This is a list of bands that pertain to the heavy metal genre of music.

Contents
!–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z    See also

[edit] Original movement: 1967-1979

In the late 1960s a number of bands began pushing the limits of blues-rock into a new genre which would be called heavy metal.^[1][2] By the early eighties the heavy metal genre began a slow division into various sub-genre categories to better describe the stylistic differences that were growing out of the original heavy metal movement. And by the end of the 1970s many of the earliest heavy metal bands had long since disbanded. Some of the bands included in the original movement were:

[edit] A

Band name	Origin	Years active	Brief summary
AC/DC[3]	Adelaide, Australia	1973–present	Although the band are commonly classified as hard rock, and considered pioneers of heavy metal they have always classified their music as "Rock n' roll." Their 1980's album Back in Black is the second best-selling album of all time.
Aerosmith[4]	Boston, Massachusetts, US	1970–present
Alice Cooper[5][6]	Detroit, Michigan, US	1964–present

[edit] B

Band name	Origin	Years active	Brief summary
Black Sabbath	Birmingham, England	1968–present	Because of their 1970 albums, Black Sabbath and Paranoid, Black Sabbath is considered to be one of the pioneering bands of the genre. Also laying ground for doom metal and stoner rock, with the release of their album Master of Reality. They have been called the greatest sludge metal band of all time[7]
Bloodrock[8]	Fort Worth, Texas, US	1969–1975
Blue Cheer	San Francisco, California, US	1966–1972, 1974–1976, 1978–1979, 1984–1994, 1999–present
Blue Öyster Cult	Long Island, New York, US	1971–present
Budgie	Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom	1967–present
Buffalo[9]	Sydney, Australia	1971–1977

[edit] C

Band name	Origin	Years active	Brief summary
Cactus	Long Island, New York	1970–1972, 2006–present
Cheap Trick[10]	Rockford, Illinois, USA	1966–1968, 1993, 2005
Cream[11]	London, England	1966–1968, 1993, 2005

[edit] D

Band name	Origin	Years active	Brief summary
Deep Purple[12][13][14]	Hertfordshire, England	1968–1976, 1984–present
Dust[15]	United States	1971-1978

[edit] E

Band name	Origin	Years active	Brief summary

[edit] F

Band name	Orgin	Years active	Brief summary
Flower Travellin' Band[16]	Japan	1968–1973, 2007-Present

[edit] G

Band name	Orgin	Years active	Brief summary
Grand Funk Railroad[17][18][19]	Flint, Michigan, United States	1968–1977, 1980–1983, 1996-present

[edit] H

Band name	Origin	Years active	Brief summary

[edit] I

Band name	Origin	Years active	Brief summary
Iron Butterfly[20]	San Diego, California, United States	1966–present

[edit] J

Band name	Origin	Years active	Brief summary
The Jimi Hendrix Experience[21]	Seattle, Washington, United States	1966—1970
Judas Priest	Birmingham, England	1969–present

[edit] K

Band name	Origin	Years active	Brief summary
Kiss[22]	New York, New York, United States	1972–present	Kiss rose to prominence in the mid and late-1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting, smoking guitars, and pyrotechnics.

[edit] L

Band name	Origin	Years active	Brief summary
Led Zeppelin[23]	London, England	1968–1980	With their heavy, guitar-driven sound, Led Zeppelin are regarded as one of the first heavy metal bands.
Lucifer's Friend[24]	Germany	1970–1982, 1993–1997

[edit] M

Band name	Origin	Years active	Brief summary
Montrose	California, US	1973–1976, 2005
Mountain[25]	Long Island, New York, US	1969–1972, 1973–present

[edit] N

Band name	Origin	Years active	Brief summary
Nazareth	Dunfermline, Scotland	1968-present
Necromandus[26]	Cumberland, UK	1970–1973

[edit] O

Band name	Origin	Years active	Brief summary

[edit] P

Band name	Origin	Years active	Brief summary
Pentagram	Arlington County, Virginia, United States	1971–1976, 1978–1979, 1981–present	Along with Black Sabbath, Pentagram is considered one of the most important groups in the creation of doom metal.

