The Top 500 Heavy Metal Albums of All Time

by Martin Popoff

The result of an extensive poll asking heavy metal fans to list their favourite high-octane albums, this compendium combines those survey results with Popoff’s original interviews with world famous rockers who reveal recording session secrets in addition to their own heavy classics and ear-splitting faves. When all of this is melded with Popoff’s unique and celebrated insights into the metal of yesterday and today, an essential resource becomes a rock-writing standard. From AC/DC to ZZ Top and from Black Sabbath to Pantera, both headbanging chart-toppers and lesser-known gems are catalogued and critically appraised. With reviews of early metal albums of the 1960s, as well as the latest hits, The Top 500 Heavy Metal Albums of All Time blends praise with criticism to produce an honest assessment of the most influential and important heavy metal recordings. Also featured are photos and appendices that revel in mountains of metal minutiae. “Martin Popoff has no doubt supplied the raw material for all manner of intense debates among the former denizens of basement bedrooms everywhere.” — The Toronto Sun

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

800 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2002

About the author

At approximately 7900 (with over 7000 appearing in his books), Martin has unofficially written more record reviews than anybody in the history of music writing across all genres. Additionally, Martin has penned approximately 85 books on hard rock, heavy metal, classic rock and record collecting. He was Editor-In-Chief of the now retired Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles, Canada’s foremost metal publication for 14 years, and has also contributed to Revolver, Guitar World, Goldmine, Record Collector, bravewords.com, lollipop.com and hardradio.com, with many record label band bios and liