Music Sound

This is a timeline of heavy metal or hard rock, from its beginnings in the late 1960s to the present time.

1966 - 1967 - 1968 - 1969 - 1970 - 1971 - 1972 - 1973 - 1974 - 1975 - 1976 - 1977 - 1978 - 1979 - 1980 - 1981 - 1982 - 1983 - 1984 - 1985 - 1986 - 1987 - 1988 - 1989 - 1990 - 1991 - 1992 - 1993 - 1994 - 1995 - 1996 - 1997 - 1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 - 2006

1966

Newly formed bands

• The Jimi Hendrix Experience
  Cream

Albums

• The Yardbirds - Roger the Engineer

Disbandments

Events

1967

Newly formed bands

• Iron Butterfly

Albums

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced?

Disbandments

Events

1968

Newly formed bands

• Alice Cooper
  Budgie
  Deep Purple
  Led Zeppelin (Evolved from The Yardbirds)
  Rush
  UFO
  Black Sabbath

Albums

• Blue Cheer - Vincebus Eruptum
  Jeff Beck Group - Truth
  The Beatles - The White Album
  Iron Butterfly - In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

Disbandments

• Cream

Events

1969

Newly formed bands

• Judas Priest

Albums

• Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin
  Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II
  The Who - Tommy

Disbandments

Events

• The hard rock group The Who releases the concept album Tommy, about a deaf, dumb and blind boy who wins a mass following after becoming a pinball guru. The album's consistent themes, plot, story and interlinking songs set the template for many other hard-rock artists to attempt such concept albums.

1970

Newly formed bands

• Aerosmith

Albums

• Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
  Black Sabbath - Paranoid
  Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin III

Disbandments

Events

1971

Newly formed bands

• Queen

Albums

• Black Sabbath - Master of Reality
  The Who - Who's Next
  Led Zeppelin - Untitled fourth album
  Alice Cooper - Love It to Death

Disbandments

Events

1972

Newly formed bands

• KISS

Albums

• Black Sabbath - Vol. 4
  Deep Purple - Machine Head

Disbandments

Events

1973

Newly formed bands

• AC/DC

Albums

• Aerosmith - Aerosmith
  Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
  Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy
  Queen - Queen

Disbandments

Events

1974

Newly formed bands

• Twisted Sister
  Van Halen
  Y&T

Albums

• Aerosmith - Get Your Wings
  Judas Priest - Rocka Rolla
  KISS - Hotter Than Hell
  Queen - Queen II
  Queen - Sheer Heart Attack
  Rush - Rush

Disbandments

Events

• The drummer John Rutsey of Rush quits and Neil Peart joins as a permanent member.

1975

Newly formed bands

• Iron Maiden (by Steve Harris)
  Motörhead
  Quiet Riot
  Rainbow

Albums

• Aerosmith - Toys In The Attic
  Black Sabbath - Sabotage
  Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti
  Queen - A Night at the Opera
  Rush - Caress of Steel
  Rush - Fly by Night
  KISS - Dressed to Kill
  KISS - Alive!
  Rainbow - Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow

Disbandments

Events

• Motörhead's original drummer, Lucas Fox, leaves the band. He is replaced by Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor.

1976

Newly formed bands

• Running Wild

Albums

• Aerosmith - Rocks
  Black Sabbath - Technical Ecstasy
  Black Sabbath - We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll
  Judas Priest - Sad Wings of Destiny
  Led Zeppelin - Presence
  Led Zeppelin - The Song Remains the Same
  Queen - A Day at the Races
  Rush - 2112
  Rainbow - Rising

Disbandments

Events

• Guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke joins Motörhead and Larry Wallis leaves after a month.

1977

Newly formed bands

• Def Leppard

Albums

• Aerosmith - Draw The Line
  Motörhead - Motörhead
  Ted Nugent - Cat Scratch Fever
  Rush - A Farewell to Kings
  Rainbow - On Stage

Disbandments

Events

1978

Newly formed bands

• Dokken
  Europe

Albums

• Judas Priest - Stained Class
  Rush - Hemispheres (EP)
  Van Halen - Van Halen
  Rainbow - Long Live Rock 'N' Roll

Disbandments

Events

• Def Leppard's drummer Rick Allen joins at 15 as a permanent member.

