The Best of Heavy Metal Music from the 70’s
Looking for the best of heavy metal music from the 70’s? Look no further than this blog, where we’ll be sharing our top picks from this classic metal era!
Introduction
The 1970’s was a golden age for heavy metal music, with some of the genre’s greatest bands emerging during this decade. FromLed Zeppelin to Black Sabbath, there were a myriad of great heavy metal bands active during the 70’s. Many of these bands would go on to influence the sound of metal for generations to come.
In this article, we will be taking a look at some of the best heavy metal music from the 1970’s. We’ll be discussing both classic tracks and albums from this era, so if you’re a fan of metal music, this is definitely an article you’ll want to check out!
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath is often cited as the first heavy metal band. With songs like “Iron Man” and “Paranoid,” they defined the genre and set the standard for all that would follow. Sabbath was dark, heavy, and slow, with lyrics that dealt with social issues and personal demons. Ozzy Osbourne’s sullen vocals added an eerie edge to the music, which was propelled by the unstoppable force of Tony Iommi’s guitar work. Iommi lost the tips of two fingers in an industrial accident, but he persevered and went on to become one of the most influential guitarists in history. Black Sabbath’s impact can be heard in the work of virtually every metal band that followed them, from Metallica to Slipknot.
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin was an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist and keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. The band’s heavy, guitar-driven sound has led them to be cited as one of the progenitors of heavy metal. Their style drew from a wide variety of influences, including blues, psychedelia, and folk music.
The group was initially managed by the Gaslight Club’s Peter Grant. Led Zeppelin’s four albums released in the 1970s – Led Zeppelin (1969), Led Zeppelin II (1969), Led Zeppelin III (1970), and Houses of the Holy (1973) – were commercially and critically successful.
Deep Purple
Deep Purple is an English rock band that was formed in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, in 1968. The band is considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although their musical approach changed over the years. Originally formed as a psychedelic rock and progressive rock band, they shifted to a heavier sound with their 1970 album In Rock.
Kiss
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973 by Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Peter Criss, and Ace Frehley. Well known for its members’ face paint and stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid-to-late 1970s with their make-up and live performances. Kiss has been awarded 24 gold albums to date. The band has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making them one of the world’s best-selling bands of all time.
Queen
Queen is a British rock band formed in London in 1970. The classic lineup was Freddie Mercury (lead vocals, piano), Brian May (guitar, vocals), Roger Taylor (drums, vocals), and John Deacon (). Queen’s earliest works were influenced by progressive rock, hard rock and heavy metal, but the band gradually ventured into more conventional and radio-friendly works by incorporating further styles, such as arena rock and pop rock.
Queen’s greatest hits include “We Will Rock You”, “We Are the Champions”, ” Bohemian Rhapsody”, “Another One Bites the Dust” ,and “Fat Bottomed Girls”. The band have released a total of 18 number-one albums, 18 number-one singles, and 10 number-one DVDs. They have received awards for their worldwide sales of over 300 million albums, including the sales awards from the Recording Industry Association of America and Guinness World Records. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, they are considered one of the greatest musical acts of all time.
AC/DC
AC/DC is a heavy metal band that formed in Australia in 1973. The band is composed of Angus Young (lead guitar), Malcolm Young (rhythm guitar), Brian Johnson (vocals), Cliff Williams (bass guitar), and Phil Rudd (drums). AC/DC has released sixteen studio albums, two live albums, and multiple compilations.
The band’s debut album, High Voltage, was released in 1975. The album contained the singles “Baby, Please Don’t Go” and “School Days”. The band’s second album, TNT, was released in 1976 and reached number one on the Australian charts. TNT contained the singles “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)” and “Rocker”. The band’s third album, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, was released in 1976 and reached number two on the Australian charts. The album contained the singles “Big Balls” and “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”.
In 1977, AC/DC released their fourth album, Let There Be Rock. The album peaked at number one on the Australian charts and contained the singles “Let There Be Rock” and “Whole Lotta Rosie”. In 1978, the band released their fifth album, Powerage. The album reached number two on the Australian charts and contained the singles “Riff Raff” and “Rock ‘n’ Roll Damnation”. In 1979, AC/DC released their sixth album, Highway to Hell. The album peaked at number one on the Australian charts and contained the singles “Highway to Hell”, “Touch Too Much”, and “If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)”.
AC/DC has been cited as an influence by many hard rock and heavy metal bands such as Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Alice in Chains, Foo Fighters, Megadeth, Slipknot, Motörhead, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Anthrax, Venomous Maximus, Slayer, Pantera, Diamond Head
Aerosmith
One of the most influential bands of the 1970s, Aerosmith was formed in Boston in 1970 by singer Steven Tyler, guitarist Joe Perry, bassist Tom Hamilton, and drummer Joey Kramer. With their blend of hard rock and blues-based rock, they helped to define what would become known as heavy metal. The band released their self-titled debut album in 1973, which included the hits “Dream On” and “Mama Kin.” They followed this up with 1974’s Get Your Wings, which featured the hits “Same Old Song and Dance” and “Train Kept A-Rollin’.” 1975’s Toys in the Attic included the hits “Walk This Way” and “Sweet Emotion.” The band continued to enjoy success in the 1980s with such hits as “Rag Doll,” “Janie’s Got a Gun,” and “Living on the Edge.” In 1998, they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Van Halen
Van Halen is an American rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band’s original lineup featured guitarist Eddie Van Halen, drummer Alex Van Halen, bassist Mark Stone, and vocalist David Lee Roth.
The band’s signature sound was built around Eddie Van Halen’s highly inventive guitar work and often-imitated guitar techniques. They also became known for their showmanship and on-stage antics, which included Roth’s acrobatic leaps and Stone’s use of a shock collar to get Eddie to play more solos.
The band released their debut album, Van Halen, in 1978. The album was a commercial success, reaching number 19 on the Billboard 200 chart. It sold over 10 million copies in the United States and is considered one of the greatest debut albums of all time.
The band’s next album, 1979’s Van Halen II, was even more successful than their debut. It reached number 6 on the Billboard 200 and sold more than five million copies in the US. The album features the singles “You Really Got Me” and “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love”, both of which became huge hits.
Van Halen continued to release successful albums throughout the 1980s, including 1984 (1984), 5150 (1986), OU812 (1988), and For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991). They also had a number of successful singles, such as “Jump” (1984), “Panama” (1984), “Why Can’t This Be Love” (1986), and “Right Now” (1991).
In 1995, tensions within the band came to a head and lead singer David Lee Roth left the group. He was replaced by former Extreme vocalist Gary Cherone. The band released one album with Cherone, 1997’s Van Halen III, before he too left the group.
In 2006, Van Halen reunited with Roth and released their first album in twenty-eight years, A Different Kind of Truth. The album was met with mixed reviews but still managed to debut at number 2 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the best of heavy metal music from the 70s was a great era for the genre. There were many different subgenres that emerged and there was a lot of innovation in terms of both style and sound. Many of the bands that started out in the 70s are still around today and are considered to be some of the best in the business. If you’re a fan of heavy metal music, then the 70s is definitely a period that you should check out.
