Heavy Metal (like most people I imagine) was one of the first metal genres I got into around 2005. My friend introduced me to Iron Maiden and from there I was hooked! He would recommend me which of their albums to buy each month from HMV with my saved up pocket money (one of the highlights of the month). Thanks to MS, I've now discovered many more incredible heavy metal bands such as Judas Priest, Deep Purple and King Diamond.

So here are my favourites of the genre with my rating, its sub-genre and release year:

(Score is an average of each album's song ratings, full list located here)

If you discovered any new albums or like the same sort of heavy metal, be sure to give this list a thumbs-up and leave a comment so more people can find these amazing bands!

My other lists:
Top 500 Albums (ordered & rated)
Top 25 EPs (also ordered & rated)
Top 200 Overlooked Albums (with genres)
Top 200 Overrated Albums (trigger warning)
So I Heard You Like Wintersun... (Time II find new bands)

1.Iron Maiden - Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son

2.Metallica - Metallica

3.Iron Maiden - Powerslave

4.Judas Priest - Painkiller

5.Deep Purple - Machine Head

      View entire list ››

1.Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast

2.Iron Maiden - Powerslave

3.Iron Maiden - Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son

4.Iron Maiden - Piece Of Mind

5.Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden

      View entire list ››

Disclaimer: Many unpopular opinions

1.Iron Maiden - Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son

2.Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast

3.Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time

4.Iron Maiden - Dance Of Death

5.Iron Maiden - Fear Of The Dark

      View entire list ››

This is the most unquestionably difficult ranking I could undertake. The # of albums I consider borderline flawless from each of these bands is ridiculous. Over a dozen albums from these 3 bands have legitimate arguments to be considered the greatest traditional heavy metal album of all time.

I have a few rankings that are likely hot takes here
** Yes, I like Dance of Death more than most folks. Title track and Paschendale are both top 10 Maiden songs, and Montsegur is only a small step behind that. Those 3 songs are better than anything on Brave New World to me, but the rest of BNW is better and higher quality.
** Yes I kinda like Turbo. It's silly but it's fun and the guitar work and Rob's vocals are absolutely stellar. That kinda sucks about Ram It Down, it's got some of Priests' best lead guitar work and I don't think Rob ever sounded better, but dear lord, some of those songs...
As for the top 6 albums here, honestly put them in whatever order you want. They're that close to me and mood depending it could change

1.Black Sabbath - Paranoid

2.Judas Priest - Painkiller

3.Iron Maiden - Powerslave

4.Black Sabbath - Sabotage

5.Judas Priest - Screaming For Vengeance

      View entire list ››

1.Iron Maiden - Brave New World

2.Rhapsody - Dawn Of Victory

3.Nightwish - Wishmaster

4.Children Of Bodom - Follow The Reaper

5.Mudvayne - L.D. 50

      View entire list ››

1.Iron Maiden - Powerslave

2.Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time

3.Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast

4.Iron Maiden - Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son

5.Iron Maiden - Brave New World

      View entire list ››

A ranking of Iron Maiden's studio albums from best to worst

1.Iron Maiden - Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son

2.Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast

3.Iron Maiden - Brave New World

4.Iron Maiden - Powerslave

5.Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time

      View entire list ››

1.Megadeth - Rust In Peace

2.Disforia - The Age Of Ether

3.Iron Maiden - Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son

4.Ayreon - The Theory Of Everything

5.Amorphis - Under The Red Cloud

      View entire list ››

A little list series where I list my top 20 favorite metal albums every year starting from the year I was born in.

2000 was a pretty solid year especially for progressive metal, Symphonic metal and power metal, also pretty good year for death metal. This also was the year I started to listen to metal music thanks to those iconic linkin park singles (RIP Chester Bennington).

1.Haggard - Awaking The Centuries

2.Koyaanisqatsy - From The Yearning To Burst The Perpetual Circle

3.Nevermore - Dead Heart In A Dead World

4.Pain Of Salvation - The Perfect Element, Part I

5.Iron Maiden - Brave New World

      View entire list ››

1.Pain Of Salvation - Remedy Lane

2.Evergrey - The Inner Circle

3.Dark Tranquillity - Haven

4.Pain Of Salvation - The Perfect Element, Part I

5.Nevermore - Dead Heart In A Dead World

      View entire list ››

Welcome to what I consider the "1001 Metal Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" or in other words, a list of records of various genres in the arrays of Metal and Hard Rock that I deem essential or at least very recommended to listeners of hard and heavy music. This may be a very overwhelming list but I essentially try to collect all albums in the History of Metal that strike me as worthwhile. May this be a guideline for people that seek for an entrance to a particular genre or certain bands. In no means I am saying, that this list is indisputable by any means. I consider these my personal picks for albums that should be listened to by die-hard metal fans at least once. Hopefully you can discover some new music or relate with my picks. If I missed something that you would include in such a list, please tell me in the form of a comment. Enjoy! \,,/

1.High Tide - Sea Shanties

2.Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath

3.Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin

4.Sir Lord Baltimore - Kingdom Come

5.Josefus - Dead Man

      View entire list ››

I feel like my overall favorites list is getting too long. I'm splitting it up by rating.

1.So Hideous - None But A Pure Heart Can Sing

2.Metallica - Re-Load

3.Faetooth - Remnants Of The Vessel

4.Inferi - The End Of An Era

5.Midnight Odyssey - Biolume Part 1 - In Tartarean Chains

      View entire list ››

1.Powerwolf - Bible Of The Beast

2.Iron Maiden - Brave New World

3.HammerFall - Renegade

4.HammerFall - Crimson Thunder

5.HammerFall - Threshold

      View entire list ››

Ratings go from:

WORSHIP ❤️❤️❤️: Absolute greatness, a mindblowing album.
LOVE ❤️❤️🖤: Amazing release with very few flaws.
LIKE ❤️🖤🖤: Enjoyable but far from perfect.
DISLIKE 💔: Not very good or maybe not fitting my tastes.

I've decided to stop rating albums with a numerical value as I tend to feel uncomfortable with that. This list has a minimalistic, subjective and visceral approach, based purely on sensations and personal tastes. Mainly for personal use and doesn't pretend to be a serious ranking, but emerges from the need to remember which bands and albums I enjoyed and the ones I disliked. I constantly revisit new releases so first impressions may change over time. It usually takes 8-10 spins for me to get completely sure of a rating.

1.Æther Realm - Tarot

2.Abhoria - Abhoria

3.Acid Bath - When The Kite String Pops

4.Agrypnie - Metamorphosis

5.Allegaeon - Fragments Of Form And Function

      View entire list ››

Iron Maiden have made more appearances in these than any other band so far and this is the first time they got the number one spot in one of my lists. Congratulations guys, it took 20 years but you finally did it! A career high point, no doubt.

Also includes: another poser alert!
(But I stand by it and be honest, half of us millennials probably found this music thanks to that album.)

1.Iron Maiden - Brave New World

2.Deströyer 666 - Phoenix Rising

3.Nevermore - Dead Heart In A Dead World

4.Halford - Resurrection

5.Watain - Rabid Death's Curse

      View entire list ››