1979

Newly formed bands

• Venom

Albums

• AC/DC - Highway to Hell
  Aerosmith - Night In The Ruts
  Judas Priest - Hell Bent for Leather
  Judas Priest - Unleashed in the East (live album)
  Led Zeppelin - In Through the Out Door
  Motörhead - On Parole (unofficial release from sessions recorded in 1975)
  Motörhead - Overkill
  Motörhead - Bomber
  Van Halen - Van Halen II
  Kiss - Dinasty

Disbandments

Events

• Ozzy Osbourne is kicked out of Black Sabbath due to heavy involvement and problems with drugs and alcohol

1980

Newly formed bands

• Manowar
  Mercyful Fate
  Overkill

Albums

• AC/DC - Back in Black
  Angel Witch - Angel Witch
  Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell
  Diamond Head - Lightning to the Nations
  Judas Priest - British Steel
  Motörhead - Ace of Spades
  Van Halen - Women and Children First
  Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden
  Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard of Ozz

Disbandments

• Led Zeppelin

Events

• Bon Scott, lead singer of AC/DC, dies at 33 on February 19 after a binge of heavy drinking.
  John Bonham, drummer for Led Zeppelin, dies at 32 on September 25, after a binge of heavy drinking. His death was similar to Bon Scott's, and caused Led Zeppelin to disband.
  April 1: Brian Johnson joins AC/DC replacing Bon Scott as lead singer.

1981

Newly formed bands

• Anthrax
  Dark Angel
  Metallica
  Slayer
  Mötley Crüe
  Ratt

Albums

• Black Sabbath - Mob Rules
  Iron Maiden - Killers
  KISS - Music from The Elder
  Mercyful Fate - Nuns Have No Fun
  Mötley Crüe - Too Fast For Love
  Motörhead - No Sleep 'til Hammersmith (live)
  Rush - Moving Pictures
  Van Halen - Fair Warning
  Venom - Welcome To Hell
  Ozzy Osbourne - Diary Of A Madman

Disbandments

Events

• Iron Maiden lead guitarist Dennis Stratton leaves and is replaced by Adrian Smith
• Eric Carr joins KISS on drums and makes his songwriting debut with "Under the Rose".

1982

Newly formed bands

• Death Angel
  Napalm Death
  Pantera
  Possessed
  W.A.S.P.
  Dio

Albums

• Black Sabbath - Live Evil
  Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast
  Judas Priest - Screaming For Vengeance
  Led Zeppelin - Coda (album) (contained unreleased recordings before Bonham's death)
  Manowar - Battle Hymns
  Motörhead - Iron Fist
  Quiet Riot - Metal Health
  Rush - Signals
  Twisted Sister - Under the Blade
  Van Halen - Diver Down
  Y&T - Black Tiger

Disbandments

Events

• Iron Maiden's lead singer Paul Di'Anno leaves band due to heavy drinking, and is replaced by Bruce Dickinson. Iron Maiden's first album with Bruce Dickinson, The Number of the Beast, becomes the first heavy metal album to reach No.1 in the U.K. music charts.
  Motörhead's guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke leaves the band and is replaced by ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist Brian Robertson.
  Quiet Riot's Metal Health becomes the first heavy metal album to reach No.1 in the Billboard United States music charts and is followed by albums by Twisted Sister, and Mötley Crüe
  Judas Priest's single You've Got Another Thing Comin' becomes the first heavy metal single to break into the Billboard U.S. Top 20 Singles.
  Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist Randy Rhoads dies in an aeroplane accident on the 19th of March

1983

Newly formed bands

• Bathory
  The Cult
  Death
  Helloween
  Mayhem
  Megadeth
  Metal Church
  Testament
  Fates Warning

Albums

• AC/DC - Flick of the Switch
  Black Sabbath - Born Again
  Def Leppard - Pyromania
  Dio - Holy Diver
  Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind
  Manowar - Into Glory Ride
  Metallica - Kill 'Em All
  Mercyful Fate - Melissa
  Mötley Crüe - Shout At The Devil
  Motörhead - Another Perfect Day
  Slayer - Show No Mercy
  Ozzy Osbourne - Bark At The Moon

