Metal has now become an umbrella genre that includes many sub-categories like death, heavy, dirge, Gothic, glam, trash, drone, speed, etc. After including so many bands and songs, it is evident that metal is too huge to be narrowed down.
Metal is an innovation of the typical rock music that was prominent in the 1970s and the '80s. It has a heavier sound than rock music. Each of the categories has their own characteristics and variations in sound.
When it comes to listing the most famous metal songs, rankings can differ since all fans have their individual choices and preferences. However, there are some songs, all metal lovers would remember if they were to pick the best metal songs of all time.
Metal fans have always been at loggerheads, not just with other genres but with themselves as well. For example, how AC/DC, when they started out, were considered as a metal band. Then came the heavier sounds of Metallica and the others after which AC/DC came to be known as a hard rock band. But if you ask them, they'll say that they are a Rock N' Roll band.
The point is, a few of the bands mentioned here may not be 'metal enough' according to today's standards, but they were one of the earlier bands when metal was still in its rudimentary stage. For instance, try comparing Judas Priest to Opeth. Opeth ends up with the heavier sound, but that doesn't necessarily make Judas Priest non metal.
Best Metal Bands of All Time
Iron Maiden
Metallica
Opeth
Dethklok
Judas Priest
Pantera
Testament
Kalmah
Motörhead
Avenged Sevenfold
Whitecross
Dokken
Slayer
Dream Theater
Black Sabbath
Alice In Chains
Ozzy Osbourne
Tool
Meshuggah
Lamb Of God
Dio
10 Best Metal Songs of All Time
Master Of Puppets | Metallica
Ghost Of Perdition | Opeth
One | Metallica
Painkiller | Judas Priest
Paranoid | Black Sabbath
Mr. Crowley | Ozzy Osbourne
Holy Wars | Megadeth
Mouth For War | Pantera
War Pigs | Black Sabbath
Hallowed Be Thy Name | Iron Maiden
Other Great Metal Songs
The Dark Eternal Night | Dream Theater
Fear of the Dark | Iron Maiden
Chop Suey | System Of A Down
Enter Sandman | Metallica
The Trooper | Iron Maiden
Paradigm Shift | Liquid Tension Experiment
Ace Of Spades | Motörhead
Kiss of Death | Motörhead
The Glass Prison | Dream Theater
Walk | Pantera
Fade To Black | Metallica
Into The Fire | Dokken
Before I Forget | Slipknot
Peace Sells | Megadeth
Back In Black | AC/DC
Beyond the Realms of Death | Judas Priest
For Whom the Bell Tolls | Metallica
Best Death Metal Songs of All Time
Focus Shift | Dark Tranquility
Hades | Kalmah
Lycanthropy | Six Feet Under
The Pursuit of Vikings | Amon Amarth
Slowly We Rot | Obituary
Hammer Smashed Face | Cannibal Corpse
Stabwound | Necrophagist
Spheres of Madness | Decapitated
Only For the Weak | In Flames
Best Thrash Metal Songs of All Time
Death Rattle | Pantera
Four Horsemen | Metallica
Into The Pit | Testament
Escape To The Void | Sepultura
Angel Of Death | Slayer
Cowboys From Hell | Pantera
Caught In A Mosh | Anthrax
And Then There Were None | Exodus
Tornado Of Souls | Megadeth
I Am The Law | Anthrax
Metal is one of the genres where the eternal 'Potato Poe-tah-toh' argument is heavier than others. This makes the music one of the most subjectively influenced of all. Pick these songs up and give them all a listen.