Timeline of heavy metal music

This is a timeline of heavy metal or hard rock, from its beginnings in the late 1960s to the present time.

1965

Newly formed bands

• Scorpions

1966

Newly formed bands

• Blue Cheer
• Cream
• The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Albums

• Cream - Fresh Cream

1967

Newly formed bands

• Blue Öyster Cult
• Budgie
• Iron Butterfly
• Steppenwolf

Albums

• Cream - Disraeli Gears
• The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced?
• The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Axis: Bold as Love

Events

• The Monterey Pop Festival takes place, showcasing new performers such as Jimi Hendrix and The Who to America.

1968

Newly formed bands

• Accept
• Alice Cooper
• Black Sabbath
• Deep Purple
• Grand Funk Railroad
• Led Zeppelin (Evolved from The Yardbirds)
• Rush
• The Jeff Beck Group

Albums

• Blue Cheer - Vincebus Eruptum
• Blue Cheer - Outsideinside
• Cream - Wheels of Fire
• Deep Purple - Shades of Deep Purple
• Deep Purple - The Book of Taliesyn
• Iron Butterfly - Heavy
• Iron Butterfly - In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
• Steppenwolf - Steppenwolf
• Steppenwolf - Steppenwolf the Second
• The Jeff Beck Group - Truth
• The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland

Disbandments

• Cream

Events

• Blue Cheer's guitarist Leigh Stephens leaves the band after the release of the Outsideinside album. He is replaced by Randy Holden.
• Steppenwolf's bass guitarist Rushton Moreve is fired from the band. He will be eventually replaced by Nick St. Nicholas

1969

Newly formed bands

• Judas Priest
• Uriah Heep
• Mountain

Albums

• Alice Cooper - Pretties for You
• Blue Cheer - New! Improved!
• Blue Cheer - Blue Cheer
• Cream - Goodbye (Posthumous album)
• Deep Purple - Deep Purple
• Mountain - Climbing
• Grand Funk Railroad - On Time
• Grand Funk Railroad - Grand Funk
• Iron Butterfly - Ball
• Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin
• Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II
• Steppenwolf - At Your Birthday Party
• Steppenwolf - Monster
• The Jeff Beck Group - Beck-Ola

Disbandments

• The Jeff Beck Group
• The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Events

• The hard rock group The Who releases the concept album Tommy, about a deaf, dumb and blind boy who wins a mass following after becoming a pinball guru. The album's consistent themes, plot, story and interlinking songs set the template for many other hard-rock artists to attempt such concept albums.
• Deep Purple's lead singer Rod Evans is fired after the recording of the Deep Purple, and is replaced by Ian Gillan. The band's bass guitarist Nick Simper will by next to be replaced by Roger Glover on the demand on Ian Gillan.
• Guitarist Randy Holden leaves Blue Cheer after reccording 3 titles of the New! Improved! album. He is replaced by Bruce Stephens.
• Due to disagreements with John Kay, lead guitarist Michael Monarch leaves Steppenwolf after the release of the At Your Birthday Party album. He will be replaced later on by Larry Byrom.

1970

Newly formed bands

• Aerosmith
• UFO

Reformed Bands

• The Jeff Beck Group
• The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Albums

• Alice Cooper - Easy Action
• Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
• Black Sabbath - Paranoid
• Blue Cheer - The Original Human Being
• Deep Purple - Deep Purple in Rock
• Grand Funk Railroad - Closer to Home
• Iron Butterfly - Metamorphosis
• Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin III
• Steppenwolf - 7
• The Jeff Beck Group - Rough and Ready
• UFO - UFO 1
• Uriah Heep - Very 'Eavy... Very 'Umble

Disbandments

• The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Events

• Jimi Hendrix dies at 27 on September 18 in London, England from alcohol and barbiturate abuse.

1971

Newly formed bands

• Buffalo
• Queen
• Captain Beyond

Albums

• Alice Cooper - Love It to Death
• Alice Cooper - Killer
• Black Sabbath - Master of Reality
• Blue Cheer - Oh! Pleasant Hope
• Mountain - Nantucket Sleighride
• Budgie - Budgie
• Deep Purple - Fireball
• Grand Funk Railroad - Survial
• Grand Funk Railroad - E Pluribus Funk
• Led Zeppelin - Untitled fourth album
• Steppenwolf - For Ladies Only
• The Who - Who's Next
• UFO - UFO 2: Flying
• Uriah Heep - Salisbury
• Uriah Heep - Look at Yourself

Disbandments

• Iron Butterfly

Events

1972

Newly formed bands

• KISS
• Twisted Sister

Albums

• Alice Cooper - School's Out
• Black Sabbath - Vol. 4
• Blue Öyster Cult - Blue Öyster Cult
• Budgie - Squawk
• Buffalo - ''Dead Forever...
• Deep Purple - Machine Head
• The Jeff Beck Group - Jeff Beck Group
• Grand Funk Railroad - Phoenix
• Scorpions - Lonesome Crow
• Captain Beyond - Captain Beyond
• Uriah Heep - Demons and Wizards
• Uriah Heep - The Magician's Birthday

Disbandments

• Blue Cheer
• Steppenwolf
• The Jeff Beck Group

Events

1973

Newly formed bands

• AC/DC
• Montrose

Albums

• Aerosmith - Aerosmith
• Alice Cooper - Billion Dollar Babies
• Alice Cooper - Muscle of Love
• Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
• Blue Öyster Cult - Tyranny and Mutation
• Budgie - Never Turn Your Back on a Friend
• Buffalo - Volcanic Rock
• Deep Purple - Who Do We Think We Are
• Grand Funk Railroad - We're an American Band
• Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy
• Montrose - Montrose
• Queen - Queen
• Uriah Heep - Sweet Freedom

Events

1974

Newly formed bands

• Van Halen
• Y&T

Reformed Bands

• Blue Cheer
• Iron Butterfly
• Steppenwolf

Albums

• Aerosmith - Get Your Wings
• Blue Öyster Cult - Secret Treaties
• Budgie - In for the Kill!
• Buffalo - Only Want You For Your Body
• Deep Purple- Burn
• Deep Purple- Stormbringer
• Grand Funk Railroad- Shinin' On
• Grand Funk Railroad- All the Girls in the World Beware!!!
• Iron Butterfly- Scorching Beauty
• Judas Priest- Rocka Rolla
• KISS - Kiss
• KISS - Hotter Than Hell
• Montrose - Paper Money
• Queen - Queen II
• Queen - Sheer Heart Attack
• Rush - Rush
• Scorpions - Fly to the Rainbow
• Steppenwolf - Slow Flux
• UFO - Phenomenon
• Uriah Heep - Wonderworld

Events

• The drummer John Rutsey of Rush quits and Neil Peart joins as a permanent member.
• Sammy Hagar leaves Montrose to go solo.

