Heavy Metal Music in History

Events in Music

  • 1968-07-20 Iron Butterfly's "In-a-gadda-da-vida" becomes 1st heavy metal song to hit charts, it comes in at #117

Osbourne Bites Head Off Bat

1982-01-20 Heavy metal musician Ozzy Osbourne allegedly bites the head off a bat on stage in Des Moines, Iowa

Master of Puppets

1986-03-03 ELektra Records releases "Master of Puppets", the third studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica

  • 1991-08-12 Heavy metal band Metallica release their 5th album "Metallica"; debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 chart
  • 2017-02-05 Heavy metal band Black Sabbath play their last concert in their home town Birmingham, England

Birthdays in Music

Birthdays 1 - 100 of 218

  • 1943-12-23 Derek Small, British fictional heavy metal bassist (Spinal Tap), born in Nilford-on-Null, West Midlands, England
  • 1945-08-19 Ian Gillan, English heavy metal and rock singer (Deep Purple - "Smoke On The Water"; Jesus Christ Superstar), born in London
  • 1945-12-24 Lemmy [Ian Fraser Kilmister], British heavy metal musician (Motörhead), born in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire , England (d. 2015)
  • 1947-08-13 David St. Hubbins, British fictional heavy metal singer (Spinal Tap), born in Squatney, London, England
  • 1948-02-05 Nigel Tufnel, British fictional heavy metal guitarist (Spinal Tap), born in Squatney, East London, England
  • 1948-04-05 Dave Holland, English heavy metal rocker (Judas Priest - "Breakin' The Law"), born in Northampton, England (d. 2018)
  • 1948-05-05 Bill Ward, English heavy metal drummer (Black Sabbath), born in Birmingham, England
  • 1948-12-03 (John) "Ozzy" Osbourne, English heavy metal vocalist and songwriter (Black Sabbath), born in Birmingham, England
  • 1949-06-25 Michael Barbiero, American disco and heavy metal sound engineer, mixer, record producer, and studio owner, born in New York City
  • 1950-08-15 Tommy Aldridge, American heavy metal and hard rock drummer (Black Oak Arkansas; Ozzy Osbourne; Whitesnake), born in Pearl, Mississippi
  • 1951-04-27 Paul "Ace" Frehley, American rock guitarist (Kiss; Frehley's Comet), born in The Bronx, New York
  • 1951-08-25 Rob Halford, English heavy metal singer-songwriter (Judas Priest - Got Another Thing), born in Sutton Coldfield, England
  • 1951-11-14 Frankie Banali, American heavy metal drummer (Quiet Riot - "Cum on Feel the Noize"), born in Queens, NewYork City (d. 2020)
  • 1952-04-06 Udo Dirkshneider, German heavy metal ringer (Accept, 1976-87 - "Balls to the Wall"; U.D.O.), born in Wuppertal, West Germany
  • 1952-08-06 Vinnie Vincent [Cusano], American rock guitarist (Kiss, 1982-84; solo - "Ashes to Ashes"), born in Bridgeport, Connecticut
  • 1953-01-24 Nigel Glockler, British heavy metal drummer (Saxon), born in Hove, East Sussex, England
  • 1953-06-04 Paul Samson [Sansom] British heavy metal and blues guitarist (Samson), born in Norwich, England (d. 2002)
  • 1953-06-29 Don Dokken, American heavy metal singer (Dokken - "Alone Again"), born in Los Angeles, California
  • 1954-06-05 Michael "Nicko" McBrain, English heavy metal drummer (Iron Maiden - "Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter"), born in London, England
  • 1955-01-10 Michael Schenker, German heavy metal guitarist (MSG; UFO; Scorpions), born in Sarstedt, Germany
  • 1955-10-29 Kevin DuBrow, American heavy metal singer (Quiet Riot), born in Hollywood, California (d. 2007)
  • 1956-06-14 King Diamond [Kim Petersen], Danish heavy metal musician (Merciful Fate; King Diamond), born in Copenhagen, Denmark
  • 1956-09-04 Blackie Lawless [Steven Duren], American heavy metal singer and guitarist (W.A.S.P.), born in Staten Island, New York
  • 1956-11-10 Scott Columbus, American heavy metal drummer (Manowar, 1983–91 & 1994–2008), born in USA (d. 2011)
  • 1956-12-06 Randy Rhoads, American heavy metal guitarist (Quiet Riot), born in Santa Monica, California (d. 1982)
  • 1956-12-23 Dave Murray, English heavy metal guitarist and songwriter (Iron Maiden), born in London, England
  • 1957-02-27 Adrian Smith, English heavy metal guitarist (Iron Maiden - "Aces High"), born in London Borough of Hackney, London, England
  • 1957-03-18 György Pazdera, Hungarian heavy metal bassist (Pokolgép), born in Budapest, Hungary
  • 1957-04-19 Tony Martin [Harford], British heavy metal vocalist (Black Sabbath, 1987-91 and 1993-7), born in Birmingham, England
