So Rolling Stone released a top 100 metal albums of all time list, so I thought I'd put it into topsters and share it here. Thoughts?



I personally don't like it. The ranking is all over the place, and it left out a ton of stuff. I understand more extreme and undergroung releases logically wouldn't make it into a list by Rolling Stone, but I guess I just expected something a little better. It seems like they put no time or thought into the order.

Hmm, only 5 or 6 that are or might be in my top 100 (not that I was expecting many), but way better than I was expecting from the title. And Master Of Puppets isn't number 1, which is a good bonus.

Written by M C Vice on 22.06.2017 at 03:24

but way better than I was expecting from the title.

I have to disagree. The more I think about it, this is a really bad list. Here are some random things I personally don't like about it (maybe I should have put this in the original post):

AJFA is ranked too high
there is only one Motorhead album. While I am not the biggest fan, most lists would have a bunch of their albums. However, a lot of them are the same so it doesn't really matter. Also, everyone loves Ace Of Spades, so why isn't that up there???
Jane Doe isn't a metal album
Evanescence? I mean what the fuck? They are barely even metal, more hard rock/rap rock.
Deafheaven is not necessary
Gojira and DT are kind of low. I can understand Gojira, but DT is a very popular band. I figure Rolling Stone should put more popular things higher.
If you're gonna put a Van Halen album, make it the debut.
Streetcleaner is way too low. It is a revolutionary album, and one of the first industrial metal albums. For me, thats top 40 or 50 material
Same thing with Slaughter Of The Soul
AEnima but no Lateralus?

I sound kind of bad here.
But please understand, popular does not always equal good.

Written by Guest on 22.06.2017 at 04:21

Written by M C Vice on 22.06.2017 at 03:24

but way better than I was expecting from the title.

I have to disagree. The more I think about it, this is a really bad list.
...
But please understand, popular does not always equal good.

Since it was from a popular mag, I expected popular choices. Which, in all honesty, could have been much worse. Besides, look up Hit Parader's list of the top 100 metal vocalists and you'll see why my expectations are so low for these sort of things.

Not even a single Nirvana album? Epic fail for Rolling Stone again!

Written by Guest on 22.06.2017 at 04:21


there is only one Motorhead album. While I am not the biggest fan, most lists would have a bunch of their albums. However, a lot of them are the same so it doesn't really matter. Also, everyone loves Ace Of Spades, so why isn't that up there???

The weirdest thing is not so much that there is just one Motörhead album listed here, but the fact the Mot"rhead album they list is a compilation album featuring just four new songs: "Snaggletooth", "Steal Your Face", "Locomotive", "Killed by Death"

Predictable list for the most part as I'm sure most people expected. Like Marcel said, it's weird that they picked a compilation album of Motörhead for their top 100.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 22.06.2017 at 11:52

Written by Guest on 22.06.2017 at 04:21


there is only one Motorhead album. While I am not the biggest fan, most lists would have a bunch of their albums. However, a lot of them are the same so it doesn't really matter. Also, everyone loves Ace Of Spades, so why isn't that up there???

The weirdest thing is not so much that there is just one Motörhead album listed here, but the fact the Mot"rhead album they list is a compilation album featuring just four new songs: "Snaggletooth", "Steal Your Face", "Locomotive", "Killed by Death"

Yeah, it is very odd. I think its the only comp here

Do they still refer to the Black Sabbath guitarist as Tommy Iommi?

jesus they left that on their Top 100 guitarists for YEARS without correcting it.

simply cannot take rolling stone seriously in regards ot metal... readership must be flagging if they have started metal content.

No Painkiller in the top 10, instead there is British Steel, so pretty pointless to read the rest of a lame list. And including a Motorhead compilation album makes it even more embarrassing.

Written by BitterCOld on 27.06.2017 at 23:26

Do they still refer to the Black Sabbath guitarist as Tommy Iommi?

jesus they left that on their Top 100 guitarists for YEARS without correcting it.

simply cannot take rolling stone seriously in regards ot metal... readership must be flagging if they have started metal content.

Wow I didn't know that. I don't read RS, I just saw this and thought I should share it here.

After this horrid list and the info you have just provided me with, I agree. Taking Rolling Stone seriously with metal is stupid.

Written by nikarg on 28.06.2017 at 02:18

No Painkiller in the top 10, instead there is British Steel, so pretty pointless to read the rest of a lame list. And including a Motorhead compilation album makes it even more embarrassing.

I dislike Painkiller, so I can't relate.

I'm not really scared to say that^, it's just an unpopular opinion.

Their best is SWOD fo' shizzle, no question.

EDIT: I should explain why I dislike Painkiller. It's as if Priest was trying way too hard to sound like the 90s style of "Groove Metal" bands (i. e. Pantera), and ultimately failed at making anything memorable. I kind of see why so many people praise the drumming and vocals and shit, but to me it feels way to forced.