1975

Newly formed bands

• Iron Maiden (by Steve Harris)
• Motörhead
• Quiet Riot
• Rainbow
• Ted Nugent

Albums

• AC/DC - High Voltage (Australia)
• Aerosmith - Toys In The Attic
• Alice Cooper - Welcome to My Nightmare
• Black Sabbath - Sabotage
• Budgie - Bandolier
• Deep Purple - Come Taste the Band
• Iron Butterfly- Sun and Steel
• KISS - Dressed to Kill
• Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti
• Montrose - Warner Brothers Presents... Montrose!
• Queen - A Night at the Opera
• Rainbow - Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow
• Rush - Fly by Night
• Rush - Caress of Steel
• Scorpions - In Trance
• Steppenwolf - Hour of the Wolf
• Steppenwolf - Skullduggery
• Ted Nugent - Ted Nugent
• UFO - Force It
• Uriah Heep - Return to Fantasy

Disbandments

• Blue Cheer (Hiatus)

Events

• Motörhead's original drummer, Lucas Fox, leaves the band. He is replaced by Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor.

1976

Newly formed bands

• Diamond Head
• Ratt
• Running Wild
• Saxon

Albums

• AC/DC - T.N.T
• AC/DC - High Voltage (International)
• AC/DC - Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
• Aerosmith - Rocks
• Alice Cooper - Alice Cooper Goes to Hell
• Black Sabbath - Technical [...]
• Blue Öyster Cult - Agents of Fortune
• Budgie - If I Were Brittania I'd Waive the Rules
• Buffalo - Mother's Choice
• Grand Funk Railroad - Born to Die
• Grand Funk Railroad - Good Singin', Good Playin'
• Judas Priest- Sad Wings of Destiny
• KISS - Destroyer
• KISS - Rock and Roll Over
• Led Zeppelin - Presence
• Montrose - Jump on It
• Queen - A Day at the Races
• Rainbow - Rising
• Rush - 2112
• Scorpions - Virgin Killer
• Ted Nugent - Free-for-All
• UFO - No Heavy Petting
• Uriah Heep - High and Mighty
• Y&T - Yesterday & Today

Disbandments

• Deep Purple
• Montrose
• Steppenwolf

Events

• Guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke joins Motörhead and Larry Wallis leaves after a month.

1977

Newly formed bands

• Angel Witch
• Def Leppard

Albums

• AC/DC - Let There Be Rock
• Aerosmith - Draw The Line
• Alice Cooper - Lace and Whiskey
• Blue Öyster Cult - Spectres
• Buffalo - Average Rock 'n' Roller
• KISS - Love Gun
• Judas Priest - Sin After Sin
• Motörhead - Motörhead
• Queen - News of the World
• Quiet Riot - Quiet Riot
• Rush - A Farewell to Kings
• Ted Nugent - Cat Scratch Fever
• UFO - Lights Out
• Uriah Heep - Firefly
• Uriah Heep - Innocent Victim

Disbandments

• Buffalo
• Grand Funk Railroad

Events

1978

Newly formed bands

• Dokken

Reformed bands

• Blue Cheer (End of the first hiatus)

Albums

• AC/DC - Powerage
• Alice Cooper - From the Inside
• Black Sabbath - Never Say Die!
• Budgie - Impeckable
• Judas Priest - Stained Class
• Judas Priest - [...] Machine
• Quiet Riot - Quiet Riot II
• Rainbow - Long Live Rock 'N' Roll
• Rush - Hemispheres
• Scorpions - Taken by Force
• Ted Nugent - Weekend Warriors
• UFO - Obsession
• Uriah Heep - Fallen Angel
• Van Halen - Van Halen
• Y&T - Struck Down

Events

• Def Leppard's drummer Rick Allen joins at 15 as a permanent member.

1979

Newly formed bands

• Europe
• Venom
• TSA
• KAT

Albums

• AC/DC - Highway to Hell
• Accept - Accept
• Aerosmith - Night in the Ruts
• Blue Öyster Cult - Mirrors
• Kiss - Dynasty
• Led Zeppelin - In Through the Out Door
• Motörhead - Overkill
• Motörhead - Bomber
• Motörhead - On Parole (unofficial release from sessions recorded in 1975)
• Rainbow - Down to Earth
• Saxon - Saxon
• Scorpions - Lovedrive
• Ted Nugent - State of Shock
• Van Halen - Van Halen II

Disbandments

• Blue Cheer (Second hiatus)

Events

• Ozzy Osbourne is kicked out of Black Sabbath due to heavy involvement and problems with drugs and alcohol

1980

Newly formed bands

• Manowar
• Overkill
• Ozzy Osbourne
• Turbo

Reformed bands

• Grand Funk Railroad
• Steppenwolf

Albums

• AC/DC - Back in Black
• Accept - I'm a Rebel
• Alice Cooper - Flush the Fashion
• Angel Witch - Angel Witch
• Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell
• Blue Öyster Cult - Cultösaurus Erectus
• Budgie - Power Supply
• Diamond Head - Lightning to the Nations
• Def Leppard - On Through the Night
• Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden
• Judas Priest - British Steel
• KISS - Unmasked
• Motörhead - Ace of Spades
• Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard of Ozz
• Rush - Permanent Waves
• Saxon - Wheels of Steel
• Saxon - Strong Arm of the Law
• Scorpions - Animal Magnetism
• Ted Nugent - Scream Dream
• UFO - No Place to Run
• Uriah Heep - Conquest
• Van Halen - Women and Children First

Disbandments

• Led Zeppelin

Events

• Bon Scott, lead singer of AC/DC, dies at 33 on February 19 after a binge of heavy drinking.
• John Bonham, drummer for Led Zeppelin, dies at 32 on September 25, after a binge of heavy drinking. His death was similar to Bon Scott's, and caused Led Zeppelin to disband.
• April 1: Brian Johnson joins AC/DC replacing Bon Scott as lead singer.

1981

Newly formed bands

• Anthrax
• Dark Angel
• Mercyful Fate
• Metallica
• Mötley Crüe
• Slayer

Albums

• Accept - Breaker
• Alice Cooper - Special Forces
• Black Sabbath - Mob Rules
• Blue Öyster Cult - Fire of Unknown Origin
• Budgie - Nightflight
• Grand Funk Railroad - Grand Funk Lives
• Iron Maiden - Killers
• Judas Priest - Point of Entry
• KISS - Music from "The Elder"
• Mercyful Fate - Nuns Have No Fun
• Mötley Crüe - Too Fast For Love
• Rush - Moving Pictures
• Van Halen - Fair Warning
• Venom - Welcome To Hell
• UFO - The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent
• Ozzy Osbourne - Diary Of A Madman

Disbandments

Events

• Iron Maiden lead guitarist Dennis Stratton leaves and is replaced by Adrian Smith
• Eric Carr joins KISS on drums and makes his songwriting debut with "Under the Rose".

