The Best Album by 30 Legendary Metal Bands

Here is the best album by 30 legendary metal bands.

This is a classic case of the best of the best, exploring more than 50 years of greatness in heavy metal and many representatives of its numerous subgenres.

It's a bit mind boggling to think that metal has been around almost as long in the 21st century as it was before the turn of the millennium, but we're getting closer and closer by the year if we're abiding by the generally universal rule that it began in 1970 with the release of the first Black Sabbath album.

What these 30 albums prove is that metal is just as genuine now as it was back when it was enjoying mainstream commercial success, racking up platinum certifications with near ease.

READ MORE: Every Thrash Metal 'Big 4' Album Ranked From Worst to Best

Opinions on the very best album by any particular band will naturally differ and, for some artists, it feels like a couple of different records can fairly be called a career best.

If you happen to disagree with some of what you see below, that's fine! It's all in the name of good fun and healthy debate, a time-honored heavy metal tradition that, like this music, will never die.

See those 30 albums directly below.