Heavy Metal Music: The Best Backgrounds to Headbang To

This article is a collaborative effort, crafted and edited by a team of dedicated professionals.

Contributors: Andranick Tanguiane, Fred Lerdahl,

Contents

Love headbanging to some heavy metal music? Us too! Here’s a list of the best heavy metal tracks to serve as background music for your next headbanging session.

What is heavy metal music?

Heavy metal (or simply 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/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.

Metalheads or headbangers are fans of this music. Metal music has spawned a number of subgenres including crossover thrash. Individuals who have contributed to the genre include Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, Pantera, King Diamond and Iron Maiden. Heavy metal is traditionally characterized by loud distorted guitars, emphatic rhythms, dense bass-and-drum sound (the “heavy crunch”), and vigorous vocals. Metal subgenres variously emphasize or de-emphasize these attributes.

New York Times critic Jon Pareles writes that “Heavy metal’s main subject matter is simple and virtually universal: with grunts, moans and shrieks heard over thundering drums and screaming guitars”, while Steve Huey of AllMusic adds that “At its broadest definition … [heavy metal] can encompass virtually any style of rock that emphasizes heaviness or intensity of sound.”

The history of heavy metal music

Heavy metal music has its roots in the hard rock music of the 1960s and 1970s. In the 1980s, bands such as Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden helped to pioneer the heavy metal sound. Over the years, heavy metal has evolved into a variety of subgenres, including thrash metal, death metal, doom metal, and black metal.

Despite its dark and often aggressive lyrics, heavy metal music can be incredibly cathartic and even therapeutic. For many fans, headbanging to their favorite tunes is the best way to let off some steam and relieve stress. If you’re looking for the perfect soundtrack to headbang to, look no further than these 10 popular heavy metal songs.

The different subgenres of heavy metal music

Heavy metal music is a broad genre that includes a wide range of styles. From the early days of Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, to the more recent movements of metalcore and deathcore, there is something for everyone within the metal world.

One of the things that makes heavy metal so great is the diversity of its subgenres. Within metal, you can find anything from the slow and sludgy sounds of doom metal, to the blistering pace of thrash metal. There are even subgenres that focus on specific themes, like horror movies (deathcore) or medieval times (power metal).

If you’re new to heavy metal, or just looking to expand your horizons, here are some of the best subgenres to check out:

Doom Metal: Doom metal is all about creating a sense of dread and despair. The music is slow, heavy, and often features distorted guitars and growling vocals. If you’re looking for something dark and menacing, doom metal is the perfect choice.

Examples: Black Sabbath, Electric Wizard, Sleep

Thrash Metal: Thrash metal is one of the fastest and most aggressive styles of heavy music. It features rapid-fire drumming, shredding guitar solos, and often deals with social and political issues.

Examples: Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer

Death Metal: Death metal focuses on creating an intense sense of fear and horror. The music is often fast-paced and brutal, with guttural vocals and lyrical themes that deal with death, violence, and disease.

Examples: Cannibal Corpse

The best heavy metal albums of all time

Whether you’re a fan of Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, or Lamb of God, there’s no doubt that heavy metal is one of the most popular genres of music in the world. And while some people might think that all metal is angry and aggressive, there are actually a lot of different subgenres within the genre that offer up a wide range of sounds and styles.

But no matter what type of metal you’re into, one thing is for sure – when it comes to headbanging, nothing beats a good metal album. So if you’re looking for the best heavy metal albums to headbang to, here are 10 that we think are worth checking out…

-Metallica – “…And Justice for All”
-Slayer – “Reign in Blood”
-Megadeth – “Rust in Peace”
-Lamb of God – “As the Palaces Burn”
-Killswitch Engage – “The End of Heartache”
-Trivium – “The Crusade”
-Dream Theater – “Images and Words”
-Iron Maiden – “Powerslave”
-Judas Priest – “Painkiller”
-Black Sabbath – “Paranoid”

The best heavy metal songs of all time

No matter what genre of music you enjoy, there are certain songs that just get you pumped up and ready to rock. When it comes to heavy metal, there are plenty of tunes that fit this bill. From tame headbangers to full-blown anthems, these are the best heavy metal songs of all time.

“Enter Sandman” by Metallica
This song needs no introduction. “Enter Sandman” is one of the most popular heavy metal songs of all time, and for good reason. The opening riff is unforgettable, the chorus is catchy, and the overall energy of the song is impossible to ignore. If you’re looking for a tune to get you pumped up, this is it.