  • 1957-06-30 Chris Van Jaarsveld, Dutch heavy metal guitarist (Sleeze Beez), born in the Netherlands
  • 1957-08-11 Ross Halfin, British rock and heavy metal concert tour and portrait photographer, born in london, England
  • 1957-12-08 Phil Collen, English heavy-metal guitarist (Def Leppard - "Love Bites"), born in London, England
  • 1958-04-13 Randy Piper, American heavy metal rocker (Wasp - "Wildchild"), born in San Antonio, Texas
  • 1958-06-20 (Beranadette) "Kelly" Johnson, British heavy metal guitarist (Girlschool - "St. Valentine's Day Massacre"), born in Edmonton, London, England (d. 2007)
  • 1958-08-07 Bruce Dickinson, British heavy metal rocker (Iron Maiden - "Run to Hills"), born in Worksop, England
  • 1958-08-09 Greg Chaisson, Canadian heavy metal bassist (Badlands - "Dreams in the Dark"), born in Toronto, Ontario
  • 1959-01-13 James Lomenzo, American heavy metal bassist (White Lion; David Lee Roth; Megadeth, 2006-10), born in Brooklyn, New York
  • 1959-07-03 Stephen Pearcy, American heavy metal vocalist (RATT - "Round & Round"), born in Los Angeles, California
  • 1959-08-01 Joe Elliott, English heavy metal vocalist (Def Leppard - "Hysteria"; "Rock of Ages"), born in Sheffield, South Yorkshire
  • 1959-08-19 Steve Grimmett, British heavy metal singer (Grim Reaper), born in Swindon, England
  • 1959-08-22 Juan Croucier, Cuban-American heavy metal bassist and songwriter (Ratt - "Round & Round"), born in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
  • 1959-09-23 D-Roc the Executioner [Dennis Miles], American heavy metal musician (Body Count), born in the US (d. 2004)
  • 1959-11-30 Randy Gane, American session and touring heavy metal keyboardist, born in Mount Clemens, Michigan
  • 1960-03-12 Minoru Niihara, Japanese heavy metal singer (Loudness), born in Osaka, Japan
  • 1960-08-04 Robbin Crosby, American heavy metal rock guitarist and vocalist (Ratt - "Round & Round"), born in La Jolla, California (d. 2002)
  • 1960-08-12 Morty Skaget [Morty Black, Norwegian heavy metal musician (TNT, JORN), born in Trondheim, Norway
  • 1960-10-13 Joey Belladonna [Bellardini], American heavy metal vocalist (Anthrax, 1984-92 - "I Am The Law"), born in Oswego, New York
  • 1960-11-25 Kasey Smith, American heavy metal artist (Danger Danger-Screw It), born in Queens, New York
  • 1961-01-14 Mike Tramp [Trempenau], Danish heavy metal rocker (White Lion - "Mane Attraction"), born in Copenhagen Denmark
  • 1961-01-29 Eddie Jackson, American heavy metal rock bassist (Queensrÿche - "Silent Lucidity"), born in Robstown, Texas
  • 1961-04-12 D. D. Verni, American heavy metal bassist, and songwriter (Overkill - "Hello From the Gutter"), born in New Providence, New Jersey
  • 1961-04-18 Kelly Hansen, American heavy metal rocker (Hurricane - "I'm On To You"), born in Hawthorne, California
  • 1961-06-06 Tom Araya, Chilean-American heavy metal bass guitarist and lead singer (Slayer), born in Viña del Mar, Chile
  • 1961-07-24 Paul Geary, American heavy metal drummer (Extreme), born in Medford, Massachusetts
  • 1961-08-29 Tony MacAlpine, American heavy metal rocker ("Edge of Insanity"), born in Springfield, Massachusetts
  • 1961-08-31 David Chastain, American heavy metal guitarist (Chastain - Rule of Wasteland), born in Atlanta, Georgia
  • 1961-09-13 Dave Mustaine, American heavy metal guitarist and singer (Metallica, 1981-83; Megadeth), born in La Mesa, California
  • 1961-11-29 Masayoshi Yamashita, Japanese heavy metal bass guitarist (Loudness), born in Osaka, Japan
  • 1962-01-04 Peter Steele [Petrus Ratajczyk], American heavy metal singer-songwriter, and bassist (Type O Negative), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2010)
  • 1962-01-15 Cronos [Conrad Lant], English heavy metal singer and bassist (Venom), born in London, England
  • 1962-02-23 Michael Wilton, American heavy metal guitarist (Queensrÿche), born in San Francisco, California
  • 1962-07-14 Jeff Olson, American heavy metal drummer and keyboardist, born in Wareham, Massachusetts
  • 1962-08-07 Michael "Weiki" Weikath, German heavy metal guitarist (Helloween), born in Hamburg, West Germany
  • 1962-08-25 Mazzi Rawd, {Clifford Lewis], American heavy metal guitarist (Femme Fatale), and physicist, born in the USA
  • 1962-08-25 Vivian Campbell, Irish heavy metal singer (Def Leppard), born in Belfast, Ireland

