TOP 25 Most Influential Metal Albums of All Time

[SpellboundByMetal]

According to IGN Music, these are the TOP 25 Most Influential metal albums of all time. Click the link to see why each album was chosen.
I have 20 of them

01. METALLICA - Master of Puppets (Elektra Records, 1986)
02. BLACK SABBATH - Paranoid (Warner Bros., 1971)
03. IRON MAIDEN - Number of the Beast (Capitol Records, 1982)
04. MEGADETH - Rust in Peace (Capitol Records, 1990)
05. METALLICA - Ride the Lightning (Elektra Records, 1984)
06. OZZY OSBOURNE - Blizzard of Ozz (Jet Records, 1980)
07. SLAYER - Reign in Blood (American Records, 1986)
08. DIO - Holy Diver (Reprise Records, 1983)
09. METALLICA - ...And Justice for All (Elektra Records, 1988)
10. MOTÖRHEAD - Ace of Spades (Castle Music, 1980)
11. PANTERA - Vulgar Display of Power (East/West, 1992)
12. ANTHRAX - Among the Living (Megaforce, 1987)
13. BLACK SABBATH - Black Sabbath (Warner Bros., 1970)
14. FATES WARNING - No Exit (Metal Blade, 1988)
15. JUDAS PRIEST - Screaming for Vengeance (Columbia Records, 1982)
16. MÖTLEY CRÜE - Shout at the Devil (Elektra Records, 1983
17. MASTODON - Blood Mountain (Reprise Records, 2006)
18. OPETH - Blackwater Park (Koch, 2001)
19. PANTERA - Cowboys from Hell (Atlantic Records, 1990)
20. DEEP PURPLE - Machine Head (Warner Bros., 1972)
21. IRON MAIDEN - Piece of Mind (Capitol Records, 1983)
22. OZZY OSBOURNE - Diary of a Madman (Jet Records, 1981)
23. SEPULTURA - Roots (Roadrunner Records, 1996)
24. QUEENSRŸCHE - Operation: Mindcrime (EMI, 1988)
25. SCORPIONS - Lovedrive (Mercury Records, 1979)

http://music.ign.com/articles/755/755929p1.html

[J Michaels]

nothin but good shit there, baby.....

[Gallowglass]

A very impressive list. I would possibly substitute a different album here or there, but that is a minor detail. With the albums listed, I have 20 of them as well.

[HBSPro]

Works for me

[DirtySanchez]

Nice to see Opeth and Mastodon on there.
Usually people who compile these types of things are "good old days" elitists.

[SpellboundByMetal]

Dude, you like Opeth?!??! HELL YEAH!!! thats awesome! Opeth kicks SO much ass.

[Jim Price]

I agree with most of that list as well. Good stuff.

I have 23 of them, the only two I don't have - yet - are Mastodon and Opeth.

[DirtySanchez]

You need to check out Opeth. Patterns in the Ivy is my favorite song of theirs.

[SpellboundByMetal]

"Windowpane" is my fave Opeth song. Its off the 'Damnation' album.

[Plastered Bastards]

Motorhead should be better represented with at least 2 more albums.
Megadeth's Peace Sells album is pretty influencial.
And where's Venom?

hmmmm
Cheers!

[BDR]

Where's Slaughter?

r:>)

[grimmbass]

I was wondering when Opeth would turn up on this board....I just started checking them out this past year. They're really hot and cold for me....I can't think of anyone else who sounds like them. They're heavy, but not thick, and their sound is just plain DARK.

What blows me away about them is that , despite the amazing collective musicianship, Opeth produces some of the WORST arrangements I've ever heard. The songs basically go nowhere and have very little cohesion between sections. Despite having a singer who is very capable of actually singing, the bowel-shaking growl seems to dominate for most of their recordings.

I only own their most recent recording, and to be honest, I've had a hard time making it through repeated listenings. All my criticism aside, I have a lot of respect for ANY band who can garner such a huge legion of fans while still producing 12 minute epics and forging such an unusal sound. Opeth has become commercially successful without selling out.

Mastodon, on the other hand, are some of the best prog-metal songwriters I've ever heard. "Blood Mountain" might be the best album that I've heard in the last year. And in case I forget to mention it, their bass player kicks ass.

My two cents...

[Bag]

Where's Slaughter?

r:>)

And Trixter?

[313]

Great list. I can't argue with anything on there, but I am surprised that AC/DC isn't represented - probably the Back in Black album would be my choice to add to it.

[nightcrawler_steve]

Jethro Tull???? Wankers!

[RobTheDrummer]

Where's Slaughter?

r:>)

Hey fuck you man, Slaughter is one of the most influential bands of the 80's and early 90's! Don't be nay saying them you ass!

[BDR]

UP ALL NIGHT! SLEEP ALL DAY!

r:>)

[Possessed]

What about Death- Scream Bloody Gore or Leprosy? They named the genre after the band. We wouldn’t have all the cookie monster vocals without them.
What about Possessed - Seven Churches? They are also widely regarded with starting the death metal genre. Their first EP released in 1983-84? Was called Death Metal
Celtic Frost – Into Mega Therion The song Circle of the Tyrants is probably covered by more death metal bands than any other song.
If you talk to any bands in the genre they will most likely state these bands as their top influences.
NO VENOM? There is no black metal without VENOM!!!!!!

Other than that the list is pretty close. Just a few off the mark.
Oh yeah Peace Sells is by far the most influential Megadeth album even though Rust In Peace is better IMO.
Of course my tastes are for the more underground stuff.
I'm glad Opeth is on there though. For some reason I just don't get Mastodon. They're good but I've heard that stuff on a million other records that are 10-15 years older. Nothing new to me

[dburley81]

Slaughter yeah i listened to them but they were a crappy hairband from the 80's atleasted they rocked harder than poison LOL

[Mistress_DB]

hahaha dunno about that one there.

A good list all the way around though.

[Banned]

Sort of weird to see Mastodon on there, since the record is only a year old. How can it be Most Influential when it's barely had a chance to influence anyone yet?

Here's one that I can't decide if it should be on the list or not: The Real Thing by Faith No More. Very influential, but it is metal enough?

[Mistress_DB]

That would have been their first release right Jimi? The one with Epic on it. I would think you could consider it influential since it was prob one of the first popular records that mixed rap and rock.

[Drum-Wolf]

UP ALL NIGHT! SLEEP ALL DAY!

r:>)

THAT'S RIGHT!!!!

Awesome cover art on their 1990 "Stick It To Ya" album! And that drummer guy Blas could twirl the shit out of a drumstick!!!! Gotta love that!

[RobTheDrummer]

UP ALL NIGHT! SLEEP ALL DAY!

r:>)

THAT'S RIGHT!!!!

Awesome cover art on their 1990 "Stick It To Ya" album! And that drummer guy Blas could twirl the shit out of a drumstick!!!! Gotta love that!

That drummer was on the movie rockstar. He was the drummer for marky mark's first band.

[ToonaRockGuy]

Speaking of Blas being in Rock Star, so were Zakk Wylde (Black Label/Ozzy), Jason Bonham, Jeff Pillson (Dokken), Nick Cantanese (Black Label Society), and Myles Kennedy (Alter Bridge).