Disbandments

Events

• At the end of the year, drummer Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor and guitarist Brian Robertson leave Motörhead. The band is reborn with a new, four-piece line-up (Kilmister/Campbell/Burston/Gill).
  Dave Mustaine, lead guitar player for Metallica, is fired for drug/alcohol abuse, and is replaced by Exodus guitarist Kirk Hammett
  Mötley Crüe - Shout At The Devil Becomes a huge hit marking one of the turning points into comercialization of Heavy Metal. Often called "The Breakthrough Metal album"

1984

Newly formed bands

• Annihilator
  Forced Entry
  Iced Earth
  Sadus
  Sepultura
  Soundgarden

Albums

• The Cult - Dreamtime
  Dokken - Tooth And Nail
  Iron Maiden - Powerslave
  Judas Priest - Defenders of the Faith
  KISS - Animalize
  Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Rising Force
  Manowar - Hail to England
  Metallica - Ride The Lightning
  Mercyful Fate - Don't Break The Oath
  Motörhead - No Remorse
  Quiet Riot - Condition Critical
  Spinal Tap - This Is Spinal Tap
  Twisted Sister - Stay Hungry
  Van Halen - 1984
  Steve Vai - Flex-Able
  W.A.S.P. - W.A.S.P.
  Bathory - Bathory
  Voivod - War and Pain
  Ratt - Out of the Cellar

Disbandments

Events

• Def Leppard's drummer Rick Allen loses his arm in a car accident on December 31st.

1985

Newly formed bands

• Blind Guardian
  Carcass
  Dream Theater
  Guns N' Roses
  Macabre

Albums

• Aerosmith - Done With Mirrors
  Anthrax - Spreading the Disease
  The Cult - Love
  Dokken - Under Lock And Key
  Iron Maiden - Live After Death
  Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Marching Out
  Megadeth - Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!
  Metal Church - Metal Church
  Overkill - Feel The Fire
  Possessed - Seven Churches
  Slayer - Hell Awaits
  Y&T - Down for the Count
  Voivod - Rrröööaaarrr
  Ratt - Invasion of your Privacy
  Exodus- Bonded By Blood

Disbandments

• Mercyful Fate

Events

• Van Halen's former singer David Lee Roth left the band for solo career and Sammy Hagar took place for him.

1986

Newly formed bands

• Bolt Thrower
  Grave
  Immolation
  Pestilence
  Terrorizer
  Primus

Albums

• Europe - The Final Countdown
  Fates Warning - Awaken the Guardian
  Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time
  Judas Priest - Turbo
  Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Trilogy
  Megadeth - Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?
  Metallica - Master of Puppets
  Motörhead - Orgasmatron
  Ozzy Osbourne - The Ultimate Sin
  Slayer - Reign in Blood
  Van Halen - 5150

Disbandments

Events

• Metallica's bassist Cliff Burton dies at 24 on September 27th in a bus accident in Sweden. Jason Newsted from Phoenix band Flotsam and Jetsam is hired after auditions are held.

1987

Newly formed bands

• Alice in Chains
  Asphyx
  Autopsy
  Burzum
  Cynic
  Danzig
  Entombed
  Primordial

Albums

• Aerosmith - Permanent Vacation
  Alice Cooper - Constrictor
  Anthrax - Among the Living
  Anthrax - I'm the Man (EP)
  Black Sabbath - The Eternal Idol
  The Cult - Electric
  Death - Scream Bloody Gore
  Def Leppard - Hysteria
  Dokken - Back For The Attack
  Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction
  Judas Priest - Priest.... Live
  Metal Church - The Dark
  Motörhead - Rock 'n' Roll
  Napalm Death - Scum
  Overkill - Taking Over
  Joe Satriani - Surfing With the Alien
  Soundgarden - Screaming Life (EP)
  Testament - The Legacy
  White Lion - Pride
  Y&T - Contagious
  Mötley Crüe - Girls, Girls, Girls

Disbandments

• Twisted Sister

Events

• Iron Maiden headlines the Monsters of Rock festival at Donnington, England on a bill which includes KISS, Guns N' Roses, Dokken, Whitesnake and Helloween.
  Motörhead's drummer Pete Gill leaves the band and Phil Taylor returns.
  Mötley Crüe - Girls, Girls, Girls Debuts at #2 in the Billboard charts becoming the biggest album debut since Led Zeppelin's The Song Remains The Same

