The 22 Best British Heavy Metal Bands of All Time
The best British heavy metal bands of all time are a fundamental part of the genre. England is widely regarded as the place where metal was born. Birmingham, in particular, is viewed as the origin of everything. There are some bands that are instrumental in understanding what metal is.
Therefore, the best British heavy metal bands are also some of the most successful. Most people with some knowledge of the genre have heard of these bands. They are some of the most significant and relevant to ever grace this kind of music. And while some are more successful than others, they all deserve to be on this list.
So, this is a list of the top 22 best British heavy metal bands of all time and why people should listen to them. There is also an explanation about why they are a part of this list.
The 22 best British heavy metal bands of all time
It’s worth pointing out that the 22 best British heavy metal bands of all time on this list are selected through certain factors. Elements such as commercial success, influence, and cultural relevance were instrumental in selecting them. After all, quality is subjective but these bands have accomplished a lot over the years. It is also worth pointing out that this list is made in no particular order.
If someone thinks there was a band or two missing from this list, feel free to drop a comment and mention them.
Which are the 22 best British heavy metal bands of all time?
- Black Sabbath
- Iron Maiden
- Judas Priest
- Deep Purple
- Rainbow
- Saxon
- Motorhead
- Venom
- Diamond Head
- Def Leppard
- Gillan
- Whitesnake
- Paradise Lost
- Carcass
- Napalm Death
- Led Zeppelin
- Yes
- Ozzy Osbourne
- Cream
- Jethro Tull
- The Cult
- King Crimson
Black Sabbath
The godfathers of the genre. Black Sabbath has to be on a list of the best British heavy metal bands of all time. Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Ozzy Osbourne, and Bill Ward created and defined what metal is. Even to this day, Black Sabbath is still influencing bands worldwide. And to think they started back in 1969!
Now, people could talk just about 70s Black Sabbath and that would be enough to put them on this list. But there is also the work of many other amazing singers, like Ronnie James Dio, Ian Gillan, Glenn Hughes, and Tony Martin. Not to mention the other amazing musicians that added to the band’s legacy.
One of the greatest bands of all time, without a shadow of a doubt.
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Iron Maiden
There was no debate that this band was going to be on this list. Iron Maiden is one of the greatest heavy metal bands of all time. Not just in Britain. Record sales, cultural influence, yearly tours, and other elements are evidence of that. Most of Iron Maiden‘s work, particularly the first seven records, is regarded as some of the greatest metal albums ever made.
Whether is Bruce Dickinson‘s soaring vocals, Steve Harris‘s galloping bass and amazing lyrics, or the guitar melodies of Dave Murray and Adrian Smith, Iron Maiden has it all. All things considered, this is probably the greatest British heavy metal band of all time.
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Judas Priest
It’s always up for debate, that Judas Priest defines a lot of metal’s classic traits. The strong riffs, the leather outfits, and even the high-pitch vocals by Rob Halford. It could also be said that this was one of the first bands to shed away any remaining blues influence in the genre and make it its own thing.
Be as it may, Judas Priest is one of the best British heavy metal bands of all time. They have had great albums in the 70s, 80s, 90s, and 2000s, even going as far as doing great with “Firepower” in recent years. The band has also been capable of adapting to different eras, making its discography all the more exciting to discover.
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Deep Purple
Very few bands can boast the list of world-class musicians Deep Purple has had. It doesn’t which Mark people prefer, it’s a consensus that this is one of the best British heavy metal bands of all time. Especially considering how much they influenced the entirety of the genre, mainly in Europe.
The great thing about Deep Purple is its musical diversity. Each album feels like a different experience crafted by legendary musicians. It is a beautiful discovery and a band that deserves all the success it has gained.
Rainbow
Guitarist Ritchie Blackmore left Deep Purple in the mid-70s and formed Rainbow. A lot of people consider this band as “proto-metal”, being a pivotal influence on the genre. Blackmore pushed the envelope in the 70s, mixing classical music with rock. Add to that Ronnie James Dio‘s epic vocals and fantasy lyrics, and here is the birth of early power metal.
Rainbow is a band that changed styles over the years. However, every incarnation of the group had a lot of interesting qualities. There is also the fact that Blackmore is a masterful songwriter and one of the all-time greats in the genre. One of the best British heavy metal bands, for sure.
Saxon
If someone was looking at the word “consistent” in the dictionary, it would probably have a picture of the guys of Saxon. Perhaps not as commercially successful as the previous band but extremely consistent and offering great music on a regular basis. The fact this group has been making albums for more than forty years consistently and is still amazing is a great achievement.
