The History of Heavy Metal Music: Articles from the Newspaper
Welcome to our blog on the history of heavy metal music! Here you will find a collection of articles from the newspaper that chronicle the rise of this genre of music. From its early days in the 1970s to its present-day popularity, metal has always been a force to be reckoned with. So sit back, crank up the volume, and enjoy reading about the history of heavy metal music!
Origins of Heavy Metal
The first heavy metal bands started to form in the late 1960s and early 1970s. These bands were influenced by the hard rock music that was popular at the time. They also incorporated elements of blues and psychedelic rock into their music. Heavy metal quickly became its own genre of music with its own sound and style.
British Rock Bands of the 1960s
British rock bands of the 1960s such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin, were a major influence on the development of heavy metal music. These bands developed a heavier sound that was characterized by distorted guitars and powerful drumming. This sound would later be adopted by American bands such as Black Sabbath and Metallica.
American Psychedelic and Hard Rock Bands of the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, a number of American bands played a heavier, louder, and more distorted style of rock than what had gone before. These bands were inspired by British Invasion groups such as the Who and the Rolling Stones, as well as by more esoteric influences such as Jimi Hendrix and Cream. Some of these bands, such as the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane, were associated with the burgeoning counterculture scene; others, such as Blue Cheer and Iron Butterfly, were not.
One of the earliest American proto-metal bands was Louisville, Kentucky’s The Phoenix. Formed in 1965, they are often cited as being among the first to play hard rock; their sound was an aggressive blend of rhythm and blues and garage rock,[1] with guitars played through distortion pedals and amplifiers cranked to maximum volume. They released a number of singles, the best-known of which is “Keep On Dancin'”, which reached #38 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in 1967.[2] Another early proto-metal band was New York City’s Vanilla Fudge, who combined elements of psychedelia with a heavy rhythm section featuring Hammond organ and upright bass; their self-titled debut album (1967) was an unlikely hit, reaching #6 on Billboard’s album chart.[3]
Among the first wave of American metal groups were San Francisco’s Santana and Chicago’s Ted Nugent (later of The Amboy Dukes). Santana’s 1969 debut album features a heavy blues-rock sound reminiscent of Cream,[4] while Nugent’s Amboy Dukes is best known for their hit single “Journey to the Center of Your Mind” (1968),[5] which combines psychedelic lyrics with a pounding rhythms section.
These and other early metal bands laid the foundation for what would become one of America’s most popular genres in the 1970s and 1980s: heavy metal.
Development of Heavy Metal
The following articles explore the history and development of heavy metal music. From its early beginnings in the 1960s to its current status as one of the most popular genres of music, heavy metal has undergone a number of changes. These articles trace the evolution of heavy metal and its impact on popular culture.
British Hard Rock Bands of the Early 1970s
British hard rock bands of the early 1970s such as Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Uriah Heep brought heavy metal to the United States and international attention. Though these bands would eventually fall out of favor with the British public, they would lay the foundation for the development of heavy metal as a genre.
Black Sabbath, in particular, is often credited with pioneering the heavy metal sound. Their dark and heavy songs, such as “Iron Man” and “Paranoid,” were in stark contrast to the light and frothy pop music that was popular at the time. This new sound caught on with American audiences, who were eager for something different.
The early 1970s saw the advent of British-style hard rock in America, with bands such as Kiss, Blue Öyster Cult and Aerosmith leading the way. These bands took elements of British hard rock and added their own twist to create a sound that was all their own. American hard rock would go on to be hugely influential in the development of heavy metal.
Kiss, in particular, is often cited as an early influence on metal thanks to their theatrical stage show which featured fire breathing, bloody demon makeup and pyrotechnics. Their 1973 album Destroyer is considered by many to be one of the first metal albums ever released.
While British hard rock laid the foundation for metal, it was American bands who truly developed the genre into what we know it as today. Bands like Van Halen, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden would refine the sound and make it their own in the late 1970s and early 1980s. These bands would go on to inspire generations of metalheads and make metal one of the most popular genres in music today.
American Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Bands of the Mid-1970s
## Development of Heavy Metal
The American hard rock and heavy metal bands of the mid-1970s were a direct result of the popularity of British hard rock bands such as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Black Sabbath. These bands brought a new level of heaviness and aggressiveness to rock music, which appealed to many American teenagers.
The first American band to break into the mainstream with a heavy metal sound was Aerosmith, whose 1973 album “Get Your Wings” reached the top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart. Other popular American hard rock/heavy metal bands of the 1970s included Kiss, Van Halen, Cheap Trick, Boston, and Judas Priest.
The 1980s saw the rise of a new generation of American heavy metal bands such as Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, Slayer, and Exodus. These bands helped bring heavy metal music to a wider audience with their aggressive sounds and often political lyrics.
In the 1990s and 2000s, American heavy metal bands continued to gain in popularity both at home and abroad. Some of the most popular groups of this era include Pantera, Slipknot, System of a Down, Limp Bizkit, and Linkin Park.
Popularity of Heavy Metal
The popularity of heavy metal music has been on the rise since the 1950s. This genre of music is known for its aggressive sound and its heavy use of guitars, drums, and bass. Heavy metal music has been influential in other genres of music, such as punk and alternative rock.
British Heavy Metal Bands of the Late 1970s and Early 1980s
The New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) was a musical movement that started in the late 1970s and peaked in popularity in the early 1980s. It was a response to the decline of hard rock music in the late 1970s. Bands such as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Def Leppard defined the sound of heavy metal in the 1980s. They were followed by many other British heavy metal bands such as Saxon, Diamond Head, and Venom.
The NWOBHM had a major impact on the development of metalcore and deathcore. Bands such as Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax were all influenced by the NWOBHM
American Heavy Metal Bands of the Early 1980s
American heavy metal bands of the early 1980s such as Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax, were at the forefront of the genre’s popularity. These bands helped to establish heavy metal’s place in the rock music world and their popularity was further boosted by the success of British metal bands such as Iron Maiden and Def Leppard.
Heavy Metal Today
It is evident that heavy metal music has become one of the most popular and controversial genres of rock music today. This type of music originated in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and it has evolved significantly over the years. While some people believe that heavy metal is a negative influence on society, others believe that it is a form of art that should be appreciated.
British and American Heavy Metal Bands of the Late 1980s and Early 1990s
Though it had been around in one form or another since the mid-’60s, heavy metal didn’t become a force to be reckoned with until the early ’70s, when bands like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin helped invent the form and sound that would take over rock & roll for the next two decades. But it wasn’t until the late ’70s and early ’80s that heavy metal truly came into its own, as bands took the basic sounds and structures of hard rock and added their own unique ingredients to create a genre that was both diabolically hard-hitting and staggeringly popular. By the end of the ’80s, metal had become one of the most successful genres in music, sparking an explosion of new bands that helped keep metal at the forefront of rock through most of the ’90s. Here is a look at some of the British and American bands that definedmetal during its heyday in those two decades.
Heavy Metal in the 21st Century
Heavy metal music has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years, with a new generation of fans finding themselves drawn to the intense sound and aggressive lyrics of the genre.
While metal music has always been popular among certain subcultures, it has never been more mainstream than it is today. Metal bands are now regularly headlining festivals and selling out arena tours, and the sound of heavy metal can be heard on radio stations and streaming services across the world.
So what has caused this renewed interest in metal music? There are a number of factors that have contributed to the genre’s recent popularity.
First, there has been a proliferation of heavy metal subgenres in recent years, giving fans more options to choose from. Whether you’re into black metal, death metal, or thrash metal, there’s a subgenre that’s sure to appeal to you.
Second, the internet has made it easier than ever for fans to find new bands to listen to. In the past, you might have had to scour record stores or ask your friends for recommendations; now, all you need to do is type a few keywords into a search engine and you’ll have hundreds of results to choose from.
Finally, heavy metal music has become more acceptable in mainstream culture. While it was once seen as the preserve of badly behaved teenagers, it is now embraced by people of all ages and from all walks of life. This increased acceptability has no doubt helped to boost its popularity in recent years.