1988

Newly formed bands

• Cadaver
  Carnage
  Dismember
  Skid Row
  Nine Inch Nails

Albums

• AC/DC - Blow Up Your Video
  Alice Cooper - Raise Your Fist And Yell
  Anthrax - State of Euphoria
  Blind Guardian - Battalions of Fear
  Jason Becker - Perpetual Burn
  Bolt Thrower - In Battle There Is No Law
  Danzig - Danzig
  Death - Leprosy
  Dokken - Beast from the East
  Exodus - Fabulous Disaster
  Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
  Judas Priest - Ram It Down
  Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Odyssey
  Megadeth - So Far, So Good... So What!
  Metallica - ...And Justice for All
  Motörhead - No Sleep at All (live)
  Overkill - Under the Influence
  Soundgarden - Fopp (EP)
  Soundgarden - Ultramega OK
  Testament - The New Order
  Van Halen - OU812

Disbandments

Events

• The Monsters of Rock tour plays across the U.S. featuring Metallica, Van Halen, The Scorpions, Dokken, and Kingdom Come.

1989

Newly formed bands

• Cannibal Corpse
  Comecon
  Dark Tranquillity
  Unanimated
  Slaughter

Albums

• Aerosmith - Pump
  Alice Cooper - Trash
  Black Sabbath - Headless Cross
  Blind Guardian - Follow the Blind
  Bolt Thrower - Realm Of Chaos - Slaves To Darkness
  Cannibal Corpse - Cannibal Corpse (5-song demo cassette)
  The Cult - Sonic Temple
  Faith No More - The Real Thing
  Forced Entry - Uncertain Future
  Great White - ...Twice Shy
  Richie Kotzen - Richie Kotzen
  Macabre - Gloom
  Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Trial By Fire: Live in Leningrad
  Metal Church - Blessing in Disguise
  Mr. Big - Mr. Big
  Mötley Crüe - Dr. Feelgood
  Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine
  Overkill - The Years of Decay
  Ozzy Osbourne - No Rest for the Wicked
  Primus - Suck on This (live)
  Rush - A Show of Hands
  Rush - Presto
  Joe Satriani - Flying in a Blue Dream
  Sepultura - Beneath the Remains
  Skid Row - Skid Row
  Soundgarden - Flower (EP)
  Soundgarden - Louder Than Love
  Testament - Practice What You Preach
  W.A.S.P. - The Headless Children
  White Lion - Big Game

Disbandments

• Dokken

Events

• Primus records their live album Suck on This at Berkeley Square in Berkeley, California on February 25 and March 5th.
  Cinderella,Ozzy Osbourne, The Scorpions, Mötley Crüe, Bon Jovi, and Skid Row take part in the Moscow Music Peace Festival on August 12 & August 13, 1989.

1990

Newly formed bands

• At the Gates
  Deftones
  Fear Factory
  Infectious Grooves
  Krisiun
  Kyuss
  Lamb of God
  Opeth
  Pearl Jam
  Tool

Albums

• AC/DC - The Razor's Edge
  Alice in Chains - Facelift
  Annihilator - Never, Neverland
  Anthrax - Persistence of Time
  Black Sabbath - Tyr (album)
  Blind Guardian - Tales from the Twilight World
  Cannibal Corpse - Eaten Back to Life
  Death Angel - Act III
  Extreme - Pornograffiti
  Iron Maiden - No Prayer for the Dying
  Judas Priest - Painkiller
  Richie Kotzen - Fever Dream
  Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Eclipse
  Megadeth - Rust In Peace
  Monster Magnet - Monster Magnet
  Pantera - Cowboys From Hell
  Primus - Frizzle Fry
  Sadus - Swallowed in Black
  Slayer - Seasons in the Abyss
  Slaughter - Stick It To Ya
  Soundgarden - Screaming Life/Fopp
  Steve Vai - Passion and Warfare
  Testament - Souls of Black

Disbandments

• Quiet Riot

Events

• Judas Priest was involved in a multimillion dollar lawsuit involving two Nevada teenager suicided allegedly caused by the song "Better by you Better by me". The band won the case.
  Faith No More's The Real Thing, carried by the single Epic, cracks the Billboard Top 10.

