The Top 10 Heavy Metal Rock Songs of All Time
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Looking for the heaviest, most metal songs of all time? Look no further! We’ve compiled the ultimate list of the top 10 heavy metal rock songs of all time.
Introduction
Few genres of music are as controversial and diverse as heavy metal. Whether you love it or hate it, there’s no denying that metal is here to stay. Building upon the work of early pioneers like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, metal has evolved into a sprawling worldwide phenomenon, with subgenres ranging from thrash to death metal.
In compiling this list, we’ve tried to encompass the wide range of sounds and styles that fall under the “metal” label. We’ve also focused on songs rather than albums or artists, in order to create a more diverse and representative list. So without further ado, here are the top 10 heavy metal songs of all time!
“Enter Sandman” by Metallica
“Enter Sandman” is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica, released as the first single from their self-titled fifth album, Metallica in 1991. The song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 1992. It has been included in several publications’ best lists, appearing on VH1’s “40 Greatest Metal Songs” list and entered into the Guinness World Records as one of the heaviest songs of all time.
“Paranoid” by Black Sabbath
Sabbath’s second album Paranoid not only gave the world one of the most recognisable riffs of all time, in ‘Iron Man’, but also cemented Black Sabbath as the inventors – and masters – of heavy metal. It was intended as a stop-gap album to capitalize on their breakthrough hit ‘Paranoid’, but in fact turned out to be one of the most influential metal albums ever made.
The rest of the album is just as heavy, with songs like ‘War Pigs’ and ‘Fairies Wear Boots’ becoming metal anthems, while ‘Planet Caravan’ shows that Sabbath could do more than just churn out mind-numbing riffage – it’s a beautiful, ethereal song that wouldn’t have sounded out of place on Pink Floyd’s Meddle album.
“Ace of Spades” by Motorhead
“Ace of Spades” is a song by the British heavy metal band Motörhead, released in 1980 as a single and the title track to the album Ace of Spades. The song topped the UK Singles Chart and peaked at No. 15 in Ireland. In 2005, it was voted No. 226 in Rolling Stone’s list of The Greatest 500 Songs of All Time and No. 155 in Q’s list of the same. In 2009, it was named the best metal song of all time by VH1.
In 2010, Ace of Spades was voted No. 1 in Classic Rock’s The Greatest Metal Songs Of All Time poll, having beaten “Paranoid” by Black Sabbath and “Enter Sandman” by Metallica. In 2014, NME ranked it as the greatest ever Christmas song.
“War Pigs” by Black Sabbath
“War Pigs” is a song by Black Sabbath. It is the opening track from their 1970 album Paranoid.
The song was written in response to the Vietnam War. The lyrics criticize warfare, military, and government. The song is also critical of those who choose to profit from war.
The original working title for the song was “Walpurgis”. However, the band’s producer suggested that the title be changed to “War Pigs”.
Black Sabbath has said that “War Pigs” is one of their favorite songs to play live. It is often considered one of the greatest heavy metal songs of all time.
“Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne
“Crazy Train” is the first single from British heavy metal vocalist Ozzy Osbourne’s 1980 debut solo album, Blizzard of Ozz. The opening track of the album, it was released as a single in September 1980, reaching number 9 on the UK charts. In October 1981, the song reached number 49 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in the United States. It has since become one of Osbourne’s signature songs and is ranked as one of the greatest heavy metal songs of all time.
The song was written by Osbourne, bassist Bob Daisley and guitarist Randy Rhoads. It was inspired by an encounter Osbourne had with a mentally ill man while riding on a train in Europe. The man, who was talking to himself, kept repeating the phrase “crazy train”. Daisley and Rhoads came up with the musical idea for the song andOsbourne wrote the lyrics.
Musically, “Crazy Train” is characterized by its repetitive drumbeat and guitar riff. The song has been praised for its catchy hook and melody. Osbourne’s vocals have also been praised, with many critics noting his use of vocal inflection to convey emotion. The song has been covered by a number of artists, including Metallica, Megadeth and Guns N’ Roses.
“The Number of the Beast” by Iron Maiden
There are lots of ways to compile a list of the top 10 heavy metal songs of all time. You could go by sales, airplay, or longevity. You could also base it on how often the song is covered by other bands. But this list is different. These are the 10 heaviest metal songs of all time, based on a complicated algorithm that takes into account power, speed, heaviness, and overallmetalness.
10. “For Whom the Bell Tolls” – Metallica
9. “Welcome Home (Sanitarium)” – Metallica
8. “Snowblind” – Black Sabbath
7. “Symptom of the Universe” – Black Sabbath
6. “Hells Bells” – AC/DC
5. “War Pigs” – Black Sabbath
4. “Iron Man” – Black Sabbath
3. “Paranoid” – Black Sabbath
2.
1. “Enter Sandman” – Metallica
“Painkiller” by Judas Priest
Formed in Birmingham, England, in 1969, Judas Priest are considered one of the most influential and groundbreaking metal bands of all time. “Painkiller” is the opening track and first single from their 1990 album, Painkiller. The song was written by frontman Rob Halford and guitarist Glenn Tipton.
“Painkiller” is an uptempo song with a fast tempo and heavy riffing. The lyrics are about a painkiller that can ” take away the hurt,” making it a perfect anthem for those who are struggling with pain or addiction. The song’s popularity has led to it being covered by many other artists, including Metallica, Pantera, and Megadeth.
“God of Thunder” by Kiss
Labeled as one of the heaviest songs of all time, “God of Thunder” was released by Kiss on their 1976 album Destroyer. It was written by Paul Stanley and Bob Ezrin. The song is about the god Thor and is full of heavy metal elements like thunderous drums and guitar riffs.
“Raining Blood” by Slayer
Slayer is an American metal band, formed in 1981 in Huntington Park, California. The band is credited with helping pioneer the metal genre with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood. “Raining Blood” is a song by Slayer, released as the lead single from their 1986 album Reign in Blood. The song is widely considered to be one of the greatest metal songs of all time, and has been ranked as one of the greatest songs of all time by multiple publications.