1982

Newly formed bands

• Death Angel
• Kreator
• Napalm Death
• Pantera
• Possessed
• W.A.S.P.
• Dio
• Corrosion of Conformity

Albums

• Black Sabbath - Live Evil
• Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast
• Judas Priest - Screaming For Vengeance
• KISS - Creatures of the Night
• Led Zeppelin - Coda (album) (contained unreleased recordings before Bonham's death)
• Manowar - Battle Hymns
• Motörhead - Iron Fist
• Quiet Riot - Metal Health
• Rush - Signals
• Scorpions - Blackout
• Twisted Sister - Under the Blade
• Van Halen - Diver Down
• Y&T - Black Tiger

Disbandments

Events

• Iron Maiden's lead singer Paul Di'Anno leaves band due to heavy drinking, and is replaced by Bruce Dickinson. Iron Maiden's first album with Bruce Dickinson, The Number of the Beast, becomes the first heavy metal album to reach No.1 in the U.K. music charts.
• Motörhead's guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke leaves the band and is replaced by ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist Brian Robertson.
• Quiet Riot's Metal Health becomes the first heavy metal album to reach No.1 in the Billboard United States music charts and is followed by albums by Twisted Sister, and Mötley Crüe
• Judas Priest's single You've Got Another Thing Comin' becomes the first heavy metal single to break into the Billboard U.S. Top 20 Singles.
• Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist Randy Rhoads dies in an aeroplane accident on March 19.

1983

Newly formed bands

• Bathory
• Bon Jovi
• The Cult
• Death
• Helloween
• Mayhem
• Megadeth
• Metal Church
• Testament
• Fates Warning
• Cinderella

Albums

• AC/DC - Flick of the Switch
• Black Sabbath - Born Again
• Def Leppard - Pyromania
• Dio - Holy Diver
• Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind
• Metallica - Kill 'Em All
• Kiss - Lick It Up
• Mercyful Fate - Melissa
• Mötley Crüe - Shout At The Devil
• Motörhead - Another Perfect Day
• Slayer - Show No Mercy
• Ozzy Osbourne - Bark At The Moon

Disbandments

Events

• At the end of the year, drummer Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor and guitarist Brian Robertson leave Motörhead. The band is reborn with a new, four-piece line-up (Kilmister/Campbell/Burston/Gill).
• Dave Mustaine, lead guitar player for Metallica, is fired for [...]/alcohol abuse, and is replaced by Exodus guitarist Kirk Hammett
• Mötley Crüe - Shout At The Devil Becomes a huge hit marking one of the turning points into commercialisation of Heavy Metal. Often called "The Breakthrough Metal album"

1984

Newly formed bands

• Annihilator
• Iced Earth
• Living Colour
• Sadus
• Sepultura
• Soundgarden
• Morbid Angel

Albums

• Bon Jovi - Bon Jovi
• The Cult - Dreamtime
• Dokken - Tooth And Nail
• Iron Maiden - Powerslave
• Judas Priest - Defenders of the Faith
• KISS - Animalize
• Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Rising Force
• Manowar - Hail to England
• Metallica - Ride The Lightning
• Mercyful Fate - Don't Break The Oath
• Motörhead - No Remorse
• Quiet Riot - Condition Critical
• Rush - Grace Under Pressure
• Scorpions - Love at First Sting
• Spinal Tap - This Is Spinal Tap
• Twisted Sister - Stay Hungry
• Van Halen - 1984
• Steve Vai - Flex-Able
• W.A.S.P. - W.A.S.P.
• Bathory - Bathory
• Voivod - War and Pain
• Ratt - Out of the Cellar
• Whitesnake - Slide It In

Disbandments

Events

• Def Leppard's drummer Rick Allen loses his arm in a car accident on December 31.

1985

Newly formed bands

• Blind Guardian
• Carcass
• Dream Theater
• Guns N' Roses
• Macabre

Albums

• Aerosmith - Done With Mirrors
• Anthrax - Spreading the Disease
• Bon Jovi - 7800° Fahrenheit
• The Cult - Love
• Dokken - Under Lock And Key
• Iron Maiden - Live After Death
• Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Marching Out
• Megadeth - [...] Is My Business... And Business Is Good!
• Metal Church - Metal Church
• Overkill - Feel The Fire
• Possessed - Seven Churches
• Rush - Power Windows
• Slayer - Hell Awaits
• Y&T - Down for the Count
• Voivod - Rrröööaaarrr
• Ratt - Invasion Of Your Privacy
• Exodus- Bonded By Blood

Disbandments

• Mercyful Fate

Events

• Van Halen's former singer David Lee Roth left the band for solo career and Sammy Hagar took place for him.

1986

Newly formed bands

• Bolt Thrower
• Grave
• Immolation
• Pestilence
• Terrorizer
• Primus

Albums

• Alice Cooper - Constrictor
• Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet
• Cinderella - Night Songs
• David Lee Roth - Eat 'em and Smile
• Europe - The Final Countdown
• Fates Warning - Awaken the Guardian
• Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time
• Judas Priest - Turbo
• Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Trilogy
• Megadeth - Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?
• Metallica - Master of Puppets
• Motörhead - Orgasmatron
• Ozzy Osbourne - The Ultimate Sin
• Poison - Look What the Cat Dragged In
• Ratt - Dancing Undercover
• Slayer - Reign in Blood
• Tesla - Mechanical Resonance
• Van Halen - 5150

Disbandments

Events

• Metallica's bassist Cliff Burton dies at 24 on September 27 in a bus accident in Sweden. Jason Newsted from Phoenix band Flotsam and Jetsam is hired after auditions are held.
• The success of Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet ushers in the era of Hair Metal. The album went on to sell 28 million copies worldwide, and is currently the 21st best-selling studio album of all time.

