100 Metal/Hard Rock Masterpieces
by Junomoogmello 
This chart may draw disagreement from some people. That is fine. There is much debate on where the boundaries lies between heavy rock, rock, heavy metal, progressive metal and more latterly the various sub-genres of metal like power metal, death metal, speed metal, thrash, et al. One point I would make, when albums like Deep Purple in Rock and the Black Sabbath debut were released, the other sub-genres of heavy metal did not exist. At that time, Led Zeppelin were coined as a heavy metal band (which they hated being classed as) personally, I think they sit more closely to progressive rock. Long songs, Mellotron, changing tempos etc. My personal taste is towards the earlier eras of metal, the first and second phase bands and then the NWOBHM bands. There are a few more modern additions but not that many. One other point, if I have included an album which I think sits under the Heavy Metal umbrella, it doesn't necessarily mean I class that band as a Heavy Metal Band. Whatever your personal views may be, I hope the albums listed (all of which I own on near mint vinyl) resonate with some of you fellow music lovers.
- Chart updated: 10/06/2024 16:15
- (Created: 09/07/2024 10:40).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 0 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and this chart has not been rated yet. Please log in or create an account to leave a comment or assign a rating.
View the complete list of 60,000 charts on BestEverAlbums.com from The Charts page.
With the frightening cover image (which isn’t even a church backdrop) along with the opening track atmosphere set with its heavy rain, tolling bell, thunder and doom laden guitar chords, backed with beaters on the floor toms, this is a classic album deserving of poll position. The guitar and bass interplay could easily be overlooked, particularly during the guitar soloing. And has a harmonica ever sounded more morose as it does on track two? The standard never lets up with ‘Evil Woman’ and ‘Sleeping Village’ on side two becoming classic Sabbath tracks. In first position because it started a whole generation of metal bands.
[First added to this chart: 09/07/2024]
Year of Release:
1970
Appears in:
Rank Score:
6,392
Rank in 1970:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
I am not sure if Deep Purple ever recognised themselves as a heavy metal band, rock yes, heavy rock perhaps and some but not all of their music was metal. They were however major contributors to the first wave of metal bands which emerged during the early seventies as psychedelia gradually morphed into either progressive rock or metal. For me, this is Purple at their best. ‘Child in Time’ is reason enough to own the album. There are many other gems hidden within and let’s not overlook that unforgettable cover art. ‘Child in Time’ has to be my favourite Deep Purple track of all time.
[First added to this chart: 09/07/2024]
Year of Release:
1970
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,519
Rank in 1970:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Selecting a Led Zeppelin album for this chart was hard. IV is a better album but that sits in my Progressive Chart which I think is where it should sit. This album has the right blend of rock and how could I not include the album with ‘Whole Lotta Love’?
[First added to this chart: 09/28/2024]
Year of Release:
1969
Appears in:
Rank Score:
20,379
Rank in 1969:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
One of the first albums I ever bought and still a favourite within my collection some forty years since later! Hard Rock, Heavy Rock, Heavy Metal? There are tracks which sit within all sub-genres to be honest. When I saw April Wine on the Old Grey Whistle Test on New Years Eve in around 1984, they were for sure a heavy metal band and a bloody good one. Hailing from Halifax in Nova Skotia, they were a big name band in Canada and America but no doubt overshadowed by the metal bands which had risen out of the UK in the late 70’s.
[First added to this chart: 09/21/2024]
One of the first albums which I bought on vinyl. With sleeve artwork to rival any progressive album, this superb album could also sit in a Progressive Chart. For some time they were tagged ‘the poor man’s Deep Purple’. The only real comparison is the heavy use of a Hammond Organ which helps to identify their sound, moreso than the Hammond does with Purple. With song titles like Rainbow Demon and The Wizard, one could be forgiven this is some type of ‘concept album’. It isn’t, it’s just a great collection of hard rockin songs which I enjoy listening to as much today as I did when I bought the album forty years ago!
[First added to this chart: 10/05/2024]
Year of Release:
1972
Appears in:
Rank Score:
918
Rank in 1972:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Excellent album from Rush, sitting more in the Hard Rock camp than the Progressive camp. There are obviously even better Rush albums which you will find in my Progressive chart.
[First added to this chart: 09/28/2024]
Year of Release:
1980
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,971
Rank in 1980:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Is this one of the best debut albums by any rock band ever? I think it could be. Classic Southern Rock sailing close to metal in many areas.
[First added to this chart: 09/28/2024]
Year of Release:
1973
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,665
Rank in 1973:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
This was the first heavy metal album I purchased and at the time, I thought that it was heavy as hell! I love this album and still have the original vinyl with the David Lee Roth poster intact! Not a weak track throughout, full of creativity. Favourite tracks are ‘Take Your Whiskey Home’, ‘In a Simple Rhyme’ and the title track. For me, this is Van Halen at their peak.