Written by Guest on 28.06.2017 at 02:27

Written by nikarg on 28.06.2017 at 02:18

No Painkiller in the top 10, instead there is British Steel, so pretty pointless to read the rest of a lame list. And including a Motorhead compilation album makes it even more embarrassing.

I dislike Painkiller, so I can't relate.

I'm not really scared to say that^, it's just an unpopular opinion.

Their best is SWOD fo' shizzle, no question.

EDIT: I should explain why I dislike Painkiller. It's as if Priest was trying way too hard to sound like the 90s style of "Groove Metal" bands (i. e. Pantera), and ultimately failed at making anything memorable. I kind of see why so many people praise the drumming and vocals and shit, but to me it feels way to forced.

You don't have to explain your taste mate, no one does, it's all cool. However, groove metal did not exist yet in 1990 when Painkiller came out, believe me I was there. Judas Priest did not follow, they led the path. Halford did take this route you are talking about with his band Fight and the War Of Words album, but this has nothing to do with Painkiller. I agree with you that SWoD is indeed a groundbreaking release and could have taken the place of British Steel in the list.

Written by nikarg on 28.06.2017 at 14:51

However, groove metal did not exist yet in 1990 when Painkiller came out, believe me I was there. Judas Priest did not follow, they led the path.

Well, not to get technical, but I thought Pantera's Cowboys From Hell was groove metal, and that came out the same year. According to Metallum, it came out a couple months before. Now I'm not stupid enough to think that the guys in Priest heard that album and thought they should do something similar and recorded Painkiller in a couple of months, I guarantee they didn't, but I thought groove metal existed in 1990 (I don't know a lot about the genre)

Groove metal did exist in 1990. It was just called thrash metal back then only years later people someohow started calling it groove and not thrash anymore.

Written by Guest on 28.06.2017 at 15:19

Written by nikarg on 28.06.2017 at 14:51

However, groove metal did not exist yet in 1990 when Painkiller came out, believe me I was there. Judas Priest did not follow, they led the path.

Well, not to get technical, but I thought Pantera's Cowboys From Hell was groove metal, and that came out the same year. According to Metallum, it came out a couple months before. Now I'm not stupid enough to think that the guys in Priest heard that album and thought they should do something similar and recorded Painkiller in a couple of months, I guarantee they didn't, but I thought groove metal existed in 1990 (I don't know a lot about the genre)

There is no other album that came out in 1990 and can be defined as groove metal (at least that I am aware of, but if you do know another please tell me). In my mind one single album does not mean that there is an existing genre. It started this way, but it took at least a couple of years to expand and for more bands to adopt this sound (Machine Head, post-Max Sepultura, post-Belladonna Anthrax, etc). So the style did develop in the 1990s, but definitely not in 1990. The two albums indeed came out a couple of months apart, I own both first press CDs. In any case, Painkiller sounds nothing like Pantera or groove metal for that matter, not even Marcel would dare say that. Halford, however, liked Pantera and the band supported Priest in the Painkiller tour. What I am trying to tell you is that it's ok not to like Painkiller of course, but not because Priest tried "way too hard to sound like the 90s style of "Groove Metal" bands (i. e. Pantera)". As for the statement that they "ultimately failed at making anything memorable", there is nothing I can say really, you already know that most people would disagree. Btw I hate groove metal with passion, Pantera is an exception.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 28.06.2017 at 15:43

Groove metal did exist in 1990. It was just called thrash metal back then only years later people someohow started calling it groove and not thrash anymore.

Please name just one more band.

Written by nikarg on 28.06.2017 at 16:06

In my mind one single album does not mean that there is an existing genre.

It started this way, but it took at least a couple of years to expand and for more bands to adopt this sound (Machine Head, post-Max Sepultura, post-Belladonna Anthrax, etc). So the style did develop in the 1990s, but definitely not in 1990.

What I am trying to tell you is that it's ok not to like Painkiller of course, but not because Priest tried "way too hard to sound like the 90s style of "Groove Metal" bands (i. e. Pantera)". As for the statement that they "ultimately failed at making anything memorable", there is nothing I can say really, you already know that most people would disagree. Btw I hate groove metal with passion, Pantera is an exception.

I agree, I was trying to ask you if you knew of other "groove-y" albums at the time. I personally never understood groove metal, I just thought it was like thrash being played slower, I don't really know.

Well, thanks for helping learn my groove metal history

That is not the only reason I dislike Painkiller. The style of music itself also doesn't suit me.

Written by Guest on 28.06.2017 at 16:33

I agree, I was trying to ask you if you knew of other "groove-y" albums at the time. I personally never understood groove metal, I just thought it was like thrash being played slower, I don't really know.

Well, thanks for helping learn my groove metal history

You're welcome Actually Marcel is right, back in the day we called it thrash and the terms groove metal or groove thrash were used much later. (it's one of the very few things I have found myself agreeing with Marcel lol)

Written by nikarg on 28.06.2017 at 16:09

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 28.06.2017 at 15:43

Groove metal did exist in 1990. It was just called thrash metal back then only years later people someohow started calling it groove and not thrash anymore.

