Top 15 Heavy Metal Songs of All Time
Heavy metal means something different for everyone. Perhaps it’s how you battle against dominant ideologies, institutions, and social norms. Maybe it’s how you deal with pent-up aggression and energy. It could be how you rebel against your parents. Or maybe it’s as simple as how you cope with this shitty world.
Whatever the reason, heavy metal defines and shapes part of the listener’s identity. Personally, I’ve been an avid listener since I was an acne-covered, introverted adolescent. I had just turned thirteen when I heard my first heavy metal album — Ozzy Osbourne’s Blizzard of Oz. Between the fantastic vocals and excellent riffs, the entire album blew my mind.
Fifteen years have passed since then. I’ve become an avid musician now and I’ve never stopped listening to this amazing genre. Which is why I think I owe it to myself — and anyone who stumbles upon this article — to list what I consider to be the fifteen greatest heavy metal songs ever written.
As a small explanation for the following list, I won’t be including any metal songs outside of the strict genre. That means no power, thrash, or glam metal songs unless they really define that heavy metal sound (Sorry, Metallica!). Those lists may come later. A band will only be featured on this list ONCE. Also, I won’t be going by the most revolutionary heavy metal songs; that’s a different list entirely! Finally, your favourite heavy metal song might not make the list. Please be respectful and leave a comment with your own fifteen heavy metal songs. Now, without further ado, let’s begin.
15. Led Zeppelin — “Immigrant Song” (1970)
Come on. You all knew it. Led Zeppelin was going to make this list somewhere. After all, they were partly responsible for the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM). It’s funny that most people don’t consider this band to even be heavy metal, as the metal scene has changed drastically in five decades. By bringing its blues-influenced hard rock overseas, however, Led Zeppelin really shook up the scene. Few had ever heard a sound so heavy and brutal and the band certainly had its fair share of imitators and critics.
While it was “Whole Lotta Love” that cemented the band’s reputation, “Immigrant Song” is arguably the most memorable. Featuring a punchy intro riff and ear-shattering screams that would later pave the way for power metal, it’s the “Immigrant Song” that won me over to this amazing band.
14. Dio — “Holy Diver” (1983)
Ronnie James Dio is one of my favourite metal singers of all time. Describing himself as a self-taught singer, Dio brought a level of dirty grit to his amazing singing voice that was unheard of. His unique vocals are nearly impossible to replicate for a reason.
Dio’s lyrics are also brilliantly written here. Taking cues from the myths of the Bible, “Holy Diver” is about Jesus Christ’s sacrifice in an attempt to redeem all of humanity. More accurately, a Christ-like figure’s redemption. And in this version, the sacrificial lamb descends into Hades, the realm of the wicked. Pretty dark stuff. Anyway, it’s an excellent song accentuated by an early ‘80s heavy metal guitar tone. It needs to be heard to truly be understood.
13. Manowar — “Thor (The Powerhead)” (1984)
Back before power metal started blowing up across all of Europe, Manowar were experimenting with various sounds that would later become synonymous with the genre: beautiful guitar harmonies, high-frequency power screams, majestic orchestras, and epic choirs.
Don’t be fooled, though — the core of the band is its heavy metal sound and tongue-in-cheek style of writing lyrics. Who else would be bold enough to call themselves the “Kings of Metal”?. Every once in a while Manowar would write something more serious, which is where “Thor (The Powerhead)” comes in. The lyrics propose the coming of Ragnarök, which is pretty much the end of the world according to ancient Norse mythology. The song’s an awesome heavy metal song unlike any other with its distinctive — and loud — guitar tone, melodic chorus, and prolonged screams.
12. Stryper — “Soldiers Under Command” (1985)
If you’ve heard of Stryper, it’s likely because of their ridiculous antics on-stage. To most bands, that could mean any number of debaucherous acts, but for Stryper, it meant throwing Bibles out to the audience and praying together before a show. Yes, the band is a Christian glam metal band, but they had a number of heavy metal hits throughout the ’80s. This is definitely one of the heavier ones.
“Soldiers Under Command” elevated Stryper above the typical glam stereotypes that most bands would later become popular for. It starts with a brutally heavy intro riff that never lets up, excellent guitar harmonies, plenty of high metal screams, and blistering guitar solos that would give many bands a run for their money. Laugh it up, glam haters — this song is indisputably a heavy metal classic.
11. Mötley Crüe — “Wild Side” (1987)
Okay, I know what you’re thinking. Two glam metal songs in a row? What’s this guy on? Don’t worry, this is the last one. While many glam metal bands have simmered out over the years, Mötley Crüe’s fame hasn’t really let up since they got together back in 1981. Why? Likely because their songs differed from the rest. Thanks to Mick Mars, the band had an incredibly heavy guitar tone throughout their entire career.
Out of all of their classic songs, “Wild Side” stands out. It’s one of the few to have a serious theme — the struggles of living in a crime-ridden ghetto. But more than that, the song uniquely ties fast metal riffs with a slow, blues-styled pre-chorus. It even features a shift in time signature. When’s the last time you’ve heard of a glam metal band doing that? The song is a fantastic heavy metal anthem.
10. Iron Maiden — “The Trooper” (1983)
This choice will likely be the most controversial one on the list. Why is Iron Maiden, one of the pioneers of heavy metal, so far down on my list? Because the band’s not my personal style, I guess; I find much of Maiden’s guitar and vocal work sounds a little too similar. But I still had to feature them here. And while I think Iron Maiden has written more entertaining songs, “The Trooper” makes the list for a reason.
It’s about the real life charge at the Battle of Balaclava in 1854. More importantly, it’s a song that opens with a dynamic intro riff and never lets up. Fast, palm-muted gallops accentuate Bruce Dickinson’s distinct vocal style on the track. Of course, the song also features two signature guitar solos. While it’s easy to call the guitarists one-trick ponies with their focus on trills, they do an excellent job here and that needs to be commended.
9. Axel Rudi Pell — “Cry of the Gypsy” (1994)
Here’s one I’m sure most of you have never heard. It’s also by a band that you likely don’t know. Time for a history lesson. Axel Rudi Pell is the name of a German heavy metal guitarist who decided to pursue a solo career. That probably makes this choice sound like an instrumental, but it is far from it. While Axel has employed several singers over the years, he frequently gave them time to shine on most of the band’s tracks.
Enter Jeff Scott Soto, a wicked American rock and metal singer who deserves way more credit. When these two musicians get together, magic happens. “Cry of the Gypsy” is just that — magic. Axel’s unique intro riff brilliantly plays with both single notes and chord progressions, and his guitar tone is out of this world. Soto’s vocals are crazy good, incredible highs that just scream heavy metal. The amazing guitar solo is just icing on the cake. Seriously, give this song a shot.
8. Deep Purple — “Highway Star” (1972)
Here’s another one of NWOBHM bands that you’d likely not even call metal nowadays. Despite what you think of Deep Purple, their influence on metal has inspired some of the best songs to ever come out of the genre. Who hasn’t heard the iconic riff from “Smoke on the Water”? It’s probably the riff everyone tries when they pick up the guitar for the first time.
“Highway Star” is arguably their best song. The tempo starts fast and never lets up. Fast down-picked palm-muting that likely influenced Metallica’s guitarist, James Hetfield, fills every verse. Early metal screams dominate every chorus. A keyboard somehow manages to keep up with the rhythm, providing a smooth lead harmony. And two solos (one keyboard, one guitar) mark this as the one of the most complex heavy metal songs to come out of the ’70s. I don’t know how else to describe it. The song is just completely fantastic.
7. Saxon — “Wheels of Steel” (1980)
Here’s a band that doesn’t receive the recognition it deserves. Hailing from England, Saxon was one of the defining acts of the NWOBHM, particularly during the phase of the ‘80s. Released at the same time as Black Sabbath’s Heaven and Hell, Saxon’s Wheels of Steel was unfortunately overshadowed and overlooked. But that doesn’t make this song any less great!
“Wheels of Steel” is the name of the album for a reason. It’s a lovely track: the main riff is a catchy metal anthem, the vocals reach highs unlike those of almost any other band at the time, and there’s something amazing about the punchy, trebly guitar tone used during the solo. While not the best heavy metal song ever written, there’s a reason it’s so high on the list.
6. Ozzy Osbourne — “No More Tears” (1991)
Ozzy Osbourne wrote a number of fantastic hits throughout his career that easily could have made this list: “Crazy Train”, “Mr. Crowley”, “Bark at the Moon”… the list goes on and on. However, he really hit his stride with the track, “No More Tears”, a song about a serial killer and his unfortunate victim. The lyrics are incredibly dark and morbid, but the best thing about this song is how complex it is.
At just over seven minutes long, “No More Tears” mixes many elements together organically. A brutally heavy guitar tone from Zakk Wylde with a killer blues slide accompanies the lyrics of the main verse. Single notes picked with lots of vibrato and palm-muted power chords make for a catchy chorus. Ozzy’s vocals deliver as always thanks to his distinct singing voice. An orchestral breakdown followed by a melodic guitar solo just add to what is already a powerfully emotional song.
5. Alice In Chains — “Rooster” (1993)
While many would label Alice In Chains as a ‘grunge’ or hard rock band, there’s no doubt in my mind that they are primarily a heavy metal band. Jerry Cantrell brings a unique guitar tone to Alice In Chains that was almost always more heavy than the band’s rivals in alternative rock. Of course, they had heavy hits such as “Them Bones” and “Angry Chair”, but “Rooster” stands as their best-written heavy metal song for a reason.
Taking a hard rock acoustic riff for each of the main verses, Cantrell introduces a heavy, slow, doom metal riff for the chorus and interlude that was unprecedented for the ‘grunge’ era. What really elevates the material, however, is Layne Staley’s raw vocals. By incorporating a bluesy vocal style with heavy-hitting, raw vocal frying, Staley cements “Rooster” as one of the greatest heavy metal songs ever written.
4. Diamond Head — “Am I Evil?” (1979)
When most people think of “Am I Evil?”, it’s usually Metallica’s cover that comes to mind. Four years beforehand, though, is when Diamond Head released this beast of a track. While not quite as complex as Deep Purple’s “Highway Star”, “Am I Evil?” experiments with different time signatures, a mixture of heavy palm-muting and simple punk-like power chords to build a unique sound for the band.
What really cements the song’s legacy is a simple yet head-banging verse riff that never lets up. So much so, in fact, that it is even used to end the song. A speedy guitar solo is featured during the song’s second section, which no doubt influenced Metallica’s Kirk Hammett and numerous other guitarists. Not only has Diamond Head been incredibly influential to other bands, but they also wrote one of the top four heavy metal songs of all time.
3. Yngwie Malmsteen — “Rising Force” (1988)
I used to be incredibly biased against Yngwie Malmsteen. Sure, he is one of the fastest guitar players in the world and his stuff is clearly neoclassically-inspired, but Malmsteen has an inability to slow down on the guitar. He even seems to favour long and overblown guitar solos over the singers he regularly employs. But now, I’ve realized that Malmsteen has written one of the three best heavy metal songs of all time.
Odyssey is clearly one of the best metal albums ever written. Period. Malmsteen’s shredding is out of this world on the record, but he also manages to show restraint for Joe Lynn Turner, an amazing metal vocalist and lyricist. Enter “Rising Force”. The song begins with a heavy riff that instantly pulls you in, then moves to the fantastic highs of Turner’s vocals during the main verse, and finishes with an epic, catchy chorus. The song also sports a melodic guitar solo, a keyboard solo, and then another blistering guitar solo that needs to be heard to be believed.
2. Judas Priest — “Beyond the Realms of Death” (1978)
Judas Priest is arguably the best heavy metal band of all time. Most recently, they’ve been nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and for good reason. Between a slew of ballads, heavy metal anthems, and even glam-like songs, Priest have experimented with practically any sound they could get their hands on. Even the leather and chains/spike look synonymous with the genre originated with Priest. As such, they may very well be the most influential of all metal bands.
But the reason they take the number two spot is for their songwriting ability. Glenn Tipton’s fast, melodic style of playing mixed with K. K. Downing’s sharp pinch harmonics easily surpass Iron Maiden’s guitarists in both speed and creativity. Rob Halford’s odd vocals stretch over four octaves, bringing a unique power metal scream previously unheard of at the time.
Hits like “The Sentinel”, “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’”, and “A Touch of Evil” easily could’ve made the cut, but “Beyond the Realms of Death” demonstrates Priest’s range and skill the best. Halford’s vocals go from soft and low to hard and high in a matter of seconds. Tipton here is responsible for one of the greatest guitar solos ever written, and Downing gets a shot at a punchy finisher before the end. Overall, it’s just a fantastic song and sits as one of my favourites.
1. Black Sabbath — “Heaven and Hell” (1980)
No heavy metal list would be complete without Black Sabbath on it. And while Ozzy’s work with them definitely paved the way for many future bands, it’s Dio who claims the number one spot with this heavy metal classic, “Heaven and Hell”. The song features several awesome bass lines and an entertaining overarching theme. A song about the dichotomy between good and evil — the fact that we are all capable of both — is certainly alarming. The lyrics are definitely the best ones ever written in the history of heavy metal.
What guitarist Tony Iommi lacks in skill, he more than makes up for with his ability to write the best rhythm riffs. The way the song progresses from supported exclusively by bass lines to being led by Iommi’s riffs is beyond entertaining. And Dio’s vocals, again, are stunning to say the least. Ultimately, Judas Priest may be the best heavy metal band of all time, but Black Sabbath is the one responsible for the greatest heavy metal song.
Conclusion
So there you have it. Fifteen heavy metal songs in an order that attempts to be as objective as possible. If you disagree with my choices or think I left something out, let me know in a reply and I’ll try to get back to you as soon as I can.
If you’re interested, also check out my articles on the top twenty metal albums of all time.
20–11: https://kylewiseman221.medium.com/top-20-metal-albums-of-all-time-numbers-20-11-4e984b1a2c4e
10–1: https://kylewiseman221.medium.com/top-20-metal-albums-of-all-time-numbers-10-1-ada4274619db
For now, keep metal alive, my fellow warriors!