Kirk Hammett (61 years old)

1962-11-18 American heavy-metal guitarist (Metallica - Master of Puppets; "Enter Sandman"), born in San Francisco, California

  • 1962-12-08 Marty Friedman, American heavy metal guitarist (Megadeth), born in Washington, D.C.
  • 1963-01-04 Till Lindemann, German heavy metal singer (Rammstein), born in Leipzig, East Germany
  • 1963-01-05 Rick Ambrose, Dutch heavy metal singer (Jewel - "Mystery Of Fate"), born in Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • 1963-01-17 Kai Hansen, German heavy metal guitarist and vocalist (Helloween, Gamma Ray), born in Hamburg, West Germany
  • 1963-01-28 Danny Spitz, heavy metal guitarist (Anthrax, 1983-95, 2005-08 - State of Euphoria), born in Rockland County, New York

Jason Newsted (61 years old)

1963-03-04 American heavy-metal bassist (Metallica - "Nothing Else Matters"), born in Battle Creek, Michigan

  • 1963-03-16 Jimmy Degrasso, American hard rock and heavy metal session and touring drummer (Megadeth, 1998-2002; Ratt. 2014-17), born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
  • 1963-04-10 Warren DeMartini, American heavy metal guitarist (Ratt), born in Chicago, Illinois
  • 1963-04-20 Kal Swan, Scottish heavy metal singer-songwriter (Bad Moon Rising), born in Raleigh, Glasgow, Scotland
  • 1963-04-24 Joey Vera, American heavy metal rocker (Armored Saint - "Aftermath"), born in Los Angeles, California

James Hetfield (60 years old)

1963-08-03 American heavy metal rocker (Metallica), born in Downey, California

  • 1963-08-24 John Bush, American heavy metal singer (Armored Saint, 1982-present; Anthrax, 1992-2005, 2010), born in Los Angeles, California
  • 1963-08-31 Richard "Reb" Beach, American heavy metal guitarist (Winger; Whitesnake), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Lars Ulrich (60 years old)

1963-12-26 Danish heavy metal drummer (Metallica - ....And Justice for All), born in Gentoffe, Denmark

  • 1963-12-31 Scott Ian [né Rosenfeld], American heavy metal guitarist (Anthrax - "I'm the Man"), born in Queens, New York
  • 1964-02-01 Jani Lane [John Oswald], American heavy metal rock songwriter, and singer (Warrant - "Cherry Pie"), born in Akron, Ohio (d. 2011)
  • 1964-04-06 Johnny Dee [DiTeodoro], American heavy metal drummer (Britny Fox - "Boys in Heat"; "King Kobra"), born in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania
  • 1964-04-13 Bill D'Angelo, American heavy metal guitarist (Femme Fatale), born in Albuquerque, New Mexico (d. 2005)
  • 1964-06-03 Dorothee "Doro" Pesch, German heavy metal singer and songwriter (Warlock), known as the 'Metal Queen', born in Düsseldorf, West German
  • 1964-06-03 Kerry King, American heavy metal guitarist and songwriter (Slayer), born in Los Angeles, California
  • 1964-06-05 Karl Sanders, American heavy metal guitarist and singer (Nile), born in Greenville, South Carolina
  • 1964-07-27 Rex Brown, American heavy metal bassist (Pantera), born in Graham, Texas
  • 1964-08-13 Ian Haugland, Norwegian heavy metal drummer (Europe - "The Final Countdown"), born in Storslett, Nordreisa, Norway
  • 1964-08-18 Andi Deris, German heavy metal vocalist (Helloween, 1994-present), born in Karlsruhe, West Germany
  • 1964-11-12 Dave Ellefson, American heavy metal bassist (Megadeth), born in Jackson, Minnesota
  • 1965-05-18 Ingo Schwichtenberg, German heavy metal drummer (Helloween), born in Hamburg, West Germany (d. 1995)
  • 1965-07-09 Frank Bello, American heavy metal bassist (Anthrax), born in The Bronx, New York
  • 1965-09-21 Markus Grosskopf, German heavy metal bassist, singer, and songwriter (Helloween), born in Hamburg, West Germany
  • 1965-10-29 Steven Sweet, American heavy metal artist (Warrant - "Cherry Pie"), born in Wadsworth, Ohio
  • 1966-05-05 Shawn Drover, Canadian heavy metal drummer (Megadeth), born in Montreal, Quebec
  • 1966-08-10 Hansi Kürsch, German heavy metal singer-songwriter, band bassist (Blind Guardian), born in Lank-Latum, West Germany
  • 1966-08-20 "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, American heavy metal guitarist (Pantera), born in Arlington, Texas (d. 2004)
  • 1966-08-22 Mark Michaels, American rock and jazz session guitarist, educator, and author (Teach Yourself Rhythm Guitar)
  • 1966-09-02 Dino Cazares, American heavy metal guitarist (FearFactor), born in El Centro, California

