These enduring melodies broke through cultural and language barriers
Black Sabbath is generally regarded as the first heavy metal band. Formed in Birmingham, England, in 1968, the original fourpiece outfit comprised guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler, and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. Rolling Stone magazine ranks the band's 1970 album 'Paranoid' as number one on its list of the "100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time."
Also making their debut in 1968 was Led Zeppelin. Many critics in fact credit this band for inventing heavy metal music. The lineup consisted of vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham.
The heavy metal genre matured in the 1970s, with bands like Iron Maiden leading the charge as pioneers of the new wave of the British heavy metal movement. Pictured is the 1982 lineup: bassist Steve Harris, drummer Clive Burr, guitarists Dave Murray and Adrian Smith, and vocalist Bruce Dickinson.
Formed in Birmingham, England, in 1969, Judas Priest ranks as one of the greatest heavy metal bands, though commercial success eluded them until the 1980s. This late 1970's lineup photo comprises drummer Les Binks, guitarist Glenn Tipton, vocalist Rob Halford, bassist Ian Hill, and guitarist K.K. Downing.
Motörhead was formed in London in 1975 by Lemmy Kilmister, Larry Wallis, and Lucas Fox. The classic lineup, however, was Lemmy on bass with drummer Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor and guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke (pictured). The band are often considered a precursor to the new wave of British heavy metal, which reenergized the scene in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
New wave heavy metal band Saxon hail from Barnsley in northern England, forming in 1975. One of Europe's most successful heavy metal acts throughout the 1980s, Saxon's original lineup comprised Peter "Biff" Byford on vocals, Paul Quinn and Graham Oliver on guitars, Steve "Dobby" Dawson on bass, and Pete Gill on drums.
Metallica's formation in Los Angeles in 1981 heralded the rise of thrash metal, an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overt aggression and often fast guitar-led tempo. Leading the first wave was bassist Cliff Burton, vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield, guitarist Kirk Hammett, and drummer Lars Ulrich.
Dave Mustaine, the original lead guitarist of Metallica, co-founded Megadeth out of Los Angeles in 1983 with bassist David Ellefson. The band is noted for further popularizing the thrash metal genre. Pictured in 1987 is Ellefson, drummer Chuck Behler, guitarist Jeff Young, and Mustaine, who is also the band's lead vocalist.
Another influential California thrash metal band, Slayer was formed in 1981 by guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, drummer Dave Lombardo, and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya.
German band Rammstein exemplifies the way heavy metal spawned industrial metal and gothic metal, subgenres that found a voice in the 1990s. The band's lineup of lead vocalist Till Lindemann, guitarists Richard Kruspe and Paul Landers, bassist Oliver Riedel, drummer Christoph Schneider, and keyboardist Christian "Flake" Lorenz has remained unchanged from 1994.
Though formed in 1981, Texas-based heavy metal band Pantera is credited for being a part of the second wave of thrash metal, from the late 1980s to early-to-mid 1990s. They enjoyed considerable success while doing so, and influenced numerous other bands along the way.
While Led Zeppelin had a major influence over the heavy metal genre, the band is viewed as more of a hard rock outfit. As musicians, Led Zep were technically gifted, with Bonham often cited as the best rock drummer ever.
Deep Purple also emerged out of London in 1968. The band, together with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, have famously been referred to by respected music journalist and author Joel McIver as the "unholy trinity of British hard rock and heavy metal in the early to mid-seventies."
Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson stands out among metal front men for his unusual second job—as a fully qualified commercial airline pilot. He even flew the band's converted charter aircraft, Ed Force One, during their world tours.
Vocalist Rob Halford departed the band in 1992, but returned as front man for a reunion tour in 2004.
Lemmy Kilmister was one of heavy metal's most charismatic, in-your-face front men. His personal life was as wild and loud as the sound the band produced.
Kiss rose to prominence in the mid-1970s. The band blended a heavy metal sound with glam metal and shock rock flourishes to become one of the most influential rock bands of all time.