1991

Newly formed bands

• Cradle of Filth
  Rage Against the Machine

Albums

• Anthrax - Attack of the Killer B's
  Bolt Thrower - War Master
  Cannibal Corpse - Butchered at Birth
  Dream Theater - Images and Words
  Death - Human
  The Cult - Ceremony
  Forced Entry - As Above, So Below
  Guns N' Roses - Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II
  Great White - Hooked
  Infectious Grooves - The Plague That Makes Your Booty Move...It's the Infectious Grooves
  Richie Kotzen - Electric Joy
  Kyuss - Wretch
  Yngwie J. Malmsteen - The Yngwie Malmsteen Collection
  Metal Church - The Human Factor
  Metallica - Metallica
  Monster Magnet - Spine of God
  Motörhead - 1916
  Mr. Big - Lean Into It
  Nirvana - Nevermind
  Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears
  Pearl Jam - Ten
  Primus - Sailing the Seas of Cheese
  Rush - Roll the Bones
  Sepultura - Arise
  Skid Row - Slave to the Grind
  Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger
  Van Halen - For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge

Disbandments

• Death Angel

Events

• Skid Row's second album Slave to the Grind becomes the first and only 90s classic heavy metal album to debut at No.1 in the Billboard music charts in the 90s.
  Metallica's self-titled Black Album becomes the first thrash metal album to hit No.1 in the Billboard music charts.
  Queen singer Freddie Mercury dies of AIDS induced bronchial pneumonia.
  Guns N' Roses Use Your Illusion II Becomes 2nd Metal Album to debut #1 The first of the Hair Metal Type.
  Skid Row, Guns N' Roses, and Metallica's albums all debut #1, at that time they were all in tour together.
  KISS Drummer - Eric Carr dies at 41. On November 24, 1991, Eric Carr passed away at the age of 41. As a tribute, the group's 1992 release Revenge featured what is said to be the only drum solo Carr ever recorded with the band, which was titled "Carr Jam 1981".
  The success of Nirvana's Nevermind ushers in the era of Grunge.

1992

Newly formed bands

• Mourning Beloveth
  Esoteric

Albums

• Alice in Chains - Dirt
  Alice in Chains - Sap (EP)
  Black Sabbath - Dehumanizer
  Blind Guardian - Somewhere Far Beyond
  Bolt Thrower - The IVth Crusade
  Cannibal Corpse - Tomb of The Mutilated
  Def Leppard - Adrenalize
  Dream Theater - Images and Words
  Faith No More - Angel Dust
  Fear Factory - Soul of a New Machine
  Iron Maiden - Fear of the Dark
  Kyuss - Blues for the Red Sun
  Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Fire and Ice
  Megadeth - Countdown to Extinction
  Monster Magnet - 25............Tab (EP)
  Motörhead - March or Die
  Nine Inch Nails - Broken (EP)
  Pantera - Vulgar Display of Power
  Primus - Miscellaneous Debris (EP)
  Queen - Innuendo
  Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine
  Sadus - A Vision of Misery
  Spinal Tap - Break Like the Wind
  Suicidal Tendencies - Art of Rebellion

Disbandments

• Forced Entry

Events

• KNAC airs on radio airplay in Los Angeles, California for the first time.
  Motörhead's drummer Phil Taylor finally leaves after recording "Ain't No Nice Guy" for the March or Die album. The drummer on that album is Tommy Aldridge, who was replaced by Mikkey Dee after recording the album.
  In March, The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert is held. Top heavy metal acts such as Guns N' Roses, Def Leppard, Metallica, Extreme and the heavy metal parody band Spinal Tap perform, as well as heavy metal/hard rock legends such as Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin), Roger Daltrey (The Who), and Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath).
  Izzy Stradlin leaves Guns N' Roses

1993

Newly formed bands

• Children of Bodom
  Dark Funeral
  KoЯn
  Mournful Congregation

Albums

• Aerosmith - Get A Grip
  Annihilator - Set the World on Fire
  Anthrax - Sound of White and Noise
  Cannibal Corpse - Hammer Smashed Face (EP)
  Def Leppard - Retro Active
  Infectious Grooves - Sarsippius' Ark
  Macabre - Sinister Slaughter
  Monster Magnet - Superjudge
  Motörhead - Bastards
  Mr. Big - Bump Ahead
  Primus - Pork Soda
  Rush - Counterparts
  Sepultura - Chaos A.D.
  Tool - Undertow
  Steve Vai - Sex and Religion
  Van Halen - Live: Right Here, Right Now