[edit] Q

Band name	Origin	Years active	Brief summary
Queen[27][28]	London, England	1970–1997
Quiet Riot[29]	Los Angeles, California, United States	1975–2008

[edit] R

Band name	Origin	Years active	Brief summary
Rainbow	England	1975–1984, 1993–1997
Running Wild	Hamburg, Germany	1976-2009	With speedy riffs and themes about the open sea, Running Wild is has been labeled as the world's first pirate metal band.
Rush	Toronto , Ontario, Canada	1968–present

[edit] S

Band name	Origin	Years active	Brief summary
Scorpions	Hanover , Germany	1965–present
Shakin' Street	Paris, France	1975–present
Sir Lord Baltimore[30]	Brooklyn, New York, USA	1968–1976, 2006–present
Steppenwolf[31]	Toronto, Ontario, Canada	1967–1972, 1974–1976, 1980–present
Suck[32]	South Africa	1970-1971

[edit] T

Band name	Origin	Years active	Brief summary
Thin Lizzy	Dublin , Ireland	1969–1984, 1986, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996–2001, 2004–2009 (on temporary hiatus),
Twisted Sister[33]	New York City, USA	1972–1988, 1997–present

[edit] U

Band name	Origin	Years active	Brief summary
UFO	London, England	1969–1988, 1992–present
Uriah Heep	England	1969–present

[edit] V

Band name	Origin	Years active	Brief summary
Van Halen[34]	Pasadena, California, US	1976–present
Vanilla Fudge[35]	Long Island, New York	1967–1970, 1982–1984, 1987–1988, 1991, 1999–2008

[edit] W

Band name	Origin	Years active	Brief summary
Warhorse[36]	England, UK	1970–1974, (partial reunions: 1985, 2005)

[edit] X

Band name	Origin	Years active	Brief summary

[edit] Y

Band name	Origin	Years active	Brief summary

[edit] Z

Band name	Origin	Years active	Brief summary

[edit] By subgenre

See also, Heavy metal subgenres

Since the 1970s, many subgenres and movements have emerged, playing their own interpretation of "heavy metal", these can vary greatly. Below in alphabetical order, are links to the many heavy metal subgenre lists on Wikipedia, with three notable examples of bands from each genre under them.

• List of alternative metal artists

Examples; Faith No More, System of a Down and Primus

• List of black metal bands

Examples; Immortal, Burzum and Mayhem

• List of Christian metal bands

Examples; Stryper, Tourniquet and Whitecross

• List of death metal bands

Examples; Death, Entombed and Morbid Angel

• List of deathcore bands

Examples; Job for a Cowboy, Suicide Silence, and Bring Me the Horizon

• List of doom metal bands

Examples; Candlemass, Saint Vitus and Cathedral

• List of folk metal bands

Examples; Skyclad, Finntroll and Korpiklaani

• List of glam metal bands

Examples; Motley Crue, Ratt and Whitesnake

• List of gothic metal bands

Examples; Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride and Anathema

• List of grindcore bands

Examples; Napalm Death, Brutal Truth and Pig Destroyer

• List of groove metal bands

Examples; Pantera, Sepultura and Machine Head

• List of industrial metal bands

Examples; Fear Factory, Rammstein and Godflesh

• List of melodic death metal bands

Examples; Carcass, At The Gates and Dark Tranquillity

• List of metalcore artists

Examples; Bullet for My Valentine, Killswitch Engage and Lamb of God

• List of nu metal bands

Examples; Deftones, Korn, and Limp Bizkit

• List of "New Wave of British Heavy Metal" artists

Examples; Iron Maiden, Saxon and Def Leppard

• List of post-metal artists

Examples; Pelican, Isis and Russian Circles

• List of power metal bands

Examples; Helloween, Blind Guardian and Sonata Arctica

• List of progressive metal artists

Examples; Dream Theater, Fates Warning and Queensrÿche

• List of sludge metal bands

Examples; Eyehategod, Crowbar and Buzzov*en

• List of speed metal bands

Examples; Motörhead, Venom and Cacophony

• List of symphonic metal bands, List of symphonic black metal bands

Examples; Nightwish, Emperor and Rhapsody of Fire

• List of thrash metal bands

Examples; Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax

• List of Viking metal bands

Examples; Bathory, Enslaved, and Einherjer

[edit] See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Heavy metal bands

[edit] References