What's the best heavy metal band of all time?

While I have a fondness for Metallica and the others mentioned above, there is no doubt in my mind that number one is Black Sabbath. Headed by the godfather of heavy metal himself, Ozzy Osbourne.

Formed in 1968 Black Sabbath has gone on to be one of the most influential heavy metal bands of all time.

They were one of the first to tie the dark and occult images we so commonly see with metal bands to heavy handed vocals and guitars. Ozzy's antics and vocal styling transcended the other psychedelic intense rockers of the time like Jimi Hendrix and Led Zepplin. Tony Iommi (who did a short stint with Jethro Tull) was the genius behind the riffs in Paranoid among countless others.

Tunes no self respecting rockers doesn't try out when learning guitar. Black Sabbath is so revered by other bands they have made not just one but two tribute albums. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nativity_in_Black Rocking out in 1974 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRhZISswW_k Still Thrashing over 30 years later http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lboS7psz-qc.

Metallica is the best heavy metal band of all time. What they have achieve in the past,present and future surely cements them as the best heavy metal band ever. ----quote---- Metallica has released nine studio albums, two live albums, two EPs, twenty-four music videos, and forty-five singles.

The band has won nine Grammy Awards, and has had five consecutive albums debut at number one on the Billboard 200, making Metallica the only band, other than the Dave Matthews Band, to do so.3not in citation given The band's 1991 album, Metallica, has sold over 15 million copies in the United States, and 22 million copies worldwide, which makes it the 25th-highest-selling album in the country.4 The band has sold an estimated 100 million records worldwide as of the release of their latest album, Death Magnetic. As of September 2008, Metallica is the fourth highest-selling music artist since the SoundScan era began tracking sales on May 25, 1991, selling a total of 51,136,000 albums in the United States alone. ----quote---- Information obtain from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metallica

/250px-Metallica_at_The_O2_Arena_London_2008.jpg Here are some links which have the top heavy metal bands and Metallica is rated as number one http://www.rateitall.com/t-19746-best-heavy-metalrock-band-of-all-time.aspx http://rateyourmusic.com/list/dark_beauty/the_20_best_metal_bands_of_all_time.

AC/DC I have to quote these statistics so please excuse the block quote /quote/ As of 2008, AC/DC have sold more than 200 million albums worldwide, including 71 million albums in the United States. Back in Black has sold an estimated 45 million units worldwide, making it the highest-selling album by any band and the 2nd highest-selling album in history, behind "Thriller" by Michael Jackson. /unquote/ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC/DC 2nd biggest album after MJ's Thriller - come on!

That says they are the best surely :) Back in Black - highest selling album by any band ever! Ah, and Bon Scott is so missed! In fact so missed they built a statue in Fremantle to commemorate his work

Wikipedia says they are amongst the pioneers of heavy metal but they are a very rock and roll band.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC/DC They make toys about them! Only the BEST famous musicians get that treatment! Hahaha

How can you go past http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqwFfGgLPzM AC/DC all the way!

And I'm not just saying that because they are Aussies, really.....

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I'm going to have to go with Metallica. You never hear anyone say "AC/DC" the way Metallica fans say "METALLLICAAA! ' (And according to Jim Breuer- they have their own army). Check out some Metallica fans below...

Metallica has released too many bad albums to be considered the greatest. A mark of greatness is consistency! I'd personally say Judas Priest.

Their career spans from the early 70s right up until today. In the 70s, they were one of the most prominent rock/proto-metal bands to move away from a blues-based sound. In the late 70s to mid 80s, they had a string of commercial hits and memorable albums.

After a brief period of mediocre work (Turbo and Ram It Down), they returned with Painkiller in 1991, perhaps the best metal album of that decade. Since then, they've lost Rob Halford for a few albums (the story of his replacement, Tim Owens,inspired the movie Rock Star starring Mark Wahlberg), and got him back for their last two releases, Angel of Retribution and Nostradamus. Rob Halford himself is referred to as the "Metal God" in heavy metal circles.

How much more of an endorsement does one need?

The Roadrunner chooses MEGADETH-Without question. Dave Mustaine started off as a guitarist for Metallica before getting kicked out of the band by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich. Then he formed Megadeth, although Metallica was the more popular band of the 2 for many years, but Megadeth's last 2 albums called Endgame and United Abominations surpassed record sales of Metallica's St.Anger and Death Magnetic albums.In the long run, Megadeth seems to be the one on top now with all due respect to Metallica, the runner up.

Winner = Megadeth Roadrunner Records.

The best all time heavy metal band, hands down is Metallica. Listening to their pieces of music is like losing yourself in a modern day Beethoven movement. What a musical roller coaster ride through a magical horror filled amusement park. A Couple of my favorites songs you should definitely check out are: "Fade to Black" off of their 1984 album, Ride the Lightning, "One" off of their 1988 album And Justice for all.

Metallica is the most unique Heavy Metal band, no smoke and mirrors, no facade just the raw cavalcade of Metal, sweat and tears.

AC/DC! They are comming Japan! Many we are looking fowerd to Their Live Concert!

And love them.

As much as I kind of hate to say it, it's simply got to be Metallica. In the mid 80's when we were all swimming in post disco crap, one band brought mteal to the mainstream - and that band was Metallica. They weren't steeped in contraversy like Ozzy or Motley Crue, but instead, brought metal music to an entirely new level. At the time they came out, so few bands could be counted on to bring a 11 minute long song filled with al the metal you could possibly want. Sadly, I feel like they've sold out (gone are the days of Leper Messiah and Trapped Under Ice - even Harvester is but a metal memory) and there are MANY who will disagree with me.

I'll also agree that a band must grow and branch out and try different things to be successful, but I don't care for much after Justice. Anyhoo, hands down The Mighty Met has my vote! As a side note, Lamb of God is rocking my sox right now...

No other band has rocked the world with the longevity and consistency of Iron Maiden. Bruce Dickinson somehow manages to hold onto his voice when other screaming metal frontmen are losing them. He's a fencer and pilot of the Iron Maiden plane as well as writing really bad horror movies.

But the key reason that Iron Maiden has to be considered the best metal act ever is that they continue to sell out stadiums 34 years after they debut album. And, the intelligence of the lyrics as well as the metal edge are still has hot as ever! They may haver slipped some in popularity in the U.S., but worldwide Iron Maiden still rules them all.

Metallica hands down ALL TIME! Spinal Tap 2nd.

I have to go with Iron Maiden. :) I also loved Scorpions. I was never a huge Metallica Fan after Dave left and formed Megadeth which was also good.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.