1987

Newly formed bands

• Alice in Chains
• Asphyx
• Autopsy
• Burzum
• Cynic
• Danzig
• Entombed
• Nirvana
• Primordial
• Deicide

Albums

• AC/DC - Blow Up Your Video
• Aerosmith - Permanent Vacation
• Alice Cooper - Raise Your Fist And Yell
• Anthrax - Among the Living
• Anthrax - I'm the Man (EP)
• Black Sabbath - The Eternal Idol
• The Cult - Electric
• Death - Scream Bloody Gore
• Def Leppard - Hysteria
• Dokken - Back For The Attack
• Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction
• Judas Priest - Priest...Live!
• Metal Church - The Dark
• Motörhead - Rock 'n' Roll
• Napalm Death - Scum
• Overkill - Taking Over
• Joe Satriani - Surfing With the Alien
• Kiss - Crazy Nights
• Soundgarden - Screaming Life (EP)
• Rush - Hold Your Fire
• Testament - The Legacy
• White Lion - Pride
• Y&T - Contagious
• Mötley Crüe - Girls, Girls, Girls
• Whitesnake - Whitesnake

Disbandments

• Twisted Sister

Events

• Bon Jovi headlines the Monsters of Rock festival at Donnington, England on a bill which includes Dio, Metallica, Anthrax, Cinderella and W.A.S.P..
• Motörhead's drummer Pete Gill leaves the band and Phil Taylor returns.
• Mötley Crüe - Girls, Girls, Girls Debuts at #2 in the Billboard charts becoming the biggest album debut since Led Zeppelin's The Song Remains The Same
• Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction goes on to become the best selling debut album of all time with over 28 million copies sold to date.

1988

Newly formed bands

• Cadaver
• Carnage
• Dismember
• Skid Row
• Nine Inch Nails

Albums

• AC/DC - Blow Up Your Video
• Anthrax - State of Euphoria
• Blind Guardian - ''Battalions of Fear
• Bon Jovi - New Jersey
• David Lee Roth - Skyscraper
• Jason Becker - Perpetual Burn
• Bolt Thrower - In Battle There Is No Law
• Danzig - Danzig
• Death - Leprosy
• Dokken - Beast from the East
• Exodus - Fabulous Disaster
• Guns N' Roses - G N' R Lies
• Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
• Judas Priest - Ram It Down
• Kingdom Come - Kingdom Come
• Living Colour - Vivid
• Yngwie Malmsteen - Odyssey
• Megadeth - So Far, So Good... So What!
• Metallica - ...And Justice for All
• Motörhead - No Sleep at All (live)
• Overkill - Under the Influence
• Ozzy Osbourne - No Rest for the Wicked
• Poison - ''Open Up and Say... Ahh!'
• Ratt - Reach for the Sky'
• Scorpions - Savage Amusement
• Soundgarden - Ultramega OK
• Testament - The New Order
• Van Halen - OU812
• Winger - Winger
• Slayer - South Of Heaven

Disbandments

Events

• Iron Maiden headlines the Monsters of Rock festival at Donnington, England on a bill which includes KISS, Guns N' Roses, Megadeth, David Lee Roth and Helloween,

two fans were accidentally crushed to death during Guns N' Roses performance of "It's So Easy."

• Bon Jovi's album New Jersey sets the record for the hard rock album to spawn the most Top 10 singles, with five singles charting on the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart in United States

1989

Newly formed bands

• Cannibal Corpse
• Comecon
• Dark Tranquillity
• Unanimated
• Slaughter
• Marilyn Manson

Albums

• Aerosmith - Pump
• Alice Cooper - Trash
• Black Sabbath - Headless Cross
• Blind Guardian - Follow the Blind
• Blue [...] - Blue [...]
• Bolt Thrower - Realm Of Chaos - Slaves To Darkness
• Cinderella - Long Cold Winter
• The Cult - Sonic Temple
• Extreme - Extreme
• Faith No More - The Real Thing
• Forced Entry - Uncertain Future
• Great White - ...Twice Shy
• Kiss - Hot in the Shade
• Macabre - Gloom
• Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Trial By Fire: Live in Leningrad
• Metal Church - Blessing in Disguise
• Mr. Big - Mr. Big
• Mötley Crüe - Dr. Feelgood
• Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine
• Overkill - The Years of Decay
• Ozzy Osbourne - No Rest for the Wicked
• Primus - Suck on This (live)
• Richie Kotzen - Richie Kotzen
• Rush - A Show of Hands
• Rush - Presto
• Joe Satriani - Flying in a Blue Dream
• Sepultura - Beneath the Remains
• Skid Row - Skid Row
• Soundgarden - Louder Than Love
• Testament - Practice What You Preach
• W.A.S.P. - The Headless Children
• White Lion - Big Game
• Whitesnake - Slip of the Tongue

Disbandments

• Dokken

Events

• Primus records their live album Suck on This at Berkeley Square in Berkeley, California on February 25 and March 5.

• Cinderella, Ozzy Osbourne, The Scorpions, Mötley Crüe, Bon Jovi, and Skid Row take part in the Moscow Music Peace Festival on August 12 & August 13, 1989.

1990

Newly formed bands

• At the Gates
• Body Count
• Deftones
• Fear Factory
• Infectious Grooves
• Krisiun
• Kyuss
• Lamb of God
• Opeth
• Pearl Jam
• Tool

Albums

• AC/DC - The Razor's Edge
• Alice in Chains - Facelift
• Annihilator - Never, Neverland
• Anthrax - Persistence of Time
• Black Sabbath - Tyr (album)
• Blind Guardian - Tales from the Twilight World
• Cannibal Corpse - Eaten Back to Life
• Death Angel - Act III
• Extreme - Pornograffiti
• Iron Maiden - No Prayer for the Dying
• Judas Priest - Painkiller
• Richie Kotzen - Fever Dream
• Living Colour - Time's Up
• Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Eclipse
• Megadeth - Rust In Peace
• Monster Magnet - Monster Magnet
• Pantera - Cowboys From Hell
• Primus - Frizzle Fry
• Ratt - Detonator
• Sadus - Swallowed in Black
• Scorpions - Crazy World
• Slayer - Seasons in the Abyss
• Slaughter - Stick It to Ya
• Steve Vai - Passion and Warfare
• Testament - Souls of Black

Disbandments

• Quiet Riot

Events

• Judas Priest was involved in a multimillion dollar lawsuit involving two Nevada teenager suicided allegedly caused by the song "Better by you Better by me". The band won the case.
• Faith No More's The Real Thing, carried by the single Epic, cracks the Billboard Top 10.

