Heavy metal music has grown a lot in the last few decades. It is now one of the most popular genres, and millions of people listen to it every day. However, heavy metal wasn’t always that way. It used to be quite different from what it is today. That being said, there are some things that have remained the same throughout history. The love for fast guitars and screaming vocals hasn’t changed at all since the genre was first created. Heavy metal music is so unique because of these simple facts, and we’re going to explain why below! Whether you love or hate heavy metal music, you can’t deny how much it has grown over the years, especially when looking back at its origins.
Decades ago: The birth of heavy metal music
The term “heavy metal” was coined by British journalist William Burroughs. He described it as “the really serious stuff”, which was the complete opposite to pop music. Around the same time, a band called Black Sabbath released their first album titled ‘Black Sabbath’. The songs on the album were much heavier than the music that was usually played at the time, which is why it is referred to as the first heavy metal album. In 1965, The Beatles released their album Rubber Soul’, which is considered to be another early example of heavy metal music. The album was very experimental, and The Beatles used louder guitar sounds in their songs. This is believed to have been the beginning of heavy metal music.
Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath
When Black Sabbath first released their album, they had no idea that it would be the beginning of something so huge. They didn’t even know that the album would be successful until years later. They had no idea that their music would inspire so many other musicians. Indeed, this album inspired many musicians in the future. One of the most notable musicians who were inspired by Black Sabbath was a band called Led Zeppelin, who were one of the biggest rock bands in the world. They were a British rock band that was discovered by the same record producer who discovered Black Sabbath. The two bands had a lot in common, and they often played together at concerts. Both bands are credited with creating heavy metal music, and they are still considered to be some of the biggest inspirations in the genre’s history.
The 70’s: a time of change for metal music
As you may have realized, the birth of heavy metal music took place in the 60’s. It was created by just a few bands, and it didn’t take off until the 70’s. This decade was when metal music started to become popular. More and more bands shifted from playing softer music to playing heavier music. The radio even started to play more metal songs. This shift from softer to heavier music was due to a few reasons. First, guitarists wanted to play louder than ever before. They wanted to use distortion and other effects to make their sound heavier and catchier. They wanted to play fast, heavy songs that people could easily dance to. And lastly, the bands started to grow their hair out.
The 80’s: the rise of thrash metal
In the 80’s, the genre of heavy metal music was still growing. More and more bands were starting to play that type of music, and it was becoming extremely popular. There were now sub-genres of metal, such as thrash metal. The term “thrash metal” was coined in 1981, when British heavy metal band Anthrax released their album titled ‘Spreading the Disease’. This album marked the beginning of thrash metal. This genre of heavy metal music was much faster than the other genres. Bands also used aggressive rhythms, complex guitar rhythms, and fast-paced drum beats. As time went by, thrash metal became the most popular metal sub-genre. There were even more sub-genres of metal by the end of the 80’s.
90’s: the rise of nu-metal and alternative rock
In the 90’s, the sub-genre of alternative rock started to become popular. It was heavily influenced by heavy metal music, and it became one of the biggest sub-genres in the genre. In addition, a new sub-genre of heavy metal called “nu-metal” started to emerge. This genre was a mix of alternative rock and heavy metal. It was slower in tempo than other metal genres, but it still used the same techniques as other heavy metal music. Heavy metal was still growing in popularity, but it was starting to become less popular than alternative rock. Therefore, it was time for heavy metal music to change again.
Conclusion
If you’ve read this article, then you now have a better understanding of what heavy metal music is and how it all came to be. You’ve learned about the origins of heavy metal music and all the different eras in its history. You’ve learned about the differences between the eras, and you’ve learned about the similarities that have remained throughout time. We hope that you’ve enjoyed reading this article and that you’ve learned something new about heavy metal music! Heavy metal music is a very interesting genre of music, and it has grown a lot throughout the years. It is a very unique genre, and it will likely continue to grow and evolve as time goes by.