Disbandments

Events

• Dokken reforms and tours without a new album.
  Rob Halford of Judas Priest leave the band to start his own project Fight (band)

1994

Newly formed bands

• Abscess
  Amen
  Down
  Destroyer 666
  Heavenly
  Rammstein (in January)
  Slash's Snakepit

Albums

• Alice in Chains - Jar of Flies
  Black Sabbath - Cross Purposes
  Bolt Thrower - ...For Victory
  Cannibal Corpse - The Bleeding
  The Cult - The Cult
  Deftones - Adrenaline
  Dream Theater - Awake
  Infectious Grooves - Groove Family Cyco
  King's X - Dogman
  KoЯn - KoЯn
  Kyuss - Welcome to Sky Valley
  Machine Head - Burn My Eyes
  Yngwie J. Malmsteen - The Seventh Sign
  Megadeth - Youthanasia
  Metal Church - Hanging in the Balance
  Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral
  Overkill - W.F.O.
  Pantera - Far Beyond Driven
  Slayer - Divine Intervention
  Soundgarden - Superunknown
  Testament - Low
  The 3rd and the Mortal - Sorrow (EP)
  The 3rd and the Mortal - Tears Laid in Earth

Disbandments

Events

• Far Beyond Driven by Pantera debut's at No 1 on the U.S. British and Australian charts.
  Soundgarden wins two grammies; Best Hard Rock Performance for Black Hole Sun and Best Metal Performance for Spoonman.

1995

Newly formed bands

• Slipknot
  System of a Down
  Trapt

Albums

• AC/DC - Ballbreaker
  Alice in Chains - Alice in Chains
  Black Sabbath - Cross Purposes Live
  Black Sabbath - Forbidden
  Blind Guardian - Imaginations From the Other Side
  Fear Factory - Demanufacture
  Forced Entry - The Shore (EP)
  Kyuss - ...And the Circus Leaves Town
  Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Magnum Opus
  Monster Magnet - Dopes to Infinity
  Motörhead - Sacrifice
  Rammstein - Herzeleid
  Skid Row - Subhuman Race
  Soundgarden - Songs from the Superunknown
  The 3rd and the Mortal - Nightswan (EP)
  Steve Vai - Alien Love Secrets (EP)
  Van Halen - Balance
  White Zombie - Astro Creep: 2000

Disbandments

• The Cult
  Kyuss (in October)

Events

• Motörhead's guitarist Michael "Wurzel" Burston leaves the band.

1996

Newly formed bands

• American Head Charge
  Control Denied
  Linkin Park
  Mudvayne
  Shadows Fall
  Nightwish

Albums

• Alice in Chains - Unplugged
  Cannibal Corpse - Vile
  Iced Earth - The Dark Saga
  KoЯn - Life is Peachy
  Metallica - Load
  Ministry - Filth Pig
  Motörhead - Overnight Sensation
  Neurosis - Through Silver in Blood
  Pantera - The Great Southern Trendkill
  Rush - Test for Echo
  Sepultura - Roots
  Soundgarden - Down on the Upside
  The 3rd and the Mortal - Painting on Glass
  Tool - Ænima
  Steve Vai - Fire Garden
  Van Halen - Best of Volume I

Disbandments

• Down
  Prong
  Skid Row

Events

1997

Newly formed bands

• Disturbed
  Pig Destroyer
  Static-X
  Finntroll

Albums

• Aerosmith - Nine Lives
  Black Sabbath - Reunion
  Deftones - Around The Fur
  Judas Priest - Jugulator
  Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Facing the Animal
  Megadeth - Cryptic Writings
  Metallica - ReLoad
  Rammstein - Sehnsucht
  Soundgarden - A-Sides
  The 3rd and the Mortal - In This Room
  The 3rd and the Mortal - Streams (EP)

Disbandments

• Soundgarden

Events

• Black Sabbath reunites with the original line-up between Black Sabbath and Never Say Die!.