1991

Newly formed bands

• Cradle of Filth
• Rage Against the Machine
• Behemoth

Albums

• Anthrax - Attack of the Killer B's
• Bolt Thrower - War Master
• Cannibal Corpse - Butchered at Birth
• Dream Theater - Images and Words
• Death - Human
• The Cult - Ceremony
• Forced Entry - As Above, So Below
• Guns N' Roses - Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II
• Great White - Hooked
• Infectious Grooves - The Plague That Makes Your Booty Move...It's the Infectious Grooves
• Richie Kotzen - Electric Joy
• Kyuss - Wretch
• Yngwie J. Malmsteen - The Yngwie Malmsteen Collection
• Metal Church - The Human Factor
• Metallica - Metallica
• Monster Magnet - Spine of God
• Motörhead - 1916
• Mr. Big - Lean Into It
• Nirvana - Nevermind
• Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears
• Pearl Jam - Ten
• Primus - Sailing the Seas of Cheese
• Rush - Roll the Bones
• Sepultura - Arise
• Skid Row - Slave to the Grind
• Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger
• Van Halen - For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge

Disbandments

• Death Angel

Events

• Skid Row's second album Slave to the Grind becomes the first and only 90s classic heavy metal album to debut at No.1 in the Billboard music charts in the 90s.
• Metallica's self-titled ''Black Album becomes the first thrash metal album to hit No.1 in the Billboard music charts, after they streamlined their sound and hired Bob Rock to produce their album.
• Queen singer Freddie Mercury dies of AIDS induced bronchial pneumonia.
• Skid Row, Guns N' Roses, and Metallica's albums all debut #1, at that time they were all in tour together.
• KISS Drummer - Eric Carr dies at 41. On November 24, 1991, Eric Carr died at the age of 41. As a tribute, the group's 1992 release Revenge featured what is said to be the only drum solo Carr ever recorded with the band, which was titled "Carr Jam 1981".
• AC/DC headlines the Monsters of Rock festival at Donnington, England on a bill which includes Metallica, Queensryche, Motley Crue and The Black Crowes.
• The success of Nirvana's Nevermind ushers in the era of Grunge.

1992

Newly formed bands

• Dimmu Borgir
• Mourning Beloveth
• Esoteric

Albums

• Alice in Chains - Dirt
• Alice in Chains - Sap (EP)
• Black Sabbath - Dehumaniser
• Blind Guardian - Somewhere Far Beyond
• Body Count - Body Count
• Bolt Thrower - The IVth Crusade
• Bon Jovi - Keep the Faith
• Cannibal Corpse - Tomb of the Mutilated
• Def Leppard - Adrenalize
• Dream Theater - Images and Words
• Faith No More - Angel Dust
• Fear Factory - Soul of a New Machine
• Iron Maiden - Fear of the Dark
• Kyuss - Blues for the Red Sun
• Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Fire and Ice
• Megadeth - Countdown to Extinction
• Monster Magnet - 25............Tab (EP)
• Motörhead - March ör Die
• Nine Inch Nails - ''Broken (EP)
• Pantera - Vulgar Display of Power
• Primus - Miscellaneous Debris (EP)
• Queen - Innuendo
• Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine
• Sadus - A Vision of Misery
• Spinal Tap - Break Like the Wind
• [...] Tendencies - Art of Rebellion

Disbandments

• Forced Entry

Events

• KNAC airs on radio airplay in Los Angeles, California for the first time.
• Living Colour's bassist Muzz Skillings leaves the band and is replaced by Doug Wimbish.
• Body Count causes nationwide controversy over "Cop Killer" from their self-titled debut album. The band then decides to re-release the album without the song.
• Motörhead's drummer Phil Taylor finally leaves after recording "Ain't No Nice Guy" for the March ör Die album. The drummer on that album is Tommy Aldridge, who was replaced by Mikkey Dee after recording the album.
• In March, The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert is held. Top heavy metal acts such as Guns N' Roses, Def Leppard, Metallica, Extreme and the heavy metal parody band Spinal Tap perform, as well as heavy metal/hard rock legends such as Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin), Roger Daltrey (The Who), and Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath).
• Iron Maiden headlines the Monsters of Rock festival at Donnington, England on a bill which includes Slayer, Skid Row, Thunder, The Almighty and W.A.S.P..
• Izzy Stradlin leaves Guns N' Roses

1993

Newly formed bands

• Children of Bodom
• Dark Funeral
• KoЯn
• Mournful Congregation
• Rhapsody of Fire

Albums

• Aerosmith - Get A Grip
• Annihilator - Set the World on Fire
• Anthrax - Sound of White and Noise
• Bon Jovi - Cross Road
• Cannibal Corpse - Hammer Smashed Face (EP)
• Def Leppard - Retro Active
• Infectious Grooves - Sarsippius' Ark
• Living Colour - Stain
• Macabre - Sinister Slaughter
• Monster Magnet - Superjudge
• Motörhead - Bastards
• Mr. Big - Bump Ahead
• Nirvana - "In Utero"
• Primus - Pork Soda
• Rush - Counterparts
• Sepultura - Chaos A.D.
• Tool - Undertow
• Steve Vai - [...] and Religion
• Van Halen - Live: Right Here, Right Now

Disbandments

Events

• Dokken reforms and tours without a new album.
• Rob Halford of Judas Priest leave the band to start his own project Fight (band)
• Aerosmith headlines the Monsters of Rock festival at Donnington, England on a bill which includes Extreme, Sepultura, Pantera, Therapy? and Pride and Glory.

1994

Newly formed bands

• Abscess
• Amen
• Down
• Destroyer 666
• Heavenly
• Rammstein (in January)
• Symphony X
• Slash's Snakepit

Albums

• Alice in Chains - Jar of Flies
• Black Sabbath - Cross Purposes
• Body Count - Born Dead
• Bolt Thrower - ...For Victory
• Cannibal Corpse - The Bleeding
• The Cult - The Cult
• Deftones - Adrenaline
• Dream Theater - Awake
• Infectious Grooves - Groove Family Cyco
• King's X - Dogman
• KoЯn - KoЯn
• Kyuss - Welcome to Sky Valley
• Machine Head - Burn My Eyes
• Yngwie J. Malmsteen - The Seventh Sign
• Megadeth - Youthanasia
• Metal Church - Hanging in the Balance
• Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral
• Overkill - W.F.O.
• Pantera - Far Beyond Driven
• Slayer - Divine Intervention
• Soundgarden - Superunknown
• Testament - Low
• The 3rd and the Mortal - Sorrow (EP)
• The 3rd and the Mortal - Tears Laid in Earth

Disbandments

• Nirvana

Events

• Far Beyond Driven by Pantera debut's at No 1 on the U.S. British and Australian charts.
• Soundgarden wins two Grammys; Best Hard Rock Performance for "Black Hole Sun" and Best Metal Performance for "Spoonman".
• Nirvana's Kurt Cobain commits [...] at 27 on April 5.

