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Here’s our picks for the best albums of 2024 in the metal and hard rock category. Each album has a link below it for you to listen and check them out for yourself. 01. Judas Priest – Invincible Shield The

Metallica needs no introduction…as one of the greatest rock bands of all time, they have weathered turmoil, disaster, and heartbreak over their more than 40 years on the scene. The band has had some ups and downs in their career

Since the inception of Gothic Rock, a wide range of bands and artists have presented their take on the music, their visual style, and the culture itself.  From Traditional Gothic, Gothic Industrial and Darkwave, Gothic Metal, and even Gothic Punk

The 1970s was a great time for rock music. The 70s saw a lot more experimentation, which made the music landscape of the decade quite varied, with literally something for everyone’s taste in music. While there were plenty of new

Southern rock has been part of the American culture since the 1960s and continues to thrive as a sub-genre of rock music. Often mixing country, blues, and rock together to form what’s been dubbed a “Southern Fried” sound, these bands

Industrial music is a unique genre that contains many subgenres.  In the beginning, the term industrial was used to describe the sounds made by non-conventional instruments including drills, hammering on metal plates, and electronically distorted sounds and voices. Throbbing Gristle

The 1980s and early 90s saw many hard rock bands often nicknamed “Hair Metal” bands because of the amount of hair, usually hairsprayed and poofed up, many of these bands but not all also crossed over into being called “Glam

Take a trip down memory lane with this list of one-hit wonders on the U.S. charts from the years 1980 and 1981. How many of these did you remember and how many had you forgotten about? The Vapors-Turning Japanese (1980)

2023 had some really good hard rock and metal albums released if you know where to look and listen. The hard rock and metal scene is littered with new bands that seemingly appear out of thin air, only to fade

Angelica Attempting to hit on the sound of guitar slingers like Van Halen and George Lynch, Angelica went for a more glam-sounding singer, similar to Mark Slaughter. The original vocalist was replaced by Rob Rock and Dennis Cameron had this

The 1980s saw the invention of the music video thanks to MTV and it wasn’t long after that many of the videos started using sex as a selling point. Of course, everyone has their opinion, but here’s our list for

Each year, it seems that the remaining 80s hard rock and metal bands that are still putting out new music seem to get smaller and smaller.  However, don’t let that discourage you as a metal fan, because at this point

Check out these 80’s Hard Rock And Metal Stars’ Real Names! Some of these names are well known to fans, while others might find these stars real names both fascinating and understandable why they chose a stage name in some

The 80s were the decade of excess and musically that was absolutely true as well. The hard rock and heavy metal musical landscape exploded with band members with huge, hair-sprayed hair, and outlandish, often colorful outfits, and both male and

The 1980s hard rock and metal scene is widely known as a generation of excess and a lot of over-the-top imagery. In fact, most people refer to the 80s as the decade of Hair Metal or Glam Metal because many

The 1980s were an awesome time thanks to the glam/hair metal scene. The image almost became as important as the music during this period, and MTV helped keep that image front and center.  With this list, we’re not ranking who

As one of the most respected bands of the EBM movement, it’s almost hard to fathom that Front 242 has only released a total of 8 studio albums throughout their long career. Since the beginning, Front 242 has released Geography

Sex, Drugs, and Rock N ‘Roll. Hard rock bands are no strangers to wild tales of groupies and debauchery, but three songs, in particular from well know artists like Motley Crue, KISS and Winger pushed the envelope with their lyrics

Emo music is generally seen as having started in the 1990s. The genre is stereotyped by dark clothing, crazy hair, and depressed lyrics. However, there is a lot more to it than that. This genre includes some of the greatest

Let’s start by stating that we don’t hate these songs or the artists. However, the videos that accompanied these songs were just plain awful. Music videos exposed many of these artists to a broader audience when MTV took over the

#billysquier

  Battle Axe – Burn This Town Burn this town? More like burn this album cover! Although, apparently this was only supposed to be an unfinished sketch of what the idea of the cover would look like and the record

Devo proved that it’s never too late for you to “Whip It” and with that song, they reached #8 on The Billboard Charts which also propelled the album “Freedom Of Choice” to be a Platinum seller. The band became a

The 1980s and early 90s saw hard rock and heavy metal go mainstream and reach a large audience worldwide. The genre was split into sub-genres like Hard Rock, Glam Metal, Thrash Metal, Speed Metal, NWOBHM, Traditional Metal, and more. Regardless

