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1.
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Blue Cheer - Vincebus Eruptum
Summertime Blues (1968): This is often considered as the first heavy metal song ever. |
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2.
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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. |
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3.
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Vanilla Fudge - Renaissance
Thoughts (1968): The entire album is great. |
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4.
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Gun - Gun
Race With The Devil (1968): Brilliant song. |
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5.
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Steppenwolf - Steppenwolf
Born To Be Wild (1968): This is the first use of the term heavy metal in lyrics. |
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6.
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Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin
Communication Breakdown; Dazed And Confused (1969): "Communication Breakdown" is often seen as a predecessor to speed metal. |
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7.
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Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II
Whole Lotta Love (1969) |
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8.
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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. |
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9.
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King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King
21st Century Schizoid Man (1969): The most metallic song on this first prog rock album. |
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10.
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Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath; N.I.B. (1970): "Black Sabbath" is arguably the first doom metal song ever, and probably the most influential metal song ever. N.I.B. is my personal favourite Black Sabbath song. |
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11.
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Black Sabbath - Paranoid
Paranoid; Iron Man (1970) |
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12.
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Sir Lord Baltimore - Kingdom Come
Kingdom Come (1970): A predecessor to stoner. |
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13.
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Deep Purple - In Rock
Speed King; Child In Time (1970) |
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14.
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Mountain - Climbing!
Theme From An Imaginary Western (1970) |
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15.
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Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin III
The Immigrant Song (1970): Because of its lyrics it is sometimes called the first viking metal song ever. |
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16.
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Lucifer's Friend - Lucifer's Friend
Ride The Sky (1970) |
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17.
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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. |
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18.
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Uriah Heep - Salisbury
Bird Of Prey (1971). |
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19.
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Uriah Heep - Look At Yourself
July Morning; Look At Yourself (1971): July Morning is Uriah Heep's masterpiece epic. |
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20.
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Deep Purple - Fireball
Fireball (1971) |
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21.
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Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV
Stairway To Heaven (1971) |
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22.
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Mountain - Nantucket Sleighride
Nantucket Sleighride (1971) |
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23.
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Alice Cooper - Killer
Halo Of Flies (1971): This is the closest Alice Cooper has come to prog metal. |
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24.
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Jethro Tull - Aqualung
Aqualung; Wind Up (1971) |
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25.
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Pentagram - Be Forewarned
Be Forewarned (1972): Released as a single 1972 under the name Macabre. |
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26.
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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. |
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27.
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Uriah Heep - Demons And Wizards
Easy Livin' (1972) |
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28.
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Elf - Elf
Never More (1972): Early great song with Ronnie James Dio. |
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29.
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Budgie - Never Turn Your Back On A Friend
Breadfan (1973) |
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30.
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Uriah Heep - Sweet Freedom
Pilgrim (1973): This is the most metallic Uriah Heep song, and a predecessor to power metal. |
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31.
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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. |
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32.
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Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973): The best song on this more experimental album. |
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33.
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Led Zeppelin - Houses Of The Holy
Over The Hills And Far Away (1973) |
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34.
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Aerosmith - Aerosmith
Dream On (1973): One of the best hard rock ballads, although not very metallic. |
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35.
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Queen - Queen II
Orge Battle (1974): Sometimes considered as an early heavy metal song. |
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36.
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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. |
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37.
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Scorpions - Fly To The Rainbow
Fly To The Rainbow (1974) |
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38.
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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. |
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39.
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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. |
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40.
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Uriah Heep - Return To Fantasy
Return To Fantasy (1975) |
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41.
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Budgie - Bandolier
Napoleon Bona-Part One; Napoleon Bona-Part Two (1975) |
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42.
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Queen - A Night At The Opera
Bohemian Rhapsody (1975) |
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43.
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Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti
Kashmir (1975) |
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44.
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Alice Cooper - Welcome To My Nightmare
The Black Widow (1975) |
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45.
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Zane - Step Aside
Step Aside (1976): This is an obscure song that almost sounds like industrial metal. |
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46.
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Rainbow - Rising
Tarot Woman; Stargazer (1976): This album was influential for power metal. |
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47.
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Rush - 2112
2112 (1976) |
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48.
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Blue Öyster Cult - Agents Of Fortune
Don't Fear The Reaper (1976) |
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49.
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Scorpions - In Trance
In Trance (1976) |
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50.
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Judas Priest - Sad Wings Of Destiny
Victim Of Changes; Tyrant (1976) |
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51.
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Kiss - Destroyer
God Of Thunder (1976): The most metallic Kiss song in the 70's. |
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52.
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Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak
Emerald (1976) |
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53.
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Quartz - Quartz
Mainline Riders (1977): This sounds like a predecessor to "Heaven & Hell" and "Holy Diver". |
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54.
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Riot - Rock City
Warrior (1977): An early speed metal song. |
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55.
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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. |
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56.
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Judas Priest - Sin After Sin
Diamonds & Rust (1977) |
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57.
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Sorcery - Sinister Soldiers
Last Good-bye; Snowshit (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. |
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58.
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Rainbow - Long Live Rock & 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. |
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59.
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Heavy Load - Full Speed At High Level
Son Of The Northern Light (1978): Early Swedish heavy metal. |
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60.
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Judas Priest - Stained Class
Exciter (1978): Influential speed metal song. |
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61.
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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. |
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62.
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Thin Lizzy - Black Rose
Roisin Dubh (Black Rose) - A Rock Legend (1979) |
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63.
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Motörhead - Overkill
Overkill (1979): Especially the fast drumming have been influential. |