Furthermore, Saxon is also one of the best British heavy metal bands because of its evolution. The band started strong as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, releasing all-time classics in the early 80s like “Denim & Leather” and “Strong Arm of the Law“. However, after spending trying out hair metal in the mid and late 80s, the band returned to its roots. And then they evolved into a much heavier and more powerful metal-based outfit.
Saxon is a band that is raw, heavy, and melodic. Everything a metal fan is looking for in a band.
Motorhead
Legendary bassist and singer Lemmy Kilmister formed this band in the mid-70s after he was let go of Hawkwind. What ensued was a band that made an incredible legacy in heavy metal. Lemmy never liked Motorhead being called that but there is no denying that they were as heavy as metal could get.
It’s a common misconception that Motorhead only made one type of song over the years. In actuality, the band was always very consistent with its sound but made some tweaks here and there. They were capable of releasing a lot of amazing records, particularly during the later portion of their catalogue.
One of the best British heavy metal bands of all time and Lemmy is one of the all-time greats.
Venom
The New Wave of British Heavy Metal gave the genre a lot of interesting bands in the early 80s. However, Venom was one of the most interesting out of the entire bunch. They were like Motorhead but heavier, rawer, darker, and less capable musicians. This band had that punk-like attitude of “do it yourself” that was so appealing in Britain back then.
Venom made two timeless classics in “Welcome to Hell” and “Black Metal“, even going as far as influencing bands like Metallica and Megadeth. However, the band continued to release a lot of interesting material over the years. They were also a huge influence on the black metal subgenre, with the reference to their iconic record quite obvious.
It’s very clear that Venom is not a band for everybody but it was never meant to be like that. They are raw and straightforward, and that is their whole appeal.
Diamond Head
Quite likely the least-known band on this list. However, just for sheer influence alone, Diamond Head deserves to be among the best British heavy metal bands of all time. And that is something that no one can’t take away from them.
The band started in the late 70s with a lot of fanfare. They were part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, alongside Saxon, Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, and many more. And funny enough, Diamond Head was the one poised for success, according to a lot of people.
Unfortunately, the band made a lot of bad commercial decisions, including rejecting Foreigner‘s management. However, the group’s debut album, 1980’s “Lightning to the Nations“, became highly influential and a cult classic. Metallica alone has covered almost the entire album. The band’s influence on the thrash metal genre in the United States cannot be understated.
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Def Leppard
This might be a controversial pick. It’s true that Def Leppard is more of a pop rock band these days but it started as a heavy metal group. In fact, they were often viewed as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal.
It’s for that reason that this English group is widely regarded as one of the best British heavy metal bands of all time. The first couple of albums, such as 1980’s “On Through the Night” and 1981’s “High ‘n’ Dry“, are great examples of melodic heavy metal. The combination of heavy riffs with melodic vocal harmonies is quite addictive. It’s with 1983’s “Pyromania“, working with producer Mutt Lange, that the English band began to have much more notorious pop sensibilities.
Gillan
Vocalist Ian Gillan is mostly known for being the most iconic voice of Deep Purple and a one-album stint with Black Sabbath. Sadly, his first era with the Gillan band in the 70s and early 80s doesn’t get enough recognition. It’s a shame because is not only one of the best British heavy metal bands of all time but also one of the most creative.
Gillan is basically a combination of misfit musicians from different genres making phenomenal metal albums. The band really had no limitations and was always willing to experiment. Ian himself produces some of his best vocal performances, particularly with the “Mr. Universe” album. But the bulk of this band’s discography deserves a lot more attention.
Whitesnake
It’s true that Whitesnake started as a bluesy hard rock in the mid-70s but by the mid-80s it has become a straight-up metal band. Vocalist, leader, and main songwriter David Coverdale has maintained that sound over the years while adding some of his classic blues influences as well.
Whitesnake is the definition of fun and class. This band has had a lot of world-class musicians over the years and its discography has a lot of interesting records. It is also a group that has a little bit for everybody, which is always fun. Most metalheads should start with the self-titled album, which is usually known as “1987” because that was the year it came out.
Paradise Lost
The case of Paradise Lost is quite interesting. The band started as a fairly straightforward death metal band but evolved so fast that the second album, 1991’s “Gothic“, is a masterpiece of that subgenre. Then they switched to a mix of doom, gothic, and classic heavy metal with 1993’s “Icon“. And then the band became more melodic, then heavy again, and then extreme again.