W.A.S.P. was originally known for outrageous antics such as throwing raw meat into the audience and appearing to torture people on a horror-themed stage. Lead singer Blackie Lawless wore a codpiece made like a buzzsaw blade that shot sparks from

Winger released their debut album “Winger in 1988 and it scored the band its first platinum-selling album. Winger released its second album In the Heart of the Young in 1990 and it also went platinum. Since then the band has

Britny Fox was formed in 1985 with “Dizzy” Dean Davidson on vocals, former Cinderella drummer Tony Destra, former Cinderella guitarist Michael Kelly Smith and Billy Childs on bass. However, Destra would be killed in an auto accident in 1987 and

After guitarist Jake E. Lee was fired from Ozzy Osbourne’s solo band, Badlands was formed when Lee recruited bassist Greg Chaisson, former Black Sabbath vocalist Ray Gillen and drummer Eric Singer (KISS) to round out the band. They released their

Some of the greatest punk bands of all time have come from The United Kingdom. While you would practically have to be living under a rock to not be aware of bands like The Sex Pistols and The Clash, there…

How Many Of These Ratt Facts Do You Know?

To call Billy Idol a rock music icon, might be an understatement. As a Grammy-Nominated and multi-platinum selling artist, Billy Idol reportedly took his stage name after one of his school teachers called him Billy Idle, because he didn’t apply

Extreme’s most well-known line-up included Gary Cherone – lead vocals, Nuno Bettencourt – guitars, keyboards, backing vocals, Paul Geary – drums, and Pat Badger – bass, backing vocals.  The band owns its place in rock music history with the incredible

Formed in 1982 by Tom Keifer and Eric Brittingham, Cinderella was one of the biggest bands of the ’80s rock and metal era. Following several lineup changes, the band solidified their members with Jeff Labar and Fred Coury. The band’s

In 1985 the band Ready For The World hit the scene, blending pop. funk, R & B, and electro elements. They scored a huge hit with their single “Oh Sheila” and as a result, found their debut album going Platinum

Japan has had an enormous effect on the worldwide entertainment industry. Even Star Wars has been influenced by the legendary Akira Kurosawa. Their music has been huge as well, however, Japan is mostly known for manga and anime when it

Starting out as a teenager alongside fellow rocker Joan Jett in the now legendary band “The Runaways”, Lita Ford would go on to pursue a solo career that would see her reach new heights and lay claim to her place

#1 Ministry Album: Moral HygieneLabel: Nuclear BlastRelease Date: October 1, 2021 Never one to shy away from expressing his feelings about societal problems, Uncle Al returns with all guns blazing and a firm middle finger for those he deems a

As big of a band as Twisted Sister was, it’s kind of amazing that they only released five full studio albums during their career. That is if you don’t count their Christmas album. Twisted Sister was filled with big personalities

In no particular order, the top 5 Grunge bands of the 90s were Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, and Pearl Jam. Of those bands, the only original singer left alive is Eddie Vedder, vocalist for Pearl Jam.

Many great animes and cartoons have amazing opening themes. Many characters from these shows are also associated with songs because of YouTubers making AMV videos. Many of these songs are metal with Skillet and My Chemical Romance being among the

During the 80’s hard rock ruled the airwaves. Quiet Riot’s Metal Health became the first #1 metal album of all time. Soon after the scene exploded with bands like Motley Crue, Guns N’ Roses, Dokken, Ratt, Warrant, Poison, and many

For every Motley Crue, Def Leppard, and Van Halen, There were many other bands that were really good, but somehow didn’t quite make it to the top. The 80s Hard Rock and Metal scene had some really great bands that

When Guns N’ Roses released Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II on the same day back in 1991, a lot of critics slammed the band for releasing two albums with what they said amounted to a few

If Ozzy Osbourne has done one thing right with his solo career, it’s been employing some of the best hard rock and metal guitarists on the planet. Considering the company, being the “worst”, if you can call it that, of

Def Leppard is one of those rare bands that has stuck together, for the most part through thick and thin to remain successful. From drummer Rick Allen losing his arm in a car accident right after the band hit the

Motley Crue is a legendary band that became not only one of the biggest bands of the 80s but one of the biggest bands in heavy metal history. However, not every Motley Crue album was created equal. With this list,

KISS released 8 studio albums during the 1980s. These albums cover a lot of territory including the albums that most likely saved and re-invigorated their career as well as the ones that almost ended the bands’ career altogether. So keep

Australia…the land down under provided some really good metal and hard rock bands during the 1980s. While one of these bands went on to superstardom, most flew under the radar. The five listed below are all worth your time to