Please name just one more band.

Exhorder

Written by nikarg on 28.06.2017 at 16:06

Halford, however, liked Pantera and the band supported Priest in the Painkiller tour.

Halford especially liked Anselmo I got/witnessed a great anecdote about Halford, Anselmo and the female tour manager from that tour.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 28.06.2017 at 16:56

I got/witnessed a great anecdote about Halford, Anselmo and the female tour manager from that tour.

That anecdote being?

Well, it wasn't public at the time that Rob was gay, but it was clear for most at the time. Well, the female tour manager really dug Rob and tried to score him, even going as far as getting a breast enlargement during the tour just to impress Rob, Rob however fancied Phil a lot, even thoguh Phil was totally oblivious to that fact and Phil tried to score the female tour manager. I saw a bit of it going on backstage when Priest and Pantera and Annihilator (who were the second support on that tour) played in the Netherlands. The RoadRunner label guy, me, and Glenn and KK laughed our asses of because it was all so bleeding Obvious, except for the three involved.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 28.06.2017 at 17:24

Well, it wasn't public at the time that Rob was gay, but it was clear for most at the time. Well, the female tour manager really dug Rob and tried to score him, even going as far as getting a breast enlargement during the tour just to impress Rob, Rob however fancied Phil a lot, even thoguh Phil was totally oblivious to that fact and Phil tried to score the female tour manager. I saw a bit of it going on backstage when Priest and Pantera and Annihilator (who were the second support on that tour) played in the Netherlands. The RoadRunner label guy, me, and Glenn and KK laughed our asses of because it was all so bleeding Obvious, except for the three involved.

That's a pretty funny story

Written by Guest on 28.06.2017 at 02:25


Wow I didn't know that. I don't read RS, I just saw this and thought I should share it here.

After this horrid list and the info you have just provided me with, I agree. Taking Rolling Stone seriously with metal is stupid.

"Shit Rag"

Holy crap, they've fixed it! took years and years, but eventually someone figured it out.

too bad the internet never forgets....

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 28.06.2017 at 16:53

Written by nikarg on 28.06.2017 at 16:09

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 28.06.2017 at 15:43

Groove metal did exist in 1990. It was just called thrash metal back then only years later people someohow started calling it groove and not thrash anymore.

Please name just one more band.

Exhorder

I had completely forgotten about Exhorder even though I bought Slaughter in the Vatican at the time (and sold it afterwards because I didn't like it). It's what you said, we just called it thrash then (and it was). I'm still not convinced that groove was so widely played in 1990 to be a genre of its own.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 28.06.2017 at 17:24

Well, it wasn't public at the time that Rob was gay, but it was clear for most at the time. Well, the female tour manager really dug Rob and tried to score him, even going as far as getting a breast enlargement during the tour just to impress Rob, Rob however fancied Phil a lot, even thoguh Phil was totally oblivious to that fact and Phil tried to score the female tour manager. I saw a bit of it going on backstage when Priest and Pantera and Annihilator (who were the second support on that tour) played in the Netherlands. The RoadRunner label guy, me, and Glenn and KK laughed our asses of because it was all so bleeding Obvious, except for the three involved.

This is fuckin' hilarious man!

The top 30-50 albums on these kinds of lists are usually pretty predictable (some varied order of Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Metallica, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Slayer and Pantera albums with some other things thrown in), but this is far less eye-rollingly typical than a lot of similar lists, particularly considering who's compiling it. Furthermore, the second half could definitely be worse than this - a collection of really good albums in there sampling across almost the whole range of metal subgenres pretty much. Not huge overlap with my own personal top 100 favourites but it certainly wouldn't be a completely useless 'intro to metal' list for genre newcomers. Don't understand the album choices for Bathory, Motorhead, Lamb of God, Slipknot and Nightwish. But the only really obviously weird/rubbish choice is the Evanescence album really. Outside of that, I could probably argue for or against a lot of those albums, but at that point you're going into particulars. Overall, it's a lot better than I thought it might be

Written by Guest on 22.06.2017 at 04:21

Evanescence? I mean what the fuck? They are barely even metal, more hard rock/rap rock.

I'd say they count as alt-metal or gothic rock. Not sure where you're getting rap-rock from, since they've only had elements of rap on one single song (which they were forced to do by their label), and that sorta makes me think you don't really know what Evanescence actually sounds like. Though you're probably right to think that they still probably shouldn't have made it on this list.

In any case, I think their second album should've been the one to make it up there if any of them did, not the first, since it's the one album they have that's actually pretty good. But the first one is probably more popular, so... eh.

Quote:

AEnima but no Lateralus?

Yeah I agree with this bit. I thought Lateralus was both more popular and more highly regarded? Maybe I'm wrong.

Not many surprises...which is pretty good considering the source and their infinite love of metal.......

PS I love Painkiller. Those guitar solos are second to none and the overall crazy aggressive vibe is pure metal. There is exactly zero percent groove metal in Painkiller.