1998

Newly formed bands

• God Forbid
  Rebaelliun

Albums

• Blind Guardian - Nightfall in Middle-Earth
  Bolt Thrower - Mercenary
  Cannibal Corpse - Gallery of Suicide
  Fear Factory - Obsolete
  Iron Maiden - Virtual XI
  KoЯn - Follow the Leader
  Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Concerto Suite for Electric Guitar and Orchestra in Em, Opus 1
  Yngwie J. Malmsteen - LIVE!
  Monster Magnet - Powertrip
  Motörhead - Snake Bite Love
  Queens of the Stone Age - Queens of the Stone Age
  System of a Down - System of a Down
  Van Halen - Van Halen III

Disbandments

• Faith No More

Events

1999

Newly formed bands

• Bleeding Through
  Dragonforce
  Five pointe o
  Protest The Hero
  Dream Evil
  Sonata Arctica

Albums

• Alice in Chains - Nothing Safe: Best of the Box
  Alice in Chains - Music Bank
  Cannibal Corpse - Bloodthirst
  Control Denied - The Fragile Art of Existence
  Dream Theater - Scenes From A Memory
  Finntroll - Midnattens Widunder
  KoЯn - Issues
  Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Alchemy
  Motörhead - Everything Louder Than Everyone Else (live)
  Nine Inch Nails - The Fragile
  Rammstein - Live Aus Berlin
  Slipknot - Slipknot
  Static-X - Wisconsin Death Trip
  Steve Vai - The Ultra Zone

Disbandments

• Death
  Motley Crue (reformed in 2004)

Events

• The Cult reforms.
  Skid Row reforms.

2000

Newly formed bands

• Killswitch Engage

Albums

• Alice in Chains - Live
  Cannibal Corpse - Live Cannibalism
  Deftones - White Pony
  Disturbed - The Sickness
  Infectious Grooves - Mas Borracho
  Iron Maiden - Brave New World
  Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory
  Macabre - Dahmer
  Yngwie J. Malmsteen - War to End All Wars
  Monster Magnet - God Says No
  Motörhead - We Are Motörhead
  Pantera - Reinventing The Steel
  Static-X - The Death Trip Continues

Disbandments

• Rage Against the Machine
  Primus (would reform later)

Events

• Metallica releases a song "I Disappear" that was never released on any studio albums and appears on the Mission: Impossible II soundtrack.
  Vocalist Bruce Dickinson returns to the band Iron Maiden after a nearly eight year absence for the Brave New World album.

2001

Newly formed bands

• Audioslave

Albums

• Aerosmith - Just Push Play
  Alice in Chains - Greatest Hits
  Bolt Thrower - Honour - Valour - Pride
  The Cult - Beyond Good and Evil
  Fear Factory - Digimortal
  Finntroll - Jaktens Tid
  Opeth - Blackwater Park
  Rammstein - Mutter
  Slayer - God Hates Us All
  Slipknot - Iowa
  Static-X - Machine
  System of a Down - Toxicity
  Tool - Lateralus

Disbandments

Events

• Down reforms
  Rush reunites
  Death guitarist Chuck Schuldiner dies at 34 on December 13th of brain cancer.
  Metallica bassist Jason Newsted (who joined after Cliff Burton's death) officially left the band and joined Voivod.
  Linkin Park's Hybrid Theory becomes a sleeper hit a year after it's release, outselling all other records in 2001

2002

Newly formed bands

• PROBOT
  Velvet Revolver

Albums

• Blind Guardian - A Night at the Opera
  Cannibal Corpse - Gore Obsessed
  Cannibal Corpse - Worm Infested (EP)
  Def Leppard - X
  Disturbed - Believe
  Down - Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow
  Fear Factory - Concrete (recorded 1991, released 2002)
  Five pointe o - Untitled
  KoЯn - Untouchables
  Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Attack!!
  Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Concerto Suite LIVE
  Motörhead - Hammered
  Protest The Hero - A Calculated Use of Sound
  Rush - Vapor Trails
  System of a Down - Steal This Album!
  The 3rd and the Mortal - Memoirs
  Trapt - Trapt

Disbandments

• The Cult
  Fear Factory (until 2003)
  Megadeth

Events

• Alice in Chains singer Layne Staley dies on April 5th from an overdose of heroin.
  Prong reunites.