Canada has produced some great metal bands over the years. This list is based on what was considered heavy metal during the 80s. Today, a few of these bands are often classified as hard rock or mainstream rock, but during

#15 Aion Formed in 1983 by guitarist Izumi Ochiai, Aion started out as a thrash band but would later develop into more of a power metal-sounding entity. . Along with X Japan, Aion was one of the creators of the

# 15 Rage Rage actually formed in Germany in 1984 under the name Avenger but changed their name to Rage in 1985 after another band was also using the name. The band has had a large album output over the

Metal has been around for over half a century. Many stars have risen during that time. From the new wave of British heavy metal to American power metal, until today, screams have become a part of the genre. Not just

Sure, everyone who’s a true metal fan knows about “The Big 4” of Thrash, but do you know the other 46 bands that make up the “Top 50 Thrash Metal Bands”? Check out the entire list below counting down from

Some of the greatest pioneers of music have been metal artists, ever since the inception of the genre. Black Sabbath, widely credited with creating heavy metal started as a blues band called Earth. Their self-titled debut album, with a song

From the early 2000s to the 2010s emo culture seemed to take over. For some, it was the next big thing. Some considered it diet goth. Others looked at emo as a joke. Oftentimes it would even be confused with

For this list, I will be counting down the best double-stringed assaulters of our parent’s ears in heavy metal. This also includes sub-genres such as speed and power metal with a bit of glam. Some are here more for their

Quiet Riot was around for a long time before they made it big. Originally with the legendary Randy Rhoads at guitar, they released two albums for Japan. By the time they broke into the scene, their original bassist had planned

Hurricane started out in 1983-84 with the original lineup of lead vocalist Kelly Hansen (vocals/rhythm guitar), Robert Sarzo (guitar), Tony Cavazo (bass), and Jay Schellen (drums). Robert Sarzo is the brother of Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake) and

Sure, we all know John Waite’s # 1 hit song “Missing You”, but did you know it was written about former MTV VJ, Nina Blackwood. During a new interview where he discusses his brand new album, Wooden Heart Acoustic Anthology

I don’t know about everyone else, but I for one, am sick of seeing interview after interview with former Judas Priest guitarist, K.K. Downing complaining about his exit from the band. Now, before all of K.K.’s fans attempt to crucify

  Black ‘N Blue was formed in 1981 and released four successful and critically acclaimed albums through Geffen Records including their self-titled debut (1984), “Without Love” (1985), “Nasty Nasty” (1986), and “In Heat” (1987), with the latter two albums produced

What if Stephen Pearcy had auditioned for Motley Crue when Vince Neil left and had become their new singer instead of John Corabi? I know, I know… of course that didn’t happen, but there were actually a lot of things

Grunge music exploded commercially with the first riff of Nirvana’s “Smell Like Teen Spirit”. The scene became huge very quickly with bands like Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots, and Pearl Jam becoming successful and elevating the scene to

With their unique mixture of Hardcore, Metal and Groove/Rap, BIOHAZARD crested the Mount Olympus of the international Hardcore and Metal scene at the beginning of the 90s. What started out with »Biohazard« (1990) found its worthy continuation in »Urban Discipline«

The XS ROCK Featured Artist Holy Mother simply has to be heard to be believed. The band is a great mix of traditional metal with some modern touches. Fans of classic bands like Dio, Judas Priest, and Whitesnake should love

The 1980s saw heavy metal go mainstream and reach a large audience worldwide. The genre was split into sub-genres like Glam Metal, Thrash Metal, Speed Metal, NWOBHM, Traditional Metal, and more. Regardless of which sub-genre you preferred, there was no

The 1980s saw heavy metal go mainstream and reach a large audience worldwide. The genre was split into sub-genres like Glam Metal, Thrash Metal, Speed Metal, NWOBHM, Traditional Metal and more. Regardless of which sub-genre you preferred, there was no

White Lion was formed in New York City in 1983 by Danish vocalist/guitarist Mike Tramp and American guitarist Vito Bratta. The band had two top 10 hits with the songs “Wait” and When The Children Cry” both from the album

The 1980s saw heavy metal go mainstream and reach a large audience worldwide. The genre was split into sub-genres like Glam Metal, Thrash Metal, Speed Metal, NWOBHM, Traditional Metal, and more. Regardless of which sub-genre you preferred, there was no

Former Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing has started his own band called KK’s Priest.  The band featuring Downing on guitars, AJ Mills on guitar, Tony Newton On bass, Les Binks on drums, and former Judas Priest vocalist Tim “Ripper” Owens

