The Music and Artists Who Started and Influenced Heavy Metal
An exploration of the music and artists who started and influenced heavy metal, from Black Sabbath to Metallica and everything in between.
The Beginnings of Heavy Metal
Where did heavy metal come from?
The musical genre of heavy metal developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, primarily in England and the United States. Heavy metal is a combination of blues-based rock music with highly amplified electric guitars, bass guitars, and drums, sometimes accompanied by pianos and keyboards. The sound is characterized by aggressive vocals and distorted guitars played with power chords. Metal songs often make use of aggressive rhythms, fast guitar riffs, and drumming.
Who were the first heavy metal bands?
The first heavy metal bands began to form in the late 1960s and early 1970s. These bands were inspired by the hard rock of the 1960s, but they also incorporated elements of blues and psychedelia to create a unique sound. The earliest heavy metal bands include Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Deep Purple. These bands defined the sound of heavy metal and influenced generations of subsequent artists.
What made them unique?
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and the United States. With roots in blues rock and psychedelic rock, the bands that created heavy metal developed a thick, massive sound, characterized by highly amplified distortion, extended guitar solos, emphatic beats, and overall loudness. The genre’s lyrics and performance styles are sometimes associated with aggression and machismo.
In 1970, four British musicians—Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull, Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, and Jeff Beck with The Rod Stewart Album—were identified as the “godfathers” of heavy metal by Kerrang! editor Paul Suter. It was last specified as hard rock in the June 1971 issue.
What made them unique is that they were willing to experiment musically with sound, structure, heaviness etc., to create a new heavier sound which would influence generations to come. This experimental attitude is what stamped them as pioneers and set them apart from other artists at the time.
The Influences of Heavy Metal
The forerunners of what we now know as heavy metal started in the late 1960s and early 1970s. At that time, the only thing that was truly similar to heavy metal was rock music. Artists like Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and Led Zeppelin were some of the first to experiment with the sound and style that would eventually come to be known as heavy metal.
Who influenced early heavy metal bands?
There’s no question that metal has evolved considerably since its early days. But what hasn’t changed is the music’s ability to inspire and influence future generations of musicians. From the original gods of metal to the nu-metal trendsetters of today, here are just a few of the artists who have shaped heavy metal into the genre we know and love today.
Black Sabbath
As the first true heavy metal band, Black Sabbath had a profound impact on the direction of metal. With their dark and brooding lyrics, signature sound, and groundbreaking style, they set the stage for everything that would come after them.
Led Zeppelin
While Led Zeppelin may not have been a pure metal band, they undoubtedly influenced many of the early metal pioneers. With their blues-influenced sound and unrivaled stage presence, they became one of the most popular and influential bands of all time – metal or otherwise.
Deep Purple
Deep Purple was another band that wasn’t strictly metal but had a significant impact on early metal bands. They were one of the first to incorporate classical music into their sound, which would become a staple of metal in the years to come.
Judas Priest
Judas Priest is often credited with being one of the first true heavy metal bands. With their twin-guitar attack and powerful vocal deliveries, they paved the way for many of the NWOBHM bands that would follow in their footsteps.
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden is one of the most successful and influential heavy metal bands of all time. They helped to solidify many of the tropes and conventions that are now synonymous with heavy metal, such as fantasy-based lyrics and artwork.
What did they bring to the genre?
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and the United States. With roots in blues rock and psychedelic rock, the bands that created heavy metal developed a thick, massive sound, characterized by highly amplified distortion, extended guitar solos, emphatic beats, and overall loudness. The genre’s lyrics and performance styles are sometimes associated with aggression and machismo.
In 1968, three years before the genre’s name was coined, The Beatles began experimenting with distortion by turning their amplifiers to the highest settings and using sustain pedal techniques on their guitars to create a heavier sound. This can be heard on their later recordings like “Helter Skelter” and “Revolution”. The feedback guitar solo technique used by Jimi Hendrix was also an influence on heavy metal.
Black Sabbath were a British rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy metal music. Their debut album, Black Sabbath (1970), is regarded as the first heavyweightmetal album. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2006. One critic described its sound as “the riff from hell”.
Deep Purple was an English rock band formed in Hertfordshire in 1968. They are credited with being among the pioneers of heavy metal music although they did not achieve mainstream success until 1972 with their fifth album Machine Head which contained their most popular song “Smoke on the Water”.
Judas Priest are a British heavy metal band formed in Birmingham in 1969. They have sold over 50 million copies of their albums worldwide.Their 1974 debut album Rocka Rolla was well received but it wasn’t until 1977 when they released Sin After Sin that Judas Priest entering commercial success with both fans and critics calling them one of heaviest bands at that time due to songs like “Sinner” and “Dissident Aggressor”. Rob Halford has stated that he feels Judas Priest laid down the foundation for what would become modern heavy metal music
How did they shape heavy metal?
