100 Greatest Heavy Metal Anthems
Top 100 Heavy Metal Anthems
It’s the lyrical and musical elements of songs that transform them into anthems. This article brings to life a list of the best heavy metal anthems.
The roots of heavy metal took shape in the 60s. Bands started experimenting with a hard hitting sound that evolved in the decades to follow. The blues rock explosion in the 70s led to many bands taking musical ideas to a whole new level. The heavy metal movement became widespread in the 70s with many bands adopting the catchy chorus-verse routine in songs. The rhythm section in heavy metal music has been the focal point in giving the genre its signature sound. Guitar riffs backed with bass lines and power-packed drumming formed the core sound of heavy metal in the early years. Gradually keyboards made their presence in the realms of heavy metal giving the genre a raw-polished sound.
Throughout the 70s many rock bands paved the way for a new brand of heavy metal.
The lyrics and musical structure of few bands made their songs heavy metal anthems. A heavy metal anthem is best described as a song that impacts audiences in different ways. It’s the lyrical element or the riff that makes a song an anthem. Lyrical themes in heavy metal are diverse. Over the years a number of songwriters and musicians have enchanted audiences with their lyrics and music.
The heavy metal sound has evolved in every decade and given rise to extreme subgenres that have become insanely popular globally. Few rock bands of the 60s and 70s are considered the purveyors of the heavy metal sound. The classic heavy metal bands are often cited as influences by new metal bands. The aggressive-yet soothing sound of heavy metal has inspired musicians from other genres to craft a new sound. Heavy metal anthems are hugely popular at extreme metal concerts… the mayhem will never end. Keep metal alive!
The list below showcases an epic list of the best heavy metal anthems from various subgenres.
100 Greatest Heavy Metal Anthems
- Paranoid- Black Sabbath
- Holy Diver- Dio
- Ace of Spades- Motorhead
- One- Metallica
- Highway Star- Deep Purple
- Run To The Hills- Iron Maiden
- War Pigs- Black Sabbath
- Crazy Train- Ozzy Osbourne
- Enter Sandman- Metallica
- Am I Evil- Diamond Head
- Breaking The Law- Judas Priest
- Walk- Pantera
- Symphony of Destruction- Megadeth
- Welcome To The Jungle- Guns N’ Roses
- Symphony of Destruction- Megadeth
- We’re Not Gonna Take It- Twisted Sister
- Raining Blood- Slayer
- For Whom The Bells Toll- Metallica
- Iron Man- Black Sabbath
- Hammer Smashed Face- Cannibal Corpse
- The Number of the Beast- Iron Maiden
- Painkiller- Judas Priest
- Beyond the Realms of Death- Judas Priest
- Pull Me Under- Dream Theater
- Cowboys from Hell- Pantera
- Black Wind, Fire and Steel- Manowar
- Stargazer- Rainbow
- The Last In Line- Dio
- The Trooper- Iron Maiden
- Mr. Crowley- Ozzy Osbourne
- Angel of Death- Slayer
- Blackwater Park- Opeth
- Nightfall- Blind Guardian
- I Am The Black Wizards- Emperor
- Fast As A Shark- Accept
- Master of Puppets- Metallica
- Pull The Plug- Death
- Before I Forget- Slipknot
- Transilvanian Hunger- Darkthrone
- Hallowed Be Thy Name- Iron Maiden
- Blinded By Fear- At The Gates
- Keeper of the Seven Keys- Helloween
- Seek & Destroy- Metallica
- Hells Bells- AC/DC
- Freezing Moon- Mayhem
- Hangar 18- Megadeth
- Bodies- Drowning Pool
- Chapel of Ghouls- Morbid Angel
- Solitude- Candlemass
- Eyes of A Stranger- Queensryche
- Back in Black- AC/DC
- Heartwork- Carcass
- Metropolis Part 1- Dream Theater
- Bark At The Moon- Ozzy Osbourne
- Divine Wings of Tragedy- Symphony X
- You’ve Got Another Thing Coming- Judas Priest
- Black Metal- Venom
- Night Crawler- Judas Priest
- Crystal Mountain- Death
- Over The Wall- Testament
- Slaughter of the Soul- At The Gates
- Hail To The King- Avenged Sevenfold
- Five Minutes Alone- Pantera
- Down With The Sickness- Disturbed
- Caught In A Mosh- Anthrax
- Metal Warriors- Manowar
- The Drapery Falls- Opeth
- Bonded By Blood- Exodus
- Elimination- Overkill
- Kill The King- Rainbow
- Rime of the Ancient Mariner- Iron Maiden
- Hall of The Mountain King- Savatage
- Souls of Black- Testament
- Guardian- Fates Warning
- Spit It Out- Slipknot
- Mother- Danzig
- No More Tears- Ozzy Osbourne
- Alison Hell- Annihilator
- Your Betrayal- Bullet For My Valentine
- In Your Face- Children of Bodom
- A Fine Day to Die- Bathory
- Tornado of Souls- Megadeth
- A Little Piece of Heaven- Avenged Sevenfold
- Push It- Static X
- Eve of the Apocalypse- Malevolent Creation
- The Oath- Mercyful Fate
- Warzone- Armored Saint
- Locust- Machine Head
- Stricken- Disturbed
- The Philosopher- Death
- Not Alone- All That Remains
- Nemesis- Arch Enemy
- Ten Thousand Fists- Disturbed
- Evil- Mercyful Fate
- Sweet Leaf- Black Sabbath
- Sign of An Open Eye- Gorgoroth
- Awake- Godsmack
- Hail To The King- Avenged Sevenfold
- Duality- Slipknot
- Gutter Ballet- Savatage