Whether you are into metal bands or not, you would certainly have to say that there have been a few over the years that have had a particularly significant influence on the industry. While no list can truly be impartial and conclusive, it is still safe to say that the bands listed here are some of the best and most influential.
Metal is a fascinating genre of music and the fans tend to be really invested in it, and the bands that they follow. The bands listed in this article are very well known and have played at massive sold-out locations right around the world. Fans have very strong opinions on who should be on the top of all time, but it is difficult to list them all here.
While all the best metal bands will not be listed here, have a read on below at some of the best metal bands of all time that do certainly belong on this list:
Led Zeppelin
While there will always be debate as to whether Led Zeppelin is truly a metal band or not, if you listen to the guitar work in all of the songs, they may just deserve a spot on this list. The albums created are pure gold, like Led Zeppelin II, and it had a big influence on the genre.
Led Zeppelin band members went their separate ways after the passing of John Bonham in 1980. However, since then, the remaining members have managed to rejoin together for a couple of gigs, much to the delight of fans. One of their best latest live performances was in 2007 at the 02 Arena in London.
Iron Maiden
If you are thinking about metal bands, you can’t really go past Iron Maiden. The fans of Iron Maiden are extremely loyal and would pretty much do anything to get a good ticket to see the band live.
Their hardcore fans are so interesting to watch, so if you can hop onto YouTube and watch some of their live shows, you’ll be able to see just how dedicated and invested the fans are in the band’s music. Fans have been patiently waiting for a while now for another world tour.
Metallica
You cannot ignore Metallica in a list of the best metal bands of all time. The band loves to polarize and do simply whatever they want, which is why it seems there’s always a love/ hate relationship with the fans. But no matter what they are still extraordinarily popular and fans will still say “how high” if the band asked them to jump.
Black Sabbath
If you are looking for a true and pure metal band, then many believe that Black Sabbath is the one. With fan favourite tunes like Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, War Pigs and Children of the Grave, it is certainly easy to see why.
You can’t ignore the power that was Ozzy Osbourne and his amazing character, before he got the boot in 1979. While his replacement, Ronnie James Dio did a pretty good job and, Heaven and Hell, one of the band’s next songs, is one of their greatest.
Slayer
Even the name is a very metal band like, so it’s probably no surprise to see Slayer on this list. They were once one of the opening acts for Metallica, but it didn’t take Slayer too long before it seemed as though they were stealing the show from Metallica. To the fans of Slayer, the band can truly do no wrong and they love every single song released, no matter what.