“Paranoid” by Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath is one of the most influential bands in heavy metal history, and “Paranoid” is their most iconic song. It’s short, sweet, and to the point – everything a good headbanger should be. Plus, that opening riff is downright infectious. crank this one up when you’re in need of a pick-me-up.

“Battery” by Metallica
Metallica strikes again with another classic heavy metal tune. “Battery” is one of the band’s most aggressive songs, and features some truly shredding guitar work from James Hetfield. If you’re looking for a song to help you let out some aggression, this is the one for you. Turn it up loud and headbang away.

“Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne’s signature song is not only one of the best heavy metal tunes of all time – it’s also one of the most recognizable pieces of music period. The opening riff is signature Ozzy, and the rest of the song keeps up the high energy throughout. It’s perfect for any situation where you need a little boost.

The best heavy metal bands of all time

When it comes to heavy metal, there are a lot of different subgenres. From thrash metal to death metal, each type of metal has its own sound and style. But what are the best heavy metal bands of all time?

For many metalheads, the answer is Metallica. Formed in 1981, the band has released nine studio albums, selling millions of copies worldwide. They are one of the most influential heavy metal bands of all time, and their music is still as popular as ever.

Another band that is often considered one of the best heavy metal bands of all time is Black Sabbath. Sabbath pioneered the genre with their self-titled debut album in 1970, and they went on to release a number of classic albums including Paranoid and Master of Reality. Sabbath’s dark and evil sound was a major influence on later metal bands.

If you’re looking for a more recent band, Mastodon should definitely be on your list. Formed in 2000, Mastodon have released seven studio albums, all of which have been met with critical acclaim. Their music is complex and progressive, and they are considered one of the best modern metal bands.

So there you have it – three of the best heavy metal bands of all time. If you’re looking for some great music to headbang to, these are definitely three bands that you should check out!

The best heavy metal music videos of all time

When it comes to heavy metal music, there is no shortage of amazing videos out there. Whether it’s the top visualizers or the most metal animated music videos, there’s always something new and exciting to watch.

Today, we’re counting down our picks for the best heavy metal music videos of all time. From classic hits like ” Paranoid” by Black Sabbath to modern masterpieces like “The Herd” by Gojira, these are the videos that have truly defined the genre.

So crank up the volume, headbang along with us, and get ready to rock out!

The best heavy metal festivals of all time

If you’re a fan of heavy metal music, then you know that there’s nothing quite like going to a metal festival. There’s the music, of course, but also the atmosphere—the feeling that you’re surrounded by like-minded people who are all there to celebrate their love of metal.

So, without further ado, here are the best heavy metal festivals of all time:

1. Wacken Open Air (Wacken, Germany)
2. Download Festival (Derby, England)
3. Hellfest (Clisson, France)
4. Bloodstock Open Air (Derbyshire, England)
5. With Full Force (Löbnitz, Germany)

The best heavy metal merchandise of all time

In the world of heavy metal music, there is no shortage of great merchandise. From t-shirts to posters to CDs and vinyl, there are countless ways to show your love for the genre. But what are the best heavy metal merchandise of all time?

Here are our picks for the top 10:

1. Metallica – Ride the Lightning T-Shirt
2. Slayer – Reign in Blood T-Shirt
3. Iron Maiden – The Number of the Beast T-Shirt
4. Megadeth – Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying? T-Shirt
5. Anthrax – Among the Living T-Shirt
6. Motorhead – Ace of Spades T-Shirt
7. Exodus – Bonded by Blood T-Shirt
8. black Sabbath – Master of Reality T-shirt
9. Judas Priest – British Steel T-shirt 10. Dio – Holy Diver T-shirt

The future of heavy metal music

The future of heavy metal music is shrouded in mystery. No one really knows where it’s headed, but there are a few things we can be sure of. For one, it’ll be heavier than ever before. And secondly, it’ll be more technical and complex than anything we’ve heard before.

This is all thanks to the ever-evolving technology that’s available to musicians today. With the click of a button, they can create sounds that were once impossible to reproduce. This means that the sky is the limit when it comes to the heaviness and complexity of future metal songs.

So if you’re a fan of heavy metal music, get ready for some mind-blowing sounds in the years to come. It’s going to be an exciting ride!

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