1986 in Heavy Metal Music: The Best of the Year
Looking back at 1986 in heavy metal music, it’s safe to say that it was a pretty great year. From groundbreaking debut albums to unforgettable live shows, there was a lot to love.
In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the best moments in heavy metal music from 1986. So whether you’re a diehard fan or just getting into the genre, this is a great place to start.
Best Albums of 1986
1986 was an amazing year for heavy metal music. So many great bands released fantastic albums that are now considered classics. This was the year that Metallica released their masterpiece, “Master of Puppets,” and Megadeth released their debut album, “Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good!” It was also the year that Iron Maiden released “Somewhere in Time” and Slayer released “Reign in Blood.” If you’re a fan of metal music, 1986 was a great year.
Metallica- Master of Puppets
One of the most influential and popular heavy metal bands of all time, Metallica’s third album, Master of Puppets, was released in 1986. The album includes the singles “Battery”, “Welcome Home (Sanitarium)” and “Orion”. Master of Puppets is often cited as one of the greatest and most influential heavy metal albums of all time, and has been included in several publications’ best album lists.
Slayer- Reign in Blood
Slayer’s Reign in Blood is one of the most important metal albums of all time. It’s also one of the best. The record is a non-stop, relentless assault of pure metal aggression that remains as fresh and relevant today as it did when it was first released in 1986. In terms of both songwriting and musicianship, Reign in Blood is virtually flawless, with every track being an absolute classic. It’s an essential album for any metal fan, and it stands as one of the greatest metal albums of all time.
Megadeth- Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying?
Megadeth’s second album Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying? was released on July 14, 1986. The album was the band’s first to be certified platinum by the RIAA and went on to sell over two million copies worldwide. Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying? is considered a thrash metal classic and is ranked as one of the greatest metal albums of all time.
Best Songs of 1986
1986 was a great year for heavy metal music. It was the year that Metallica released their classic album, Master of Puppets, and Megadeth released their debut album, Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good!. Other great metal albums were released in 1986, including Reign in Blood by Slayer, Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying? by Megadeth, and The Ultimate Sin by Ozzy Osbourne. Let’s take a look at some of the best metal songs of 1986.
Metallica- “Master of Puppets”
Metallica’s third studio album, “Master of Puppets” was released on February 24, 1986. The album was the band’s first to be produced by someone other than themselves, and it was also the first Metallica album to be played in its entirety live. “Master of Puppets” is widely considered to be one of the greatest heavy metal albums of all time, and it is credits with helping to shape the sound of thrash metal. The album’s lead single, “Villain of the Year”, was nominated for a Grammy award for Best Metal Performance.
Slayer- “Raining Blood”
Slayer- “Raining Blood”: This is hands down one of the most iconic metal songs of all time, and for good reason. The intro riff is immediately recognizable and sets the tone for the rest of the song perfectly. The verses are fast and thrashy, making way for an anthemic chorus that is sure to get any metalhead headbanging. The solo is nothing short of shredding perfection, and the song ends with one of the most memorable outros in metal history.
Megadeth- “Peace Sells”
“Peace Sells” is the first single from Megadeth’s second album, Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying?, released in 1986. The song was written by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine as a commentary on the Iran-Contra affair. The single was a success, reaching #26 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and helped to launch the band to mainstream success. “Peace Sells” has been included on several of Megadeth’s greatest hits albums, and is considered one of the band’s most iconic songs.
Best Metal Moments of 1986
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.
Metallica’s Cliff Burton Dies in Bus Accident
On September 27, 1986, Metallica bassist Cliff Burton died in a bus accident in Sweden. He was 24 years old. The band was on tour in support of its third album, Master of Puppets, and had just finished a show in Stockholm when their bus skidded off the road and crashed. Burton was asleep in his bunk at the time and was crushed by the weight of the bus. He died instantly.
Metallica was devastated by the loss of their friend and bandmate, but they decided to continue on with their tour. They recruited Jason Newsted, who had been playing with Ozzy Osbourne, to fill in for Burton. The rest of the tour was bittersweet, but Metallica persevered and went on to become one of the biggest metal bands in the world.
Cliff Burton will always be remembered as one of the greatest metal bassists of all time. His unique style influenced generations of musicians and his death is still felt by fans today.
Ozzy Osbourne Bites the Head Off a Bat
On January 20th, 1986, Ozzy Osbourne was performing at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines, Iowa. A fan in the audience threw a bat onstage, and instead of shooing it away, Ozzy decided to bite its head off. He later claimed that he thought it was a rubber toy.
The bat incident made headlines around the world and cemented Ozzy’s reputation as a wild man. He was even investigated by the animal cruelty office of the Iowa State Attorney General’s office, but no charges were filed.
Slayer Releases Reign in Blood
Slayer’s third studio album, Reign in Blood, is widely acclaimed as one of the best and most influential metal albums of all time. The album was released on October 7, 1986, by Def Jam Recordings. It was the band’s first collaboration with producer Rick Rubin, who had previously worked with artists such as the Beastie Boys and Run-D.M.C..
Reign in Blood was an immediate commercial and critical success. It debuted at number 94 on the Billboard 200 and received rave reviews from critics. In 1987, the album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance. It has been cited as an influence by many later metal bands, including Metallica, Megadeth, and Pantera.