Saxon broke into the American market in 1983 with their Power and Glory Tour, supporting Iron Maiden. Despite changes in the lineup and a dispute over the Saxon name, the band continue to perform worldwide.
Mötley Crüe's hard rock and heavy metal origins are evident on the band's first two albums. Following a period of inactivity, the band embarked on its first major tour for seven years in 2022, featuring the original and still outrageously decadent lineup.
Dave Mustaine is the last remaining original member of Megadeth, which temporarily disbanded in 2002. Reestablished in 2004, the band is noted for organizing the MegaCruise, where heavy metal bands are invited to play onboard a passenger cruise ship, a wall-to-wall music event publicized as decadent and debauched.
In 1991, Anthrax made a bold crossover into hip hop by collaborating with Chuck D from Public Enemy to produce 'Bring the Noise.' The surprise track left some metalheads dumbfounded, while others applauded the band's experimental daring.
Slayer's lyrics often covered unsavory and controversial topics, anything from serial killers and organized crime to terrorism and occultism. As a result, their music often generated album bans and lawsuits.
Rammstein's birth also introduced music to an additional subgenre, that of Neue Deutsche Härte, a fusion of hard rock with alternative metal and groove metal.
Sources: (Rolling Stone) (NME) (Loudwire) (MetalSucks)
The group's best-known lineup consisted of the Abbott brothers (drummer Vinnie Paul and, pictured, guitarist Dimebag Darrell), along with bassist Rex Brown and lead vocalist Phil Anselmo.
The Deep Purple lineup comprising vocalist Ian Gillan, bassist Roger Glover, drummer Ian Paice, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, and Jon Lord on keyboards is considered the most iconic and commercially successful.
Emerging out of New York City in 1981, Anthrax is one of the most successful thrash metal outfits, and another pioneer outfit of the subgenre. The band was founded by Scott Ian and Dan Lilker. Anthrax's lineup has changed numerous times over their career, and pictured here in the mid-1980s is vocalist Joey Belladonna, drummer Charlie Benante, bassist Frank Bello, and guitarists Dan Spitz and Scott Ian.
Metallica's 1986 release, 'Master of Puppets,' is regarded as one of the heaviest metal albums, with the band at the top of their game.
Black Sabbath vocalist Ozzy Osbourne is often credited for being the "Father of Metal." During his time with the band, he adopted the nickname "Prince of Darkness."
Heavy metal has its roots in the late 1960s and the emergence of Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Deep Purple. It's a genre of rock music noted for a monumental sound characterized by distorted guitars and thunderous drums. With lyrics often controversial in nature, typically covering conflict, death, remorse, and racism, among other troubling and unsavory themes, heavy metal is not for the tender or fainthearted. But this loud and noisy musical expression has its fans—millions of them! So, who can we thank for pioneering this powerful and headbanging music genre?
Click through and soundcheck the bands that struck the right chord.
Founded in 1981 by bassist Nikki Sixx, drummer Tommy Lee, lead guitarist Mick Mars, and lead vocalist Vince Neil, Mötley Crüe is one of heavy metal's most hedonistic outfits, with band members notorious as much for their offstage antics as their elaborate live performances.
Kiss rocked out of New York City in 1973 and quickly won a huge following, not least for their outlandish face paint and stage outfits. The early lineup comprised guitarist Paul Stanley, bassist Gene Simmons, guitarist Ace Frehley, and drummer Peter Criss.
Heavy metal heroes: music's pioneering headbangers
Legends of the riotous music genre
MUSIC Bands
Heavy metal has its roots in the late 1960s and the emergence of Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Deep Purple. It's a genre of rock music noted for a monumental sound characterized by distorted guitars and thunderous drums. With lyrics often controversial in nature, typically covering conflict, death, remorse, and racism, among other troubling and unsavory themes, heavy metal is not for the tender or fainthearted. But this loud and noisy musical expression has its fans—millions of them! So, who can we thank for pioneering this powerful and headbanging music genre?
Click through and soundcheck the bands that struck the right chord.