the release of Wasted Youth.