So, Paradise Lost is not only one of the best British heavy metal bands but also one of the most willing to take risks. This is a band that has tried death metal, synth pop, and gothic doom metal. There is much to like about them and their discography is quite rich, so there are several entry points for newcomers.
Carcass
Hailing from Merseyside, Liverpool, in England, Carcass is arguably the country’s greatest death metal band. For that reason alone, they are one of the best heavy metal bands of all time. And one of the band’s greatest achievements is its evolution and musical consistency.
The band started as a fairly straightforward death metal band but became more elaborate and ambitious. This was arguably for the best and its 1993 record, “Heartwork” is widely regarded as a melodic death metal classic. For those who love experimentation in their extreme metal, Carcass has that in spades.
Napalm Death
Along with Carcass, one of Britain’s colossi when it comes to extreme metal. Napalm Death has been all over the place regarding extreme music but always on the metal side of things.
The band has played hardcore punk, grindcore, and death metal for more than three decades in the music business. And they have always been quite good, which goes to show how talented they are as songwriters as well. Sure, their music is not for everybody but it was never meant to be that way.
Led Zeppelin
No list of this ilk is ever going to be completed without Led Zeppelin. This is not only one of the best British heavy metal bands of all time, but one of the best bands in general. Despite only lasting for a decade, Led Zeppelin created a legacy that lives on even to this very day.
Guitarist Jimmy Page‘s guitar work is iconic and Robert Plant‘s vocals defined the band’s sound. So many great metal bands have been influenced by Led Zeppelin to this very day. It’s also quite interesting to see how they managed to experiment with their albums, thus having a very eclectic catalog.
Yes
The interesting part about Yes as a band is how its sound evolved over the years. This is a group that was capable of thriving in different eras over the years. While a lot of people might not consider them metal, their influence on the genre cannot be understated. For example, someone like Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris was influenced by Yes!
The band had its prime in the 70s, offering some of the best progressive rock albums of all time. They also tried some heavier stuff in the early 1980s (1980’s “Drama” album), and went on to play a much more pop rock-oriented sound. However, they are still one of the best bands Britain has ever produced.
Ozzy Osbourne
The Prince of Darkness was a part of this list with Black Sabbath but his solo career deserves a lot of praise. He was let go of Tony Iommi‘s band in 1979 and didn’t seem to have a direction but had a resurgence in the 80s. There is an argument to be made that Ozzy found more commercial success on his own than with Black Sabbath.
Be that as it may, Ozzy was always smart enough to have great musicians in his band. Sure, most people remember the genius guitarist Randy Rhoads, taken far too soon from this world, but the likes of Zack Wylde and Jake E. Lee also deserve praise. Furthermore, people like bassist Bob Daisley and even Motorhead’s Lemmy have helped with the songwriting side of things.
Everybody agrees that those 80s Ozzy albums make him a deserved part of the best British heavy metal bands of all time.
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Cream
The fact that Cream had Ginger Baker, Eric Clapton, and Jack Bruce in the same lineup is an embarrassment of riches. They featured on this list of the best British heavy metal bands mainly because of their historical influence. Cream was a paramount factor in changing the landscape of heavy music.
The band only lasted two years from 1966 to 1968 but the legacy is incredible. They released four albums, combining a lot of classic rock of the period but with more distortion and aggression. This was fundamental for the development the likes of Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, and Led Zeppelin would have in metal as a whole.
Jethro Tull
Another example of a group on this list being one of the best British heavy metal bands based on its influence. Jethro Tull is one of the most daring and experimental bands of its time. They always managed to combine several influences, such as folk music, into rock, leading to a very unique sound.
The truth of the matter is that Jethro Tull is a group with several ups and downs. However, most fans enjoy the group’s capacity to push the envelope and try different things.
The Cult
The thing about The Cult was its musical evolution. They started as a hard rock band with some clear gothic influences in the early 80s and were quite successful that way. However, by the time of the mid-80s, they wanted to seize the popularity of heavy metal and change their sound.
However, The Cult is one of the best British heavy metal bands because of their songwriting, melodic elements, and strong riffs. Vocalist Ian Astbury has always been compared to the late Jim Morrison from The Doors and there is a strong similarity there; he was even the singer of The Doors‘ short revival in the 2000s.
King Crimson
Arguably the most metal band in progressive rock in the 70s. King Crimson added a darker and somewhat cynical take to the progressive rock movement during the entirety of its career. And always trying to add great musicianship and songwriting in the process.
The early 70s albums, particularly “In The Court of the Crimson King“, are always regarded as the band’s peak. However, King Crimson‘s body of work and influence on the metal genre deserve a lot of praise.
