Metal Storm logo
Songs From The 60's And The 70's I Think Every Metal Fan Should Have Heard


This is a mix of my personal favourite 60's and 70's hard rock/metal songs and the more influential ones, songs that I think every metal fan need to hear. A mix of the most well-known songs to totally obscure stuff. If you think I have missed some important song you can always suggest me.

Created by: Aristarchos | 03.12.2012



1. Him & The Others
She's Got Eyes That Tell Lies (1966)
2. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced
Purple Haze (1967)
3. Cream - Disraeli Gears
Sunshine of Your love; Tales Of Brave Ulysses (1967)
4. Clear Light - Clear Light
Street Singer (1967)
5. Blue Cheer - Vincebus Eruptum
Summertime Blues (1968): This is often considered as the first heavy metal song ever.
6. Iron Butterfly - In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (1968) : The entire album is great, although it is this 17 min long title track that is classic.
7. Vanilla Fudge - Renaissance
Thoughts (1968): The entire album is great.
8. Gun - Gun
Race With The Devil (1968): Brilliant song.
9. Steppenwolf - Steppenwolf
Born To Be Wild (1968): This is the first use of the term heavy metal in lyrics.
10. Velvet Haze
Last Day on Earth (1968)
11. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin
Communication Breakdown; Dazed And Confused (1969): "Communication Breakdown" is often seen as a predecessor to speed metal.
12. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II
Whole Lotta Love (1969)
13. High Tide - Sea Shanties
Futilist's Lament (1969): This album is sometimes called the first prog metal album ever, although usually only considered as hard progressive rock, but among the hardest album from the 60's.
14. King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King
21st Century Schizoid Man (1969): The most metallic song on this first prog rock album.
15. The 31 Flavors - Hair
Distortions of Darkness (1969): The first doom metal song?
16. Bent Wind - Sussex
Sacred Cows (1969)
17. Love Sculpture
Farandole (1969): Early neoclassical metal.
18. Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath; N.I.B. (1970): "Black Sabbath" is probably the most influential metal song ever. N.I.B. is my personal favourite Black Sabbath song.
19. Black Sabbath - Paranoid
Paranoid; Iron Man (1970)
20. Sir Lord Baltimore - Kingdom Come
Kingdom Come (1970): A predecessor to stoner.
21. Deep Purple - In Rock
Speed King; Child In Time (1970)
22. Mountain - Climbing!
Theme From An Imaginary Western (1970)
23. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin III
The Immigrant Song (1970): Because of its lyrics it is sometimes called the first viking metal song ever.
24. Lucifer's Friend - Lucifer's Friend
Ride The Sky (1970)
25. Randy Holden - Population II
Keeper of the flame (1970); Heavy psych
26. Black Sabbath - Master Of Reality
Children Of The Grave; Into The Void (1971): "Children Of The Grave" is the closest from this time of an example of how heavy metal later would sound. "Into The Void" is perhaps Black Sabbath's heaviest song ever.
27. Uriah Heep - Salisbury
Bird Of Prey (1971).
28. Uriah Heep - Look At Yourself
July Morning; Look At Yourself (1971): July Morning is Uriah Heep's masterpiece epic.
29. Deep Purple - Fireball
Fireball (1971)
30. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV
Stairway To Heaven (1971)
31. Mountain - Nantucket Sleighride
Nantucket Sleighride (1971)
32. Alice Cooper - Killer
Halo Of Flies (1971): This is the closest Alice Cooper has come to prog metal.
33. Jethro Tull - Aqualung
Aqualung; Wind Up (1971)
34. Flower Travellin' Band - Satori
Satori 1 (1971)
35. Focus - Focus II
Hocus Pocus (1971)
36. Pentagram - Be Forewarned
Be Forewarned (1972): Released as a single 1972 under the name Macabre.
37. Deep Purple - Machine Head
Highway Star; Smoke On The Water (1972): "Highway Star" is often considered as the first speed metal song and is the most metallic Deep Purple song.
38. Uriah Heep - Demons And Wizards
Easy Livin' (1972)
39. Elf - Elf
Never More (1972): Early great song with Ronnie James Dio.
40. Wishbone Ash - Argus
Time Was (1972)
41. Jerusalem - Jerusalem
Frustration (1972)
42. Necronomicon - Tips zum Selbstmord
In memoriam (1972)