2003

Newly formed bands

Re-formed bands

• Primus
  Judas Priest

Albums

• Cannibal Corpse - 15 Year Killing Spree
  Children Of Bodom - Hate Crew Deathroll
  Deftones - Deftones
  Dream Theater - Train of Thought
  Finntroll - Visor om Slutet
  Iron Maiden - Dance of Death
  KoЯn - "Take a Look in the Mirror
  Linkin Park - "Meteora"
  Macabre - Murder Metal
  Metallica - St. Anger
  Motörhead - Live At Brixton Academy The Complete Concert (live)
  Shadows Fall - War Within
  Static-X - Shadow Zone

Disbandments

• Coal Chamber
  Five pointe o

Events

• Fear Factory reforms with all original members except for the former guitarist Dino Cazares.
  Metallica hires new bassist Robert Trujillo (from Suicidal Tendencies and Ozzy Osbourne).
  MTV2 resurrected the old Heavy Metal, Rock television program Headbangers' Ball.
  Judas Priest reunites with frontman Rob Halford.

2004

Newly formed bands

Albums

• Aerosmith - Honkin' On Bobo
  Cannibal Corpse - The Wretched Spawn
  Damageplan - New Found Power
  Dokken - Hell to Pay
  DragonForce - Sonic Firestorm
  Fear Factory - Archetype
  Finntroll - Nattfödd
  KoЯn - Greatest Hits, Volume 1
  Metal Church - The Weight of the World
  Monster Magnet - Monolithic Baby
  Motörhead - Inferno
  PROBOT - PROBOT
  Rammstein - Reise, Reise
  Rush - Feedback
  Slipknot - Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses)
  Static-X - Beneath, Between, Beyond
  Van Halen - The Best of Both Worlds
  Velvet Revolver - Contraband

Disbandments

Events

• Pantera lead guitarist Dimebag Darrell is murdered on December 8th by Nathan Gale while performing a Damageplan concert in Ohio.
  Van Halen reunites with Sammy Hagar (who was replaced in 1996) and toured without a new album.

2005

Newly formed bands

Albums

• Alice in Chains - The Essential Alice in Chains
  Audioslave - Out of Exile
  Bolt Thrower - Those Once Loyal
  Candlemass - Candlemass
  Children of Bodom - Are You Dead Yet?
  Deftones - B-Sides & Rarities
  Disturbed - Ten Thousand Fists
  Excentric - Greatest Hits
  Fear Factory - Transgression
  Immolation - Harnessing Ruin
  Judas Priest - Angel of Retribution
  KoЯn - See You On the Other Side
  Kreator - Enemy of God
  Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Unleash the Fury
  Motley Crue - Red, White, and Crue
  Mournful Congregation - The Monad of Creation
  Mourning Beloveth - A Murderous Circle
  Nevermore - This Godless Endeavor
  Nine Inch Nails - With Teeth
  Pray For The Soul Of Betty - Pray For The Soul Of Betty
  Primordial - The Gathering Wilderness
  Protest The Hero - Kezia
  Rammstein - Rosenrot
  Runemagick - Envenom
  Static-X - Start a War
  System of a Down - Hypnotize
  System of a Down - Mezmerize
  Steve Vai - Real Illusions: Reflections
  Dream Theater - Octavarium
  Priestess - Hello Master

Disbandments

Events

• Static-X lead guitarist Tripp Eisen was arrested in February for "lewd conduct against children", so he got fired after all.
  Korn guitarist Brian "Head" Welch leaves the band due to his becoming a born again Christian and having conflicts with the band's subject matter.
  Former Vader drummer Docent dies.
  Motley Crue reunite.

2006

Newly formed bands

Albums

• Cannibal Corpse - Kill
  Def Leppard - Yeah!
  Dismember - The God That Never Was
  Dragonforce - Inhuman Rampage
  Evergrey - Monday Morning Apocalypse
  In Flames - Come Clarity
  Krisiun - AssassiNation
  Queensrÿche - Operation: Mindcrime II
  Sadus - Out for Blood
  Joe Satriani - Super Colossal
  Sepultura - Dante XXI
  Tool - 10,000 Days
  Velvet Revolver - Libertad

Disbandments

• The 22-20's

Events

• Alice in Chains reunite with the Jar of Flies line-up and singer William DuVall replaces the late Layne Staley.
  The Cult reunites for the second time after a five year hiatus.