[First added to this chart: 09/08/2024]
Year of Release:
1980
Appears in:
Rank Score:
477
Rank in 1980:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
This could quite as easily taken the number one spot. The first Sabbath album I was exposed to, a mate used to play his older brother’s copy to me on his dad’s separates system and it sounded incredible. The album artwork always had a scary feel to it, particularly the two versions of the recently departed man on the bed. Some of my favourite Sabbath work sits on this album. The sound is far more expansive than the debut above. Piano and synthesiser are used quite extensively which adds to the musical palette. The synth used on ‘Who Are You’ has a very distinctive sound, possibly a Mini Moog, it sounds like one. There are no credits on the album notes as to who contributed the keyboards. However a little research has confirmed it to be Rick Wakeman. Yes were recording Tales From Topographic Oceans in the studio next door at the time.
[First added to this chart: 09/08/2024]
Year of Release:
1973
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,406
Rank in 1973:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Blue Oyster Cult- Heavy Metal? Yep, a lot of their music was, some more towards Hard Rock. The hook and cross amulet they use links back to an alchemy symbol for a heavy metal. Massively overshadowed by the uk metal heavyweights, they tended to be classed more in the hard rock genre. There is only one issue with this album, it isn’t long enough. This could so easily have been made into a double. Although the tracks are live, they were recorded during different concerts. Nevertheless, the tracks blend seamlessly. Superb album. Worth owning for the blistering guitar solo on ‘Don’t Fear the Reaper’!
[First added to this chart: 09/22/2024]
Total albums: 100. Page 1 of 10
Don't agree with this chart? Create your own from the My Charts page!
100 Metal/Hard Rock Masterpieces composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1960s | 1 | 1% | |
| 1970s | 36 | 36% | |
| 1980s | 48 | 48% | |
| 1990s | 4 | 4% | |
| 2000s | 5 | 5% | |
| 2010s | 3 | 3% | |
| 2020s | 3 | 3% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| Black Sabbath | 9 | 9% | |
| Saxon | 7 | 7% | |
| Deep Purple | 5 | 5% | |
| Iron Maiden | 5 | 5% | |
| Whitesnake | 4 | 4% | |
| Van Halen | 4 | 4% | |
| AC/DC | 4 | 4% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| |
56 | 56% | |
 |
25 | 25% | |
 |
6 | 6% | |
 |
5 | 5% | |
 |
4 | 4% | |
 |
2 | 2% | |
 |
1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
100 Metal/Hard Rock Masterpieces chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 10 from 13th to 3rdLed Zeppelin II by Led Zeppelin |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 1 from 3rd to 4thHarder.....Faster by April Wine |
| Down 1 from 4th to 5thDemons & Wizards by Uriah Heep |
| Down 1 from 5th to 6thPermanent Waves by Rush |
100 Metal/Hard Rock Masterpieces similar charts
| Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custom chart |  MetalMan67 | Custom chart | 2025 | |
| FAVORITE HARD ROCK & METAL |  Captain_Dude | Custom chart | 2014 | |
| 100 Hardrock/Metal-Alben by Rolling Stone Deutschland (2014) | LosWochos | Custom chart | 2023 | |
| Top Hard Rock & Metal Albums | adbrack1988 | Custom chart | 2025 | |
| Top 99 Music Albums of the 1980s | MetalMan67 | 1980s decade chart | 2026 | |
| Top 81 Music Albums of the 1980s |  UofTBlues | 1980s decade chart | 2022 | |
| Greatest Rock Albums of All Time by Classic Rock | Johnnyo | Custom chart | 2023 | |
| The 100 Greatest Rock Albums Of All Time | Classic Rock | Overall chart | 2001 | |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums | MetalMan67 | Overall chart | 2023 | |
| Top 100 Greatest Music Albums | lukinais | Overall chart | 2013 |  |
100 Metal/Hard Rock Masterpieces similarity to your chart(s)
Not a member? Creating an account is quick, easy and FREE!
Join 50,000+ music fans
- Join a community of over 50,000 music fans.
- Create & share your own charts.
- Influence the overall album rankings.
- Post comments in the forums and vote on polls.
- Comment on or rate any album, artist, track or chart.
- Discover new music & improve your music collection.
- Customise the overall chart using a variety of different filters & metrics.
- Create a wishlist of albums.
- Unlock Dark Mode and other member features.
- Help maintain the BEA database.
- Earn member points and gain access to increasing levels of functionality!
- And much more.
Join now It only takes a moment.
Other custom charts by Junomoogmello
Junomoogmello has shared 2 more fun charts with the community. Browse them all here.
| Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200 Mind Expanding Psychedelic Albums Pt1 | Junomoogmello | Custom chart | 2025 | |
| 200 Mind Expanding Psychedelic Albums Pt2 | Junomoogmello | Custom chart | 2025 | |
| 100 Best Music of the Eighties | Junomoogmello | Custom chart | 2024 | |
100 Metal/Hard Rock Masterpieces ratings
Not enough data Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AVwhere:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.
Please log in or create an account if you want to be able to leave a rating
100 Metal/Hard Rock Masterpieces favourites
Please log in or create an account if you want to be able to add a favourite
100 Metal/Hard Rock Masterpieces comments
Be the first to add a comment for this Chart - add your comment!
Please log in or create an account if you want to be able to add a comment
Your feedback for 100 Metal/Hard Rock Masterpieces
What do you think of this chart? Leave a comment or rate it below!
Log in or create an account to rate this chart, leave comments and join the discussion.
