Coming up with a “metal top 10” is a hard task. Everyone’s list will be different, and some influential bands will always be left out. Here’s mine:

1. Black Sabbath – Paranoid
2. Metallica – Master of Puppets
3. AC/DC – Back in Black
4. Judas Priest – British Steel
5. Queensryche – Operation Mindcrime
6. Iron Maiden – Piece of Mind
7. Slayer – Reign in Blood
8. Guns N Roses – Appetite for Destruction
9 Alice in Chains – Dirt
10 Megadeth – Rust in Peace


There’s many other influential bands that come to mind – Anthrax, Pantera, Testament, Motorhead, Dokken, Motely Crue, Exodus, Sepultura, Suicidal Tendencies, Obituary, Deicide, Mercyful Fate, etc., etc., etc. The list goes on. And even thought they’re not metal, I’d have to mention Van Halen and Ramones on my list.