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom. With roots in blues rock, psychedelic rock, and acid rock, the bands that created heavy metal developed a thick, massive sound, characterized by highly amplified distortion, extended guitar solos, emphatic beats, and overall loudness. The genre’s lyrics and performance styles are sometimes associated with aggression and machismo.
In 1970, Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi began using mandolins to create heavy metal riffs. This innovation inspired subsequent heavy metal musicians. In 1971 Judas Priest began using twin lead guitars on their album Rocka Rolla, foreshadowing the rise of twin-guitar harmony arrangements that would become a staple of the genre. In 1973 Deep Purple released the now-classic Burn, which featured searing dual lead guitar work from Ritchie Blackmore and Jon Lord. Blackmore would go on to help define the stylistic parameters of speed metal with his work in Rainbow and later with Black Sabbath.
With bands like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Wishbone Ash, UFO, Motörhead and Iron Maiden emerging in quick succession during the late 1960s and early 1970s, it was clear that heavy metal had arrived as a major force in rock music. These bands would go on to shape the sound and style of heavy metal as we know it today.
The Legacy of Heavy Metal
It’s been nearly 50 years since the first riffs of what would become heavy metal were played by a handful of artists who would go on to lay the foundations of a genre that would come to dominate rock music and influence generations of musicians. Let’s take a look at the music and artists who started and influenced heavy metal.
What is the legacy of heavy metal?
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and the United States. Heavy metal lyrics and performance styles are sometimes associated with aggression and machismo.
The first heavy metal bands such as Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Deep Purple attracted large audiences, though they were often derided by critics. In the mid-1970s, Judas Priest helped spur the genre’s evolution by discarding much of its blues influence; Motörhead introduced a punk rock sensibility.
What are the most important heavy metal bands?
Heavy metal is a genre of music that emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It was originally characterized by intense, distorted guitar sounds, forceful rhythms, and extreme volume levels. Today, heavy metal is one of the most popular genres of music, with a global audience of millions.
While there are countless heavy metal bands from around the world, some have had a more profound impact on the genre than others. Here are five of the most important heavy metal bands:
1) Black Sabbath: Black Sabbath is widely considered to be the first heavy metal band. They formed in Birmingham, England in 1968 and released their debut album, “Black Sabbath,” in 1970. The album featured groundbreaking songs like “Iron Man” and “Paranoid,” which helped to define the sound of heavy metal.
2) Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin was another influential English band that emerged in the early 1970s. They are best known for songs like “Stairway to Heaven” and “Whole Lotta Love,” which are considered classics of the genre.
3) Deep Purple: Deep Purple was a English band that formed in 1968. They were one of the pioneers of hard rock and heavy metal, with songs like “Smoke on the Water” becoming landmarks of the genre.
4) Judas Priest: Judas Priest is a English band that formed in 1969. They are considered to be one of the most influential heavy metal bands of all time, with groundbreaking albums like “Sad Wings of Destiny” and “Stained Class.”
5) Iron Maiden: Iron Maiden is an English band that formed in 1975. They are one of the most successful heavy metal bands of all time, with classic albums like “The Number of the Beast” and “Piece of Mind.”
What are the most important heavy metal albums?
There are a number of metal albums that are considered essential to the genre, and which have had a lasting influence on metal as a whole. Here are just a few of the most important heavy metal albums:
1) Black Sabbath – “Black Sabbath” (1970)
The self-titled debut album from Black Sabbath is often cited as the first true heavy metal album. It introduced many of the elements that would come to define the genre, including dark and brooding lyrics, slow and heavy riffs, and a general feeling of heaviness and despair.
2) Metallica – “Master of Puppets” (1986)
Metallica’s third album is often considered one of the best metal albums ever made. It perfects their formula of fast, aggressive riffs and catchy melodies, while also adding in more complex song structures and arrangements. The result is an album that is both highly influential and eminently listenable.
3) Megadeth – “Rust in Peace” (1990)
Megadeth’s fourth album is a technical tour-de-force, full of complex riffing and intricate solos. It also features some of the band’s best-known songs, such as “Hanger 18” and “Holy Wars… The Punishment Due”. “Rust in Peace” is an essential album for any fan of thrash metal.
4) Pantera – “Vulgar Display of Power” (1992)
Pantera’s fifth album is widely considered to be one of the heaviest albums ever made. It features incredibly dense riffing, Phil Anselmo’s guttural vocals, and a general sense of unrelenting heaviness. It is an essential album for any fan of heavy music.
5) Tool – “Ænima” (1996)
Tool’s second album is a masterpiece of atmospheric heaviness. It features some of the band’s best-known songs, such as “Stinkfist” and “Ænema”, and showcases their unique blend of progressive rock, alternative metal, and dark lyrical themes.
