For us old folks. Best Years for Metal?

Not to exclude the younger members here, but I am a hair away from 50.  As are a bunch of us here.  So, we lived through the 80's and, for must of us, the 80's were Metals' Glory Years.

Of the choices, what were the best years and name some examples.

I was 14 in 1983 and firmly in the grasp of The Clash, Black Flag, Minor Threat Etc. Then I heard Power and the Glory, Balls to the Walls, Headhunter, etc and it changed me. Still love those other bands, but I changed my Sandinista t-shirt for a jump in the Fire vest. The rest is the subject of lunacy and legend. haha

Gotta go with 84-87. So many great albums and concerts I saw in that time span, both punk and metal.

It's tough because 1980 has to be THE year! Back in Black, Heaven & Hell, Iron Maiden, British Steel, Blizzard of Ozz, Wheels of Steel, Angel Witch, Lightning to the Nations, Chinatown, Animal Magnetism Cmon!! That stuff was the cornerstone of my music tastes for the next 38 years!!

But I can't deny the greatness of 1984-1986 either!

This is an interesting poll.

I have to think about it. For one thing, I'm a dinosaur compared to most people here (including you Sax) so my definition of "metal" is probably a lot broader than members younger than I because when us "dinosaurs" were growing up the definition was different. BOC and Rush were considered "metal" back in my day. Obviously those bands aren't considered "metal" by today's definition so how should a "dinosaur" like me vote in this poll?

Basically, what's the definition of "metal" for the sake of this poll?

The "definition of metal" is what you make it, my OLDEST friend [hahahahaha].

But, for real, I already know even you will not vote pre-78.

81-83 Thrash was invented, Saxon, Riot, Black Sabbath, Maide, Priest, even Def Leppard put out stellar albums.

84-87

Boris2008 wrote:

It's tough because 1980 has to be THE year! Back in Black, Heaven & Hell, Iron Maiden, British Steel, Blizzard of Ozz, Wheels of Steel, Angel Witch, Lightning to the Nations, Chinatown, Animal Magnetism Cmon!! That stuff was the cornerstone of my music tastes for the next 38 years!!  

But I can't deny the greatness of 1984-1986 either!

I was actually thinking along the same lines as you, but ultimately went with 81-83. Only reason I picked that us because those are the years I really started paying attention to metal. I was 12-13 years old in 83, discovering all things metal. I dabbled before that, but had no real clue I would become a metalhead, until about 82 when my cousin showed me his highway to hell tape. After that my life forever changed.

Boris2008 wrote:

It's tough because 1980 has to be THE year! Back in Black, Heaven & Hell, Iron Maiden, British Steel, Blizzard of Ozz, Wheels of Steel, Angel Witch, Lightning to the Nations, Chinatown, Animal Magnetism Cmon!! That stuff was the cornerstone of my music tastes for the next 38 years!!  

But I can't deny the greatness of 1984-1986 either!

Can't believe that from my 1980 list I forgot the first metal album I EVER bought!!



Life changer! Thanks Lemmy!

I went with 81-83 but that 84-87 span was awesome. Great albums and concerts throughout that whole era.

I voted 84-87.

84-87 with 86 being a great year for album releases. Peace sells, Master of Puppets, Awaken the Guardian, Somewhere in Time, To Hell with the Devil to name a few. 87 was my first year of high school and the start of a great time filled with music, girls, long hair, denim and leather. Man the 80's were awesome!

I gotta go 84-87, with '84 in particular being a highlight year. So many great records came out in 1984...Ride The Lightning, W.A.S.P., Tooth and Nail, Powerslave, The Warning, Fistful of Metal, March of the Saint, Don't Break The Oath, Metal Church, etc., etc.

I was 14 years old in 1984 and I was just beginning to dig deeper into the Metal scene so it was a glorious time to be alive!

I figured 84-87 would win and it has great albums but I wanted to recognize the start of thrash.

Nineties for me. I got into music in '88/'89, so the 90s was when I discovered pretty much everything. Obviously I loved going back and discovering older bands/albums, but the 90s scene had a far greater impact on me.

94-96 was of course metal when it was in its PRIME.

84-87

Temple of Blood wrote:

94-96 was of course metal when it was in its PRIME.  

Silly boy-man.

Well, I love 70's metal, Led Zep, UFO, Heep, Sabbath, Purple, Rainbow, Nazareth etc, so I voted pre-1978. That's when the metal was forged, and it wasn't as diluted as it is now. For reference, my rateyourmusic.com scores:



The 60's are distorted because I don't own enough from that decade and because Led Zep II is their best album

UNCLE SAXON'S KICKASS CDS wrote:

The "definition of metal" is what you make it, my OLDEST friend [hahahahaha].

But, for real, I already know even you will not vote pre-78.

This was not directed at me, but sorry

I wasn't even born in 1978. But I still love it. Stained Class is my favourite Priest album, though it already falls in the 1978-80 category, BY TWO MONTHS!

Temple of Blood wrote:

94-96 was of course metal when it was in its PRIME.  

I think my favourite album of all time falls between those years:

I'm an old timer ( not a dinosaur fossil, toho ! lol )
Was listening to various King Diamond / Mercyful Fate CDs -
past few nights - in my car - weather is a perfect blend - anyways
1981 - 1983 for me - just the total build up that was loudly rumbling - like a volcano !
When Van Halen s/t came out - and Ozzy with Randy -
You just knew - everything was speedily reaching a super crescendo -

You have to remember Madonna / Pat Benetar / John Cougar / U2 -
all these bands - and many others - were playing concerts - dominating the radio
Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Malmsteen -were fine tuning things -
It was like a ball of fire -
like a freight train - flying by in the night -
By 87 - things were dying down - "posers" - was being said about bands -
G-N-R was the final great product.

It happened that fast. The way a band should be.
A glorious shooting star.
The world would have to start all over from scratch - to copy that decade !

UNCLE SAXON'S KICKASS CDS wrote:

The "definition of metal" is what you make it, my OLDEST friend [hahahahaha].

But, for real, I already know even you will not vote pre-78.

Ha!  Wrong!

If I'm going by the definition of "metal" as it was when I was growing up then some of my all-time favorite albums qualify and all are pre-1978:

Queen - Queen, Queen II, Sheer Heart Attack
Rush - S/T, Fly By Night, 2112
Blue Oyster Cult - Agents Of Fortune, Spectres

That's enough for me to vote pre-1978 although I fully realize NONE of those albums are considered "metal" by current standards however those were "metal" bands back in the day.

Metal's best years are probably 1980-81. But, for the Sentinel, definitely 1984-87 because I was discovering everything within that span of years. I can't think of those years without having memories of buying every cassette and Metal mag I could afford and staying up late listening to music on the weekends. Mix tapes and dubbing; quoting the artists/ articles at the lunch table; not going to bed until your fave band/ video came on Headbanger's Ball; Walkman blasting "fast and loud" in the back seat of your parent's car; and lots more memories we ALL share. Great poll, Uncle.

All the years listed are great, but I chose 88-90 because that is the time I got into metal. It could be a nostalgia thing, but there were so many great albums in 1990!

Cowboys From Hell
Lights Camera Revolution
Seasons in the Abyss
Persistence of Time
The American Way
Rust in Peace
Souls of Black
Painkiller etc...