43. Budgie - Never Turn Your Back On A Friend
Breadfan (1973)
44. Uriah Heep - Sweet Freedom
Pilgrim (1973): This is the most metallic Uriah Heep song, and a predecessor to power metal.
45. Queen - Queen
Keep Yourself Alive; My Fairy King (1973): "Keep Yourself Alive" is the most metallic song of the album. "My Fairy King" is my second favourite Queen song ever.
46. Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973): The best song on this more experimental album.
47. Led Zeppelin - Houses Of The Holy
Over The Hills And Far Away (1973)
48. Aerosmith - Aerosmith
Dream On (1973): One of the best hard rock ballads, although not very metallic.
49. Queen - Queen II
Orge Battle (1974): Sometimes considered as an early heavy metal song.
50. Queen - Sheer Heart Attack
Stone Cold Crazy; Now I'm Here (1974): "Now I'm Here" is my favourite song here, but "Stone Cold Crazy" is the more influential, since it is sometimes seen as the start of the thrash genre.
51. Budgie - In For The Kill
Zoom Club (1974)
52. Scorpions - Fly To The Rainbow
Fly To The Rainbow (1974)
53. UFO - Phenomenon
Doctor Doctor (1974)
54. Black Sabbath - Sabotage
Symptom Of The Universe; Meglomania (1975): "Symptom Of The Universe" is sometimes considered as one of the earliest examples of thrash. These two songs could also be considered as early examples of prog metal.
55. Rainbow - Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow
Man On The Silver Mountain; Temple Of The King (1975): "Temple Of The King" is a beautiful ballad, though it has nothing to do with metal.
56. Uriah Heep - Return To Fantasy
Return To Fantasy (1975)
57. Budgie - Bandolier
Napoleon Bona-Part One Napoleon Bona-Part Two (1975)
58. Queen - A Night At The Opera
Bohemian Rhapsody (1975)
59. Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti
Kashmir (1975)
60. Alice Cooper - Welcome To My Nightmare
The Black Widow (1975)
61. Nazareth - Hair Of The Dog
Hair Of The Dog (1975)
62. Zane - Step Aside
Step Aside (1976): This is an obscure song that almost sounds like industrial metal.
63. Rainbow - Rising
Tarot Woman; Stargazer (1976): This album was influential for power metal.
64. Rush - 2112
2112 (1976)
65. Blue Öyster Cult - Agents Of Fortune
Don't Fear The Reaper (1976)
66. Scorpions - In Trance
In Trance (1976)
67. Judas Priest - Sad Wings Of Destiny
Victim Of Changes; Tyrant (1976)
68. KISS - Destroyer
God Of Thunder (1976): The most metallic Kiss song in the 70's.
69. Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak
Emerald (1976)
70. Quartz - Quartz
Mainline Riders (1977): This sounds like a predecessor to "Heaven & Hell" and "Holy Diver".
71. Riot - Rock City
Warrior (1977): An early speed metal song.
72. Scorpions - Taken By Force
We'll Burn The Sky; Steamrock Fever (1977): "We'll Burn The Sky" is a great epic, "Steamrock Fever" an uptempo song.
73. Judas Priest - Sin After Sin
Diamonds & Rust (1977)
74. Sorcery - Sinister Soldiers
Last Good-bye; Slippin' Away (1978): I love the entire album, which is often called proto-doom metal. The epic "Last Good-bye" is my favourite song on the album, although it isn't the heaviest song.
75. Rainbow - Long Live Rock 'N' Roll
Gates Of Babylon; Kill The King (1978): "Gates Of Babylon" is my favourite Rainbow song, often seen as a continuation of "Stargazer", but darker. "Kill The King" is often mentioned as the first power metal song ever.
76. Heavy Load - Full Speed At High Level
Son Of The Northern Light (1978): Early Swedish heavy metal.
77. Judas Priest - Stained Class
Exciter (1978): Influential speed metal song.
78. Legend - Fröm The Fjörds
The Destroyer; The Wizard's Vengeance (1979): The entire album here is great. This album has been called the first prog metal album, although more often labeled as epic heavy metal.
79. Thin Lizzy - Black Rose
Roisin Dubh (Black Rose) - A Rock Legend (1979)
80. Motörhead - Overkill
Overkill (1979): Especially the fast drumming have been influential.
81. Bedemon - Child Of Darkness: From The Original Master Tapes
Child of Darkness: Proto-doom metal
82. Iron Claw - Dismorphophobia
Claustrophobia: Proto-doom metal
83. Sudden Death - Suddenly
The Zoo; My time is over: Early heavy metal
84. Supernaut - Supernaut
Darkness Falls: Proto-doom metal



