Complete List Of Nikki Sixx Bands

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Sixx played in the bands Sister and London before forming Mötley Crüe in 1981 with drummer Tommy Lee. Guitarist Mick Mars and singer Vince Neil soon completed the lineup. The group quickly became one of the most talked-about acts on the Sunset Strip because of their aggressive image, loud stage shows, and relentless promotion of their own music. Mötley Crüe released Too Fast for Love in 1981 through their own Leathür Records label before Elektra Records later reissued it. Albums such as Shout at the Devil, Theatre of Pain, Girls, Girls, Girls, and Dr. Feelgood turned the band into international superstars. Sixx served as the primary songwriter behind many of the group’s biggest songs, including “Shout at the Devil,” “Looks That Kill,” “Home Sweet Home,” “Wild Side,” “Girls, Girls, Girls,” “Kickstart My Heart,” and “Dr. Feelgood.”

Dr. Feelgood, released in 1989, became the commercial peak of Mötley Crüe’s career, reaching number one on the Billboard 200 and producing multiple hit singles. “Kickstart My Heart” became especially connected to Sixx’s personal story because the song was inspired by the heroin overdose in 1987 that briefly left him clinically dead before paramedics revived him. That period became central to the mythology surrounding both Sixx and the band. Despite the chaos, Mötley Crüe became one of the best-selling rock bands of the era, eventually selling more than 100 million albums worldwide. Sixx remained the band’s creative center through lineup changes, internal conflicts, reunions, farewell tours, and later comeback albums, including Saints of Los Angeles in 2008.

Outside Mötley Crüe, Sixx pursued several side projects that explored different musical directions. In 2000, he formed 58 with producer Dave Darling and guitarist Steve Gibb, releasing the album Diet for a New America. He later created Brides of Destruction with L.A. Guns guitarist Tracii Guns, releasing Here Come the Brides in 2004 and Runaway Brides in 2005. Sixx eventually found his most successful project outside Mötley Crüe with Sixx: A.M., formed alongside guitarist DJ Ashba and singer James Michael. The band released The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack in 2007, inspired by Sixx’s memoir The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star. Songs such as “Life Is Beautiful” became major rock radio hits and introduced Sixx to a younger generation of fans. Sixx:A.M. later released albums including This Is Gonna Hurt, Modern Vintage, Prayers for the Blessed, and Prayers for the Damned.

Writing became another major chapter of Sixx’s career. The Heroin Diaries became a New York Times bestseller and received praise for its brutally honest depiction of addiction and survival. He followed that success with books including This Is Gonna Hurt, Mötley Crüe’s The Dirt, and The First 21. The Dirt, co-written with the members of Mötley Crüe and author Neil Strauss, became one of the most successful rock memoirs ever published and was later adapted into a Netflix film in 2019. Sixx also worked extensively as a photographer, releasing books and exhibitions that focused on portraiture and social commentary. His photography work became closely connected to This Is Gonna Hurt, which combined music, essays, and images exploring beauty, addiction, pain, and recovery.

Radio also became a major platform for Sixx. He hosted the nationally syndicated program Sixx Sense and later The Side Show Countdown, where he discussed music, addiction recovery, creativity, and life experiences with artists from across the rock music landscape. His direct style and willingness to discuss difficult personal experiences helped build strong connections with listeners. Fans gravitated toward Sixx not only because of his songwriting and stage presence, but because he openly discussed survival, recovery, and personal responsibility after years of addiction nearly destroyed his life.

Outside music, Sixx became heavily involved with Covenant House, an organization supporting homeless and at-risk youth. His involvement grew directly out of his own experiences with addiction and instability during his early years. Proceeds connected to The Heroin Diaries supported Covenant House initiatives, helping fund services for vulnerable young people. Sixx also participated in recovery awareness efforts and frequently used interviews, books, and radio appearances to speak honestly about substance abuse and sobriety.

With Motley Crue

Too Fast for Love (1981): 12 songs

Shout at the Devil (1983): 11 songs

Theatre of Pain (1985): 10 songs

Girls, Girls, Girls (1987): 11 songs

Dr. Feelgood (1989): 11 songs

Mötley Crüe (1994): 15 songs

Generation Swine (1997): 16 songs

New Tattoo (2000): 12 songs

Saints of Los Angeles (2008): 13 songs

With Sixx:A.M.

The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack (2007)

X-Mas In Hell EP (2008)

Live Is Beautiful (2008)

7 EP (2011)

This Is Gonna Hurt (2011)

Modern Vintage (2014)

Prayers for the Damned, Vol. 1 (2016)

Prayers for the Blessed, Vol. 2 (2016)

With Brides of Destruction

Here Come the Brides (2004)

Runaway Brides (2005)

With 58

Diet For A New America (2020)

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