The 1980s saw heavy metal go mainstream and reach a large audience worldwide. The genre was split into sub-genres like Glam Metal, Thrash Metal, Speed Metal, NWOBHM, Traditional Metal, and more. Regardless of which sub-genre you preferred, there was no

The 1980s saw heavy metal go mainstream and reach a large audience worldwide. The genre was split into sub-genres like Glam Metal, Thrash Metal, Speed Metal, NWOBHM, Traditional Metal, and more. Regardless of which sub-genre you preferred, there was no

The 1980s saw heavy metal go mainstream and reach a large audience worldwide. The genre was split into sub-genres like Glam Metal, Thrash Metal, Speed Metal, NWOBHM, Traditional Metal, and more. Regardless of which sub-genre you preferred, there was no

Dokken broke out with their debut album “Breaking The Chains” in 1981. The band consisted of what would be considered the classic lineup of Don Dokken on vocals, George Lynch on guitar, “Wild” Mick Brown on drums, and with the

The Vinnie Vincent Invasion hit the scene with their debut album in 1986. After scoring a tour with Iron Maiden the band continued to build a fanbase before releasing the album “All Systems Go” in 1988.  But, alas this would

Okay, let’s talk about this for a minute.  I seriously can’t be the only guy that thought at least one of the band members was a girl when this album first came out.  Back in August of 1986, Poison released

Anytime you write an article like this, you’re going to get some salty comments about your opinion. And that’s okay. I’d expect nothing less.  However, my opinion remains the same. And my opinion is that Five Finger Death Punch are

One of XS ROCK’s most popular articles has been our article on 25 Great Hard Rock Albums Of The ’80s That You Might Have Missed. So popular in fact, that we now present the second round of “Great Hard Rock

Recently, we published the article “10 Bands That Helped Form The Gothic Rock Movement” which you can read here.  Now, we’re going to start to dig in a little deeper and take a look at some more bands that started,

If you’re a fan of Gothic Rock and you haven’t heard all of these bands before, by all means, check them out.  These bands along with numerous others helped create a new sub-genre of rock music that still thrills fans

Known primarily for their biggest hit single “Turn Up The Radio”, Autograph released three major albums for RCA Records including “Sign In Please”, “That’s The Stuff” and “Loud and Clear”. The original lineup of Autograph got together in 1983. The

King Kobra was started by drummer Carmine Appice after he finished work touring with Ozzy Osbourne for the “Bark At The Moon” tour.  The band was rounded out by mostly unknown musicians at the time consisting of Mark Free (Lead

Formed in 1982 by Tom Keifer and Eric Brittingham, Cinderella was one of the biggest bands of the ’80s rock and metal era.  Following several lineup changes, the band solidified their members with Jeff Labar and Fred Coury.    The band’s

Def Leppard is arguably one of the most successful bands to emerge from the 80’s hard rock and heavy metal scene.  The band found success early on, hitting the scene with their debut full-length album “On Through The Night” in

You wanted the best….you got the best! Now here are some of their worst albums These 10 artists are some of hard rocks’ most famous bands.  Most have long careers with certified Gold and Platinum albums.  But even these artists

On March 22nd, Netflix premiered “The Dirt”, the biopic about the infamous and sordid details of lives of Motley Crue.  Having read the book, I was curious how they were going to fit everything into a two hour movie.  And

01. Stryper-Stryper has to be at the top of this list. Not because I think they’re the best, but because their contribution to Christian metal is the equivalent of Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest in the non-christian metal

From the late 80’s into the early 90’s Winger built momentum and became an overnight sensation, in part thanks to heavy rotation of their videos on MTV, which at that time, actually showed music videos. Winger’s debut album went platinum

During the 80’s glam and melodic metal ruled the airwaves. For all of the bands that made it big, there were plenty of other talented bands that got lost in the shuffle. Many of them suffered from lack of promotion

During the 80’s hard rock ruled the airwaves. Quiet Riot’s Metal Health became the first #1 metal album of all time. Soon after the scene exploded with bands like Motley Crue, Guns N’ Roses, Dokken, Ratt, Warrant, Poison, and many

The Most Successful Bands To Change Singers While many bands have tried, only a few have been really successful with switching lead singers after they become famous. Let’s take a look of some of the best lead singer changes first….

A BRIEF HISTORY OF JAPANESE HARD ROCK AND METAL Part One Recently, there has been a lot of publicity around the Japanese band Babymetal. This trio of Japanese teens have taken the world by storm and found international success. Now,