The Top Ten Heavy Metal Songs of All Time
Contents
Join us as we countdown the top ten heavy metal songs of all time. From Metallica to Megadeth, these are the tracks that defined a genre.
Introduction
Since the advent of heavy metal in the late 1960s, there have been countless great songs released by metal bands. From early classics like Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid” and Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water” to more recent hits like Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” and Slipknot’s “Wait and Bleed”, heavy metal has produced some of the most memorable and influential songs in rock history.
So, what are the greatest heavy metal songs of all time? Here is our list of the top ten:
1) Black Sabbath – “Paranoid”
2) Deep Purple – “Smoke on the Water”
3) Metallica – “Enter Sandman”
4) Slipknot – “Wait and Bleed”
5) Iron Maiden – “Fear of the Dark”
6) Judas Priest – “Painkiller”
7) Megadeth – “Symphony of Destruction”
8) Pantera – “Walk”
9) Slayer – “Raining Blood”
10) Motorhead – “Ace of Spades”
“Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses
“Welcome to the Jungle” is a song by American rock band Guns N’ Roses, appearing as the opening track on their debut album, Appetite for Destruction (1987). It was released as the album’s second single in November 1987. It is considered one of the best debut singles of all time.
The song was written by lead singer Axl Rose and guitarist Izzy Stradlin during a soundcheck prior to a show in 1985. It was inspired by their experience of arriving in Los Angeles and feeling like they were “in the jungle”. The music was composed by Slash and features his signature squealing guitar solo.
The song received positive reviews from music critics. It peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 24 on the UK Singles Chart. The song has been covered by numerous artists, including Thrice, Korn, Stone Sour, Papa Roach, Limp Bizkit, Sevendust, Buckcherry, Avenged Sevenfold, Megadeth and Garbage.
“Paranoid” by Black Sabbath
“Paranoid” is a song by Black Sabbath, released on their self-titled album in 1970. The song is widely considered to be one of the most influential metal songs of all time, and has been covered by a number of artists.
“Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana
Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is often cited as the song that ushered in the era of alternative rock and ushered out the era of hair metal. It’s a classic track that exemplifies the raw power and emotion of Nirvana’s music. The song opens with a simple, catchy guitar riff that quickly gives way to Kurt Cobain’s anguished vocals. The chorus is an anthemic call to arms for disaffected youth, and the whole song is propelled by a driving, aggressive energy. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is a timeless track that remains one of the most iconic songs in rock history.
“Enter Sandman” by Metallica
“Enter Sandman” is the opening track of Metallica’s self-titled fifth album, Metallica (commonly known as The Black Album). It was the first single released from the album and is credited with bringing Metallica back to commercial success after a five-year absence. The song was ranked as No. 368 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and No. 426 on NME’s Top 500 Songs of All Time. In 2009 it was named the 34th greatest hard rock song of all time by VH1.
“You Give Love a Bad Name” by Bon Jovi
“You Give Love a Bad Name” is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi, released as the first single from their 1986 self-titled debut album. The song was written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, and Desmond Child. It remains one of the band’s signature songs. In 2009, “You Give Love a Bad Name” was named the 20th greatest hard rock song of all time by VH1. In 2006, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
“Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne
“Crazy Train” is the first single from British heavy metal vocalist Ozzy Osbourne’s 1981 album Blizzard of Ozz. The song was written by Osbourne, bassist Bob Daisley and guitarist Randy Rhodes. It Reached No. 9 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 49 on the US Billboard Hot 100. In 2010, it was ranked No. 62 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs.
“Painkiller” by Judas Priest
“Painkiller” is a song by the British heavy metal band Judas Priest, from their album Painkiller. It was released as a single in September 1990, reaching number 14 on the UK Singles Chart and number one on Billboard’s Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
The song is notable for its fast tempo and aggressive guitar riffing. It is often cited as one of the greatest heavy metal songs of all time.
“The Trooper” by Iron Maiden
“The Trooper” is a song by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It was released as the second single from their 1983 album Piece of Mind. The song was written by bassist Steve Harris.
The song is about a cavalry charge during the Crimean War. The music video for the song was shot on location in Canakkale, Turkey, and features footage from the film 55 Days at Peking.
Iron Maiden have performed “The Trooper” live on numerous occasions. It was included on their 1985 live album Live After Death, and has been featured on several of their subsequent live releases. A cover version of the song was released as a single by Swedish power metal band Sabaton in 2010.
“Ace of Spades” by Motorhead
“Ace of Spades” is a song by the British heavy metal band Motorhead, released in 1980 as a single and the title track to the album Ace of Spades. The song topped the UK Singles Chart, becoming one of Motorhead’s biggest hits and an enduring anthem in popular culture.
