Heavy Metal

Heavy metal is the foundation from which every other style here branches — loud, riff-driven music built on distorted electric guitars, pounding drums, and powerful vocals. Britain’s Black Sabbath invented the template in 1970 with downtuned, ominous riffs, and Judas Priest stripped out the blues, added twin guitars, and set the classic mold. Iron Maiden, Motörhead, and Dio then defined its melodic, galloping, anthemic peak. Tempos run mid-to-fast, the mood is powerful and dramatic, and themes range from rebellion to fantasy.