1995

Newly formed bands

• Slipknot
• System of a Down
• Trapt

Albums

• AC/DC - Ballbreaker
• Alice in Chains - Alice in Chains
• Black Sabbath - Cross Purposes Live
• Black Sabbath - Forbidden
• Blind Guardian - Imaginations From the Other Side
• Bon Jovi - These Days
• Fear Factory - Demanufacture
• Kyuss - ...And the Circus Leaves Town
• Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Magnum Opus
• Marilyn Manson - Smells Like Children
• Megadeth - Hidden Treasures
• Monster Magnet - Dopes to Infinity
• Motörhead - Sacrifice
• Rammstein - Herzeleid
• Skid Row - Subhuman Race
• Soundgarden - Songs from the Superunknown
• The 3rd and the Mortal - Nightswan (EP)
• Steve Vai - Alien Love Secrets (EP)
• Van Halen - Balance
• White Zombie - Astro Creep: 2000

Disbandments

• The Cult
• Kyuss (in October)
• Living Colour (in January)

Events

• Motörhead's guitarist Michael "Wurzel" Burston leaves the band.

1996

Newly formed bands

• American Head Charge
• Control Denied
• God Forbid
• Linkin Park
• Mudvayne
• Shadows Fall
• Nightwish
• Within Temptation
• Norther

Albums

• Alice in Chains - Unplugged
• Cannibal Corpse - Vile
• Iced Earth - The Dark Saga
• KoЯn - Life is Peachy
• Marilyn Manson - Antichrist Superstar
• Metallica - Load
• Ministry - Filth Pig
• Motörhead - Overnight Sensation
• Neurosis - Through Silver in Blood
• Pantera - The Great Southern Trendkill
• Rush - Test for Echo
• Sepultura - Roots
• Soundgarden - Down on the Upside
• The 3rd and the Mortal - Painting on Glass
• Tool - Ænima
• Steve Vai - Fire Garden
• Van Halen - Best of Volume I

Disbandments

• Down
• Prong
• Skid Row

Events

1997

Newly formed bands

• Disturbed
• Pig Destroyer
• Static-X
• Finntroll

Albums

• Aerosmith - Nine Lives
• Black Sabbath - Reunion
• Body Count - Violent Demise: The Last Days
• Deftones - Around The Fur
• Judas Priest - Jugulator
• Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Facing the Animal
• Megadeth - Cryptic Writings
• Metallica - ReLoad
• Rammstein - Sehnsucht
• Soundgarden - A-Sides
• The 3rd and the Mortal - In This Room
• The 3rd and the Mortal - Streams (EP)

Disbandments

• Soundgarden

Events

• Black Sabbath reunites with the original line-up between Black Sabbath and Never Say Die!.
• KISS reunites with the original line-up between KISS and Dynasty.

1998

Newly formed bands

• Rebaelliun

Albums

• Blind Guardian - Nightfall in Middle-Earth
• Bolt Thrower - Mercenary
• Cannibal Corpse - Gallery of [...]
• Fear Factory - Obsolete
• Iron Maiden - Virtual XI
• KoЯn - Follow the Leader
• Marilyn Manson - Mechanical Animals
• Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Concerto Suite for Electric Guitar and Orchestra in Em, Opus 1
• Yngwie J. Malmsteen - LIVE!
• Monster Magnet - Powertrip
• Motörhead - Snake Bite Love
• Queens of the Stone Age - Queens of the Stone Age
• System of a Down - System of a Down
• Van Halen - Van Halen III
• KISS - Psycho Circus

Disbandments

• Faith No More

Events

1999

Newly formed bands

• Avenged Sevenfold
• Bleeding Through
• Dragonforce
• Five pointe o
• Protest The Hero
• Dream Evil
• Sonata Arctica

Albums

• Alice in Chains - Nothing Safe: Best of the Box
• Alice in Chains - Music Bank
• Cannibal Corpse - Bloodthirst
• Control Denied - The Fragile Art of Existence
• Dream Theater - Scenes From A Memory
• Finntroll - Midnattens Widunder
• God Forbid - Reject the Sickness
• KoЯn - Issues
• Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Alchemy
• Metallica - Garage Inc.
• Metallica - S&M (live)
• Motörhead - Everything Louder Than Everyone Else (live)
• Nine Inch Nails - The Fragile
• Rammstein - Live Aus Berlin
• Slipknot - Slipknot
• Static-X - Wisconsin Death Trip
• Steve Vai - The Ultra Zone

Disbandments

• Death
• Motley Crue (reformed in 2004)

Events

• The Cult reforms.
• Skid Row reforms.

2000

Newly formed bands

• Between the Buried and Me
• Killswitch Engage

Albums

• Alice in Chains - Live
• Cannibal Corpse - Live Cannibalism
• Deftones - White Pony
• Disturbed - The Sickness
• Infectious Grooves - Mas Borracho
• Iron Maiden - Brave New World
• Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory
• Marilyn Manson - Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death)
• Macabre - Dahmer
• Yngwie J. Malmsteen - War to End All Wars
• Monster Magnet - God Says No
• Motörhead - We Are Motörhead
• Pantera - Reinventing The Steel
• Racer X - Technical Difficulties
• Static-X - The Death Trip Continues

Disbandments

• Rage Against the Machine
• Primus (would reform later)

Events

• Metallica releases the song "I Disappear" that was never released on any studio albums and appears on the Mission: Impossible II soundtrack.
• Vocalist Bruce Dickinson returns to the band Iron Maiden after a nearly eight year absence for the Brave New World album.
• Guitarist and songwriter Adrian Smith rejoined Iron Maiden after 10 years.
• Living Colour reforms with the Stain line-up.

2001

Newly formed bands

• Audioslave
• As I Lay Dying

Albums

• Aerosmith - Just Push Play
• Alice in Chains - Greatest Hits
• Bolt Thrower - Honour - Valour - Pride
• The Cult - Beyond Good and Evil
• Fear Factory - Digimortal
• Finntroll - Jaktens Tid
• God Forbid - Determination
• Opeth - Blackwater Park
• Ozzy Osbourne - Down To Earth
• Rammstein - Mutter
• Slayer - God Hates Us All
• Slipknot - Iowa
• Static-X - Machine
• System of a Down - Toxicity
• Tool - Lateralus

Disbandments

Events

• Down reforms
• Rush reunites
• Death guitarist Chuck Schuldiner dies at 34 on December 13 of brain cancer.
• Metallica bassist Jason Newsted (who joined after Cliff Burton's death) officially left the band and joined Voivod.
• Linkin Park's Hybrid Theory becomes a sleeper hit a year after its release, outselling all other records in 2001

2002

Newly formed bands

• PROBOT
• Velvet Revolver

Albums

• Blind Guardian - A Night at the Opera
• Cannibal Corpse - Gore Obsessed
• Cannibal Corpse - Worm Infested (EP)
• Def Leppard - X
• Disturbed - Believe
• Down - Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow
• Fear Factory - Concrete (recorded 1991, released 2002)
• Five pointe o - Untitled
• KoЯn - Untouchables
• Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Attack!!
• Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Concerto Suite LIVE
• Motörhead - Hammered
• Protest The Hero - A Calculated Use of Sound
• Rush - Vapor Trails
• System of a Down - Steal This Album!
• The 3rd and the Mortal - Memoirs
• Trapt - Trapt
• Norther - Dreams Of Endless War

Disbandments

• Alice in Chains
• The Cult
• Fear Factory (until 2003)
• Megadeth (until 2004)

Events

• Alice in Chains singer Layne Staley dies on April 5 at 34 from an overdose of [...].
• Prong reunites.

