List of heavy metal bands

This is a list of heavy metal artists from the formative years of the movement (formed between 1963 and 1981). For bands formed after 1981, please consult the lists for each heavy metal subgenre.

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.

In 1981, three of the "Big Four" thrash metal bands emerged (Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax), to be joined on the scene in 1983 by Megadeth.

Heavy metal bands formed between 1963 and 1981

See also

• Heavy metal genres
• List of alternative metal bands
• List of black metal bands
• List of Celtic metal bands
• List of Christian metal bands
• List of crust punk bands
• List of death metal bands
• List of deathcore bands
• List of doom metal bands
• List of folk metal bands
• List of glam metal bands and artists
• List of gothic metal bands
• List of grindcore bands
• List of groove metal bands
• List of industrial metal bands
• List of mathcore bands
• List of melodic death metal bands
• List of metalcore bands
• List of nu metal bands
• List of new wave of American heavy metal bands
• List of new wave of British heavy metal bands
• List of new wave of traditional heavy metal bands
• List of post-metal bands
• List of power metal bands
• List of progressive metal bands
• List of sludge metal bands
• List of speed metal bands
• List of symphonic black metal bands
• List of symphonic metal bands
• List of thrash metal bands
• List of Viking metal bands

Gallery

References