Weddings in Music

  • 1988-06-19 Danny Spitz, heavy metal artist (Anthrax), weds Valerie
  • 1994-07-10 American "Anthrax" heavy-metal guitarist Scott Ian (31) weds American Debbie Leavitt (23) in Huntington Beach, California; divorce in 2001

Deaths in Music

  • 1982-03-19 Randy Rhoads, American heavy metal guitarist (Quiet Riot), dies in an air crash at 25
  • 1991-04-08 Dead [Pelle Ohlin], Swedish heavy metal singer (Mayhem), commits suicide at 22
  • 1992-04-19 Rob Clayton, American alternative rock drummer (The Jody Grind), dies in car crash with a drunk driver at 22
  • 1995-03-08 Ingo Schwichtenberg, German heavy metal drummer (Helloween), commits suicide by jumping in front of a train at 29
  • 2001-12-13 Chuck Schuldiner, American heavy metal singer-songwriter and guitarist (Death; Control Denied), dies of brain cancer at 34
  • 2002-06-06 Robbin Crosby, American heavy metal rock guitarist and vocalist (Ratt - "Round & Round"), dies at 42
  • 2003-11-08 Guy Speranza, American heavy metal singer (Riot, 1975-81), dies of pancreatic cancer at 47
  • 2004-01-14 Valfar, Norwegian heavy metal musician (Windir), dies in a snowstorm at 25
  • 2004-08-17 D-Roc the Executioner [Dennis Miles], American heavy metal musician (Body Count), dies of complications of lymphoma at 44
  • 2004-12-08 "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, American heavy metal guitarist (Pantera), shot and killed by crazed fan Nathan Gale while performing on stage at 38
  • 2005-08-20 Krzysztof Raczkowski, Polish heavy metal drummer, dies of heart failure at 34
  • 2005-08-26 Denis D'Amour, Canadian heavy metal guitarist (Voivod), dies of cancer at 45
  • 2005-11-21 Bill D'Angelo, American heavy metal guitarist (Femme Fatale, 1987-90), dies of a drug overdose at 43
  • 2006-10-14 Jared Anderson, American heavy metal bassist and vocalist (Morbid Angel; Hate Eternal), dies at 31
  • 2007-11-02 Witold Kiełtyka, Polish heavy metal drummer (Decapitated), dies in a tour bus crash at 23
  • 2007-11-19 Kevin DuBrow, American heavy metal singer (Quiet Riot), dies of an overdose at 53
  • 2008-10-29 Mike Baker, American heavy metal singer and bass player (Shadow Gallery), dies of a heart attack at 45
  • 2009-02-18 Miika Tenkula, Finnish heavy metal guitarist and songwriter (Sentenced), dies of a heart attack at 34
  • 2009-10-12 Dickie Peterson American heavy metal bassist (Blue Cheer), dies of liver cancer at 63
  • 2010-04-14 Peter Steele [Petrus Ratajczyk], American heavy metal singer-songwriter, and bassist (Type O Negative), dies of sepsis at 48
  • 2010-05-24 Paul Gray, American heavy metal bassist (Slipknot), dies of a drug overdose at 38
  • 2011-04-04 Scott Columbus, American heavy metal drummer (Manowar, 1983–91 & 1994–2008), takes his own life at 54
  • 2011-06-11 Seth Putnam, American extreme heavy metal guitarist and vocalist, dies of a heart attack at 43
  • 2011-08-11 Jani Lane [John Oswald], American heavy metal rock songwriter, and singer (Warrant - "Cherry Pie"), dies of acute alcohol poisoning at 47
  • 2015-12-28 Lemmy [Ian Fraser Kilmister], British heavy metal musician (Motörhead), dies from terminal illness at 70
  • 2018-01-16 Dave Holland, English heavy metal rocker (Judas Priest - "Breakin' the Law"), dies at 69
  • 2018-06-22 Vinnie Paul [Abbott], American heavy metal drummer (Pantera), dies of a heart condition at 54
  • 2018-08-14 Jill Janus, American heavy metal singer (Huntress), commits suicide at 43
  • 2020-08-20 Frankie Banali, American heavy metal drummer (Quiet Riot - "Cum on Feel the Noize"), dies of pancreatic cancer at 68