2003

Newly formed bands

Re-formed bands

• Primus
• Judas Priest

Albums

• As I Lay Dying - Frail Words Collapse
• Cannibal Corpse - 15 Year [...] Spree
• Children Of Bodom - Hate Crew Deathroll
• Deftones - Deftones
• Dream Theater - Train of Thought
• Finntroll - Visor om Slutet
• Iron Maiden - Dance of Death
• KoЯn - "Take a Look in the Mirror''
• Linkin Park - "Meteora"
• Living Colour - Collideøscope
• Marilyn Manson - The Golden Age of Grotesque
• Macabre - [...] Metal
• Metallica - St. Anger
• Motörhead - Live At Brixton Academy The Complete Concert (live)
• Shadows Fall - The War Within
• Static-X - Shadow Zone
• Norther - Mirror Of Madness

Disbandments

• Coal Chamber
• Five pointe o
• Pantera

Events

• Fear Factory reforms with all original members except for the former guitarist Dino Cazares.
• Metallica hires new bassist Robert Trujillo (from [...] Tendencies and Ozzy Osbourne).
• MTV2 resurrected the old Heavy Metal, Rock television program Headbangers' Ball.
• Judas Priest reunites with frontman Rob Halford.

2004

Newly formed bands

• Black Tide

Albums

• Aerosmith - Honkin' On Bobo
• Cannibal Corpse - The Wretched Spawn
• Damageplan - New Found Power
• Dokken - Hell to Pay
• DragonForce - Sonic Firestorm
• Fear Factory - Archetype
• Finntroll - Nattfödd
• God Forbid - Gone Forever
• KoЯn - Greatest Hits, Volume 1
• Marilyn Manson - Lest We Forget: The Best Of
• Metal Church - The Weight of the World
• Monster Magnet - Monolithic Baby!
• Motörhead - Inferno
• PROBOT - PROBOT
• Rammstein - Reise, Reise
• Rush - Feedback
• Slipknot - Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses)
• Static-X - Beneath, Between, Beyond
• Van Halen - The Best of Both Worlds
• Velvet Revolver - Contraband
• Norther - Death Unlimited

Disbandments

Events

• Pantera lead guitarist Dimebag Darrell is murdered at 38 on December 8 by Nathan Gale while performing a Damageplan concert in Ohio.
• Van Halen reunites with Sammy Hagar (who was replaced in 1996) and toured without a new album.
• Megadeth reforms, without David Ellefson, releasing the album The System Has Failed.

2005

Newly formed bands

Five Finger Death Punch

Periphery

Albums

• Alice in Chains - The Essential Alice in Chains
• As I Lay Dying - Shadows are Security
• Audioslave - Out of Exile
• Avenged Sevenfold - City of Evil
• Bolt Thrower - Those Once Loyal
• Candlemass - Candlemass
• Children of Bodom - Are You Dead Yet?
• Deftones - B-Sides & Rarities
• Disturbed - Ten Thousand Fists
• Excentric - Greatest Hits
• Fear Factory - Transgression
• God Forbid - IV: Constitution of Treason
• Immolation - Harnessing Ruin
• Judas Priest - Angel of Retribution
• KoЯn - See You On the Other Side
• Kreator - Enemy of God
• Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Unleash the Fury
• Motley Crue - Red, White, and Crue
• Mournful Congregation - The Monad of Creation
• Mourning Beloveth - A Murderous Circle
• Nevermore - This Godless Endeavor
• Nine Inch Nails - With Teeth
• Pray For The Soul Of Betty - Pray For The Soul Of Betty
• Primordial - The Gathering Wilderness
• Protest The Hero - Kezia
• Rammstein - Rosenrot
• Runemagick - Envenom
• Static-X - Start a War
• System of a Down - Hypnotize
• System of a Down - Mezmerize
• Steve Vai - Real Illusions: Reflections
• Dream Theater - Octavarium
• Priestess - Hello Master

Disbandments

Events

• Static-X lead guitarist Tripp Eisen was arrested in February for "lewd conduct against children", so he got fired after all.
• Korn guitarist Brian "Head" Welch leaves the band due to his becoming a born again Christian and having conflicts with the band's subject matter.
• Former Vader drummer Docent dies.
• Motley Crue reunite.
• System Of A Down is the first band since the Beatles to have two albums debut at #1 in the same year.
• After Grammy Awards, #1 hits, and 3 out of 5 albums debuting at #1, System Of A Down goes on an indefinite hiatus.

2006

Newly formed bands

Albums

• Body Count - [...] 4 Hire
• Cannibal Corpse - Kill
• Def Leppard - Yeah!
• Dismember - The God That Never Was
• Dragonforce - Inhuman Rampage
• Evergrey - Monday Morning Apocalypse
• In Flames - Come Clarity
• Krisiun - AssassiNation
• Queensrÿche - Operation: Mindcrime II
• Sadus - Out for Blood
• Joe Satriani - Super Colossal
• Sepultura - Dante XXI
• Tool - 10,000 Days
• Velvet Revolver - Libertad
• Norther - Till Death Unites Us

Disbandments

• The 22-20s

Events

• Alice in Chains reunite with the Jar of Flies line-up and singer William DuVall replaces the late Layne Staley.
• The Cult reunites for the second time after a five year hiatus.
• Slipknot won the grammy award of the best metal performance for the befor i forget song .

