Rolling Stone recently released their list of "The 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Songs of All Time".
Says Rolling Stone: "The group of headbangers that Rolling Stone gathered to rank the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Songs of All Time debated the merits of more than 300 worthy songs over several months. These people include writers and critics who have been writing for Rolling Stone for decades and contributors to metal-focused publications. Many list voters contributed to RS’ Greatest Metal Albums list a few years back.
This time, we discussed the earliest metal songs going back to Blue Cheer’s deafening cover of 'Summertime Blues' through recent instant classics like Power Trip’s 'Executioner’s Tax (Swing of the Axe)'. And while keeping our minds open to the basic definition of metal (weighty riffs turned up to 11), we debated the fine lines between hard rock and metal: Motörhead and AC/DC, hard-rock bands who recorded awe-inspiring statements of fury that cross over into metal, are here, while Guns N’ Roses and KISS, whose music bears more of an overall hard-rock swagger, are not. Similarly, you’ll find songs by Def Leppard, Lita Ford, and Ratt, bands who defined a metal ethos for the time they came out even if their songs don’t sound as intense as, say, Emperor. In the cases of metal’s forebears, like Led Zeppelin and even Black Sabbath, who have shunned the “metal” tag, we picked the most metal songs in their catalogs. Our contributors submitted ballots of their personal picks for the top metal songs, we tallied them up, and we spotted a few pleasant surprises in how the ranking shook out."
Songs landing on the list include:
#100 - "Welcome To Hell" - Venom (1981)
#95 - "Davidian" - Machine Head (1994)
#90 - "Bring The Noise" - Public Enemy feat. Anthrax (1991)
#79 - "Balls To The Wall" - Accept (1984)
#69 - "Evil" - Mercyful Fate (1983)
#59 - "Freezing Moon" - Mayhem (1994)
#50 - "Procreation (Of The Wicked)" - Celtic Frost (1984)
#42 - "Curse You All Men!" - Emperor (1999)
#29 - "Walk" - Pantera (1992)
#26 - "Am I Evil?" - Diamond Head (1980)
#24 - "South Of Heaven" - Slayer (1988)
#10 - "Run To The Hills" - Iron Maiden (1982)
Machine Head frontman Robb Flynn shared a message Rolling Stone thanking them for the band's inclusion on the list,but it wasn't without criticism. Check it out below.
Flynn: "I’d like to personally thank Rolling Stone for the inclusion of "Davidian" from Machine Head’s 1994 debut album, Burn My Eyes, in their Top 100 Greatest Heavy-Metal Songs of All Time. It was a rare and delightful compliment from a magazine that has largely paid us no mind for the last 29 years.
Once the surprise of being mentioned subsided, I decided to go through all 100 Songs. Sure, there are many, many questionable choices on the list, but there are two glaring omissions I HAVE to mention.
No Exodus? No Testament?
Bay Area Thrash Metal is still an extremely vital and powerful force in music, and it wasn’t just Metallica that brought it to the world. Upon formation, Exodus were literally the most exciting band around. Crafting timeless songs like 'Bonded By Blood', 'A Lesson In Violence', or their own pit anthem, 'The Toxic Waltz', all deserve similar honors on such a list. When I was a teenager growing up in the Bay Area, I cannot express how important and influential Exodus and guitarist Gary Holt were and remain. Without Gary, there is no Robb Flynn. Without Exodus, there is no Machine Head.
And when it comes to Testament? The word that continues to flash before my eyes is 'impact.' I can assure you that every single rock / metal guitar player on the face of the planet’s collective jaws hit the floor when they heard Alex Skolnick play. His adding of classical arpeggio sweeps into songs like 'Over The Wall' and 'Disciples Of The Watch' was game changing. Soon everybody from Kirk Hammett of Metallica to Glenn Tipton of Judas Priest was doing it. The commanding bellow of singer Chuck Billy was an absolute precursor to the death and black metal vocal that would soon follow and continue until this day. That's undeniable impact.
Again, we are humbled, honored, and grateful for our welcome into your Top 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Songs of All Time. Lastly, on behalf of the Heavy Metal community, thank you for representing our genre in your publication."
Find out where your favourites land on the list, at RollingStone.com.