Disclaimer: All top lists are unofficial and do not represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
[ More lists by Aristarchos ]



Comments page 2 / 2

‹‹ Back to Lists
Comments: 38   Visited by: 255 users
16.06.2014 - 18:08
Dr. Strawberry

This is only a 70's "Pop List" for amateurs, nothing apecial at all.
How about -
1) Alvin Lee- In Flight
2) The Animals - Animalisms
3) Johnny Winter- Johnny Winter
4) The Graham Bond Organization - The Sound of 65
5) The John Dummer Band - Blue
6) Livin' Blues - Hell's Session
7) Chris Farlow - 14 Things To think About
8) Nazareth - Hair of Dog
9) Aerosmith - Rocks
10) Dust - Hard Attack
etc...
Loading...
06.08.2014 - 11:27
Aristarchos

Written by Dr. Strawberry on 16.06.2014 at 18:08

This is only a 70's "Pop List" for amateurs, nothing apecial at all.

What do you mean with "only a 70's "Pop List" for amateurs"?
Loading...
09.08.2014 - 13:03
Dr. Strawberry

Written by Aristarchos on 06.08.2014 at 11:27

Written by Dr. Strawberry on 16.06.2014 at 18:08

This is only a 70's "Pop List" for amateurs, nothing apecial at all.

What do you mean with "only a 70's "Pop List" for amateurs"?

Such as telling people you think everyone should listen to One-Direction as they are the best band in 2014....but I think they're shit !
Loading...
11.08.2014 - 15:38
Aristarchos

Written by Dr. Strawberry on 09.08.2014 at 13:03

Such as telling people you think everyone should listen to One-Direction as they are the best band in 2014....but I think they're shit !

I still have no idea what you want to say.
Loading...
11.08.2014 - 15:50
Karlabos
Meat and Potatos
I think what God Buster meant is that by making a list with songs that should be listened to just because they are influential and somehow got to be widely known among the metal/rock scene in a certain way compares to what media does nowadays, like imposing that people listen to the on top mainstream bands just because they received prizes and such stuff. Hence he does the One Direction comparison.

[/captainobvious] *fliesaway*
----
"Aah! The cat turned into a cat!"
- Reimu Hakurei
Loading...
28.08.2014 - 17:41
Aristarchos

Written by Karlabos on 11.08.2014 at 15:50

I think what God Buster meant is that by making a list with songs that should be listened to just because they are influential and somehow got to be widely known among the metal/rock scene in a certain way compares to what media does nowadays, like imposing that people listen to the on top mainstream bands just because they received prizes and such stuff. Hence he does the One Direction comparison.

[/captainobvious] *fliesaway*

But I must say that I have also listed more obscure bands like Supernaut, Sudden Death, Iron Claw, Bedemon, Zane, Sorcery etc. How many people here (except for Marcel and probably a few others) do know of all of them?
Loading...
08.02.2023 - 13:59
Aristarchos

I expanded the list with three early songs, all from the '60s, but that I consider heavy & proto-metallic enough for this list.

Him & The Others - She's got eyes that tell lies
Clear Light - Street Singer
Velvet Haze - Last Day on Earth
Loading...
15.12.2023 - 09:42
Aristarchos

Had to add Love Sculpture - Farandole. Neoclassical metal from 1969?
Loading...

Hits total: 33831 | This month: 26