2007

Newly formed bands

• Skin
• Cavalera Conspiracy
• Kvelertak

Reformed bands

• Artillery
• Carcass
• Crashdiet
• Emperor (for a few shows)
• Extreme
• Rage Against the Machine
• Spinal Tap
• X Japan
• Sacred Reich

Albums

• Airbourne - Runnin' Wild
• Arch Enemy - Rise of the Tyrant
• As I Lay Dying - An Ocean Between Us
• Avenged Sevenfold - Avenged Sevenfold
• Bon Jovi - Lost Highway
• Dream Theater - Systematic Chaos
• Entombed - Serpent Saints
• Iced Earth - Overture of the Wicked
• Machine Head - The Blackening
• Megadeth - United Abominations
• Nightwish - ''Dark Passion Play
• Opeth - The Roundhouse Tapes
• Ozzy Osbourne - Black Rain

Disbandments

• Arcturus
• A Perfect [...]
• The Devin Townsend Band
• I Killed the Prom Queen
• Reverend Bizarre
• Strapping Young Lad
• Send More Paramedics
• Mendeed
• Pungent Stench
• With Passion
• Nodes of Ranvier

Events

• Wayne Knupp, original vocalist for Devourment died on September 15.
• Pat Mason of Arsonists Get All The Girls died on the morning of 30 November, his 21st birthday.
• Extreme reunite for the third time, announcing plans for a world tour next year, as well as a new studio album, which will be their first since 1995's Waiting for the Punchline.
• Led Zeppelin get back together one more time for one concert in London.
• In Sorte Diaboli (Dimmu Borgir) becomes the first extreme metal album ever to hit the #1 in a Record chart, achieving that position in Norway.
• Andreas Sydow leaves Darkane, being replaced by Jens Broman.
• Witold Kiełtyka, drummer for Decapitated, is killed in a car crash in October.
• Vocalist, Damo and manager, Andy of The Red Shore, died in December.
• Anette Olzon joins Nightwish as their new lead vocalist.
• Peter Lindgren leaves Opeth.
• Jani Liimatainen is fired from Sonata Arctica.
• Jacob Bredahl leaves Hatesphere.
• Mark St. John, guitarist of KISS in 1984, dies in April.
• The song Final Six from Slayer won in the Best Metal Performance category at the 50th Grammy Awards.
• Meiju Enho leaves Ensiferum.
• Paul Raven, bassist for Ministry and former [...] Joke bassist, dies in October.
• Kevin DuBrow, lead singer for Quiet Riot, dies in November.
• Matt Barlow returns as lead singer of Iced Earth.
• Ramallah disbands.
• Matte Modin is fired from Dark Funeral, for disrupting their live performance schedule through deceit, according to the band. He is replaced by Nils Fjällström of Aeon, who is given the stage name "Dominator".
• Gaahl and King ov Hell part ways from Gorgoroth founding member Infernus with the intention of using the band's name and assets themselves, igniting the Gorgoroth name dispute.

2008

Newly formed bands

• At the Gates (for a few shows)
• Carcass (for touring)
• Einherjer (for touring)
• Exhorder
• Forbidden (for a few shows)
• Krokus
• Living Sacrifice
• Spineshank

Albums

• Slipknot - All Hope Is Gone
• AC/DC - Black Ice
• Bullet for My Valentine - Scream Aim Fire
• Children of Bodom - Blooddrunk
• Cradle of Filth - Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder
• Def Leppard - Songs from the Sparkle Lounge
• Disturbed - Indestructible
• In Flames - A Sense of Purpose
• Guns N' Roses - Chinese Democracy
• Metallica - Death Magnetic
• Meshuggah - obZen
• Motley Crue - Saints of Los Angeles
• Trivium - ''Shogun
• Whitesnake - Good to Be Bad
• Yngwie Malmsteen - Perpetual Flame

Disbandments

• Alabama Thunderpussy
• Beneath the Sky
• Byzantine
• Celtic Frost
• Dead to Fall
• Demigod
• The Duskfall
• From Autumn To Ashes
• Himsa
• Knorkator
• Ministry
• My Bitter End
• Sieges Even
• SikTh
• Still Remains
• The Red Death
• The Agony Scene
• Remove the Veil

Events

• Chris Broderick joins Megadeth.

2009

Albums

• Alice in Chains - Black Gives Way To Blue
• Airbourne - Runnin' Wild
• Bon Jovi - The Circle
• Cannibal Corpse - Evisceration Plague
• Cradle of Filth - Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder
• Def Leppard - Songs from the Sparkle Lounge
• Dream Theater - Black Clouds & Silver Linings
• Heaven & Hell - The Devil You Know
• Lacuna Coil - Shallow Life
• Lamb of God - Wrath
• Living Colour - The Chair in the Doorway
• Megadeth - Endgame
• Napalm Death - Time Waits for No Slave
• Steel Panther - Feel the Steel
• Wolf - Ravenous
• Yngwie Malmsteen - High Impact

Disbandments

• After Forever
• God Seed
• Gorefest
• Metal Church
• Nothingface

Events

• Metallica's 2008 album, Death Magnetic is nominated for four Grammy categories, winning Best Recording Package and Best Metal Performance for "My Apocalypse".
• Metallica is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 4.
• Evile bassist Mike Alexander fell ill and died at the age of 32 on 5 October in Luleå, Sweden
• Ronnie James Dio is diagnosed with stomach cancer, and is being treated at the Mayo Clinic.
• James "The Rev" Sullivan The drummer to Avenged Sevenfold Dies from and accidental [...] overdose on December 28th

2010

Newly formed bands

• Accept
• Faith No More

Albums

• Disturbed - Asylum
• Airbourne - No Guts. No Glory.
• As I Lay Dying - The Powerless Rise
• Avenged Sevenfold - Nightmare
• Bad City - Welcome to the Wasteland
• Black Label Society - Order of the Black
• Bullet for My Valentine - ''Fever
• CRASHDÏET - Generation Wild
• Crazy Lixx - New Religion
• Dimmu Borgir - Abrahadabra
• Exodus - Exhibit B: The Human Condition
• Godsmack - The Oracle
• Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier
• Helloween - 7 Sinners
• Korn - ''Korn III – Remember Who You Are
• Motörhead - The Wörld is Yours
• Ozzy Osbourne - Scream
• Sevendust - Cold Day Memory
• Slash - Slash

Disbandments

• Dio
• Heaven & Hell
• The Number Twelve Looks Like You
• Olympos Mons
• Revolution Renaissance

Events

• Soundgarden reunites on New Year's Day.
• Ronnie James Dio died of stomach cancer at the age of 67 on May 16, 2010.
• On June 16, "The Big Four of Thrash Metal", Anthrax, Megadeth, Slayer and Metallica, played together for the first time at the Sonisphere Festival at Bemowo Airport in Warsaw, Poland.
• Judas Priest won the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance of "Dissident Aggressor."
• Original Megadeth bassist Dave Ellefson rejoins the band after departing in 2002.
• After 25 years, Mike Portnoy leaves Dream Theater on September 8, 2010.
• Scorpions announce that they will retire after touring in support of final album Sting in the Tail.
• AC/DC headline Download festival, marking their return to Donnington for the first time in 19 years, since 1991's Monsters of Rock. Also Rage Against the Machine and Aerosmith to headline.
• Paul Gray (American musician) of Slipknot (band) dies on May 24, 2010 of an accidental overdose of morphine and fentanyl.