Published in March 2023, the list of the best heavy metal songs released by the American magazine Rolling Stone features 100 songs selected by a group of writers and music critics. Part of this group had previously published an article in the magazine about the best heavy metal albums of all time , and here they also include artists from that previous list.
The list includes different groups of people who admire heavy metal, or headbangers, as the publication defines them. It covers black metal, with "Curse You All Men" by the Norwegian band Emperor , glam metal from the American band Ratt , with "Round and Round", progressive metal with "Pull Me Under" by Dream Theater , nu metal with "My Own Summer (Shove It)" by Deftones or the song "Blind" by Korn , among other genres.
, as well as solo female singers, appear on the list, showcasing the great power of female metal. Completing this segment, the list includes Evanescence in forty-third place with the acclaimed "Bring Me To Life," as well as the British group Girlschool with "Yeah Right," the Canadian band Kittie with "Spit," and singer Lita Ford , formerly of The Runaways , with "Kiss Me Deadly."
Brazilian artists and even hip hop artists are also on the list! With "Refuse/Resist," the Minas Gerais-based group Sepultura represents Brazilian heavy metal bands on the list. Occupying the ninetieth spot for best song is "Bring The Noise" by Anthrax featuring the American hip hop group Public Enemy .
The publication cites the history of metal from its beginnings, using the cover of "Summertime Blue" by the American group Blue Cheer as a good example of what they consider the foundation of metal: heavy riffs. It's important to note that this is a 1958 song by a rockabilly singer that originally has a very different sound from the one released by Blue Cheer in 1968. Furthermore, the text also mentions other groups that were responsible for what we know as heavy metal today, such as Black Sabbath and Judas Priest , for example.
Rolling Stone makes it clear that heavy metal, through its aggressive lyrics, heavy drums, and strident vocals, has become a cultural force throughout its history, which began in the late 1960s and today has millions of followers worldwide. "Metal has always been about overcoming fear and finding a community among like-minded outsiders. It's about unity," the publication states.
Check out the list in descending order:
100: “Welcome To Hell” – Venom
99: “Planets Collide” – Crowbar
98: “Executioner's Tax (Swing Of The Axe)” – Power Trip
97: “43% Burnt” – The Dillinger Escape Plan
96: “Yeah Right” – Girschool
95: “Davidian” – Machine Head
94: “In The Meantime” – Helmet
93: “Hammer Smashed Face” – Cannibal Corpse
92: “All We Are” – Warlock
91: “Pull Me Under” – Dream Theater
90: “Bring The Noise” – Anthrax & Public Enemy
89: “You Can't Bring Me Down” – Suicidal Tendencies
88: “This Time” – Life Of Agony
87: “Slaughter Of The Soul” – At The Gates
86: “21st Century Schizoid Man” – King Crimson
85: “There Goes The Neighborhood” – Body Count
84: “Thunder Kiss '65” – White Zombie
83: “World Eater” – Bolt Thrower
82: “Spit” – Kittie
81: “We're Not Gonna Take It” – Twisted Sister
80: “My Own Summer (Shove It)” – Deftones
79: “Balls To The Wall” – Accept
78: “Concubine” – Converge
77: “Jesus Christ Pose” – Soundgarden
76: “A Fine Day To Die” – Bathory
75: “Youth Gone Wild” – Skid Row
74: “Chopped In Half” – Obituary
73: “Du Hast” – Rammstein
72: “You Suffer” – Napalm Death
71: “Blood And Thunder” – Mastodon
70: “Flying Whales” – Gojira
69: “Evil” – Mercyful Fate
68: “Runnin' With The Devil” – Van Halen
67: “Blind” – Korn
66: “Bang Your Head (Metal Health)”
– Quiet
Riot 65
Over My Head ” – King's
61: “We Will Rise” – Arch Enemy
60: “People = Shit” – Slipknot
59: “Freezing Moon” – Mayhem
58: “Refuse/Resist” – Sepultura
57: “The Cry Of Mankind” – My Dying Bride
56: “Bark At The Moon” – Ozzy Osbourne
55: “Caffeine” – Faith No More
54: “Photograph” – Def Leppard
53: “Forty Six & 2” – Tool
52: “Deliverance” – Opeth
51: “Slateman” – Godflesh
50: “Procreation (Of The Wicked)” – Celtic Frost
49: “Just One Fix” – Ministry
48: “Walk In The Shadows” – Queensryche
47: “Locust Star” – Neurosis
46: “Night Goat” – Melvins
45: “Symphony Of Destruction” – Megadeth
44: “Green Machine” – Kyuss
43: “Bring Me To Life” – Evanescence
42: “Curse You All Men!” – Emperor
41: “Bleed” – Meshuggah
40: “Victim Of Changes” – Judas Priest
39: “For Whom The Bell Tolls” – Metallica
38: “Killing In The Name” – Rage Against The Machine
37: “Chop Suey!” – System Of A Down
36: “Rock You Like A Hurricane” – Scorpions
35: “Fade To Black” – Metallica
34: “Smoke On The Water” – Deep Purple
33: “Kiss Me Deadly” – Lita Ford
32: “Mother” – Danzig
31: “Heaven And Hell” – Black Sabbath
30: “Enter Sandman” – Metallica
29: “Walk” – Pantera
28: “Holy Wars…The Punishment Due” – Megadeth
27: “Living After Midnight” – Judas Priest
26: “Am I Evil?” – Diamond Head
25: “Rainbow In The Dark” – Dio
24: “South Of Heaven” – Slayer
23: “Shout At The Devil” – Mötley Crüe
22: “Caught In A Mosh” – Anthrax
21: “The Trooper” – Iron Maiden
20: “Round And Round” – Ratt
19: “Peace Sells” – Megadeth
18: “Immigrant Song” – Led Zeppelin
17: “Back In Black” – AC/DC
16: “Hallowed Be Thy Name” – Iron Maiden
15: “Angel Of Death” – Slayer
14: “Stargazer” – Rainbow
13: “Paranoid” – Black Sabbath
12: “Cult Of Personality” – Living Color
11: “One” – Metallica
10: “Run To The Hills” – Iron Maiden
9: “Holy Diver” – Dio
8: “Raining Blood” – Slayer
7: “Iron Man” – Black Sabbath
6: “Crazy Train” – Ozzy Osbourne
5: “War Pigs” – Black Sabbath
4: “Breaking The Law” – Judas Priest
3: “Ace Of Spades” – Motörhead
2: “Master Of Puppets” – Metallica
1: “Black Sabbath” – Black Sabbath
Listen to the playlist on Spotify:
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