Heavy Metal bands have never actually gone away and loyal fans still purchase the records and go to the thrilling live performances. The late 1960s and 1970s brought many bands to the fore that was famous for loud, aggressive guitar. Most of the prominent Heavy Metal bands are British and this band had a huge influence on the others. They were inaugural inductees into the VH1 Rock Honors in 2006, along with Queen, Kiss and Def Leppard. One of the best albums is Paranoid, which obtained quadruple platinum sales. They are to be seen headbanging and sporting their favorite logos and tattoos. AC / DC were formed in 1973 in Sydney, Australia by brothers, Angus and Malcolm Young.  Following a quiet period, the band were back in top form with their 2008 album, Black Ice, which went straight to the number one spot in the UK album charts.

The line up has continually changed since the first one in 1968 and there are 22 former members. It was a shock to fans when lead vocalist and co-songwriter, Bon Scott died in 1980. The best selling album is Back in Black. They were one of the Heavy Metal Bands to have hit singles, notably Hush, Black Night and Smoke on the Water. The surviving members though, have re-united for certain occasions, such as the compliment concert to the co-founder of Atlantic Records, Ahmet Ertegun. Ozzy’s eccentric antics on and off the stage, the driving sound and the lyrics that relate to horror all combine to their enduring appeal. Deep Purple proudly boasts that they were the loudest band in the world, cited by the Guinness Book of World Records.

Currently, the four members are Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi, and Bill Ward. They began in 1968 until 1976 and then took a break, re-uniting in 1984. From 1968 to 1980, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and John Bonham stormed the album charts and each major stadium. Another band from Birmingham is Judas Priest. They were founded in 1969 and are still going strong. John Bonham’s son Jason was the drummer on the night. Classic songs, such as Whole Lotta Love, Stairway to Heaven and Kashmir still wow the fans. Led Zeppelin is measured to be amongst the finest musicians to come from rock.

The current line up is Rob Halford, Scott Travis, Ian Hill, Glenn Tipton, and K.K Downing. They even took motivation from folk songs. The sad demise of drummer, Bonham caused the band to dismiss. They are categorized as a Heavy Metal band but their music crossed into other genres and some songs were blues enthused. They too have had numerous changes to the line up over the years. It’s acknowledged that their most winning period was between 1969 and 1973 when the line up was Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Jon Lord, and Ian Paice.  The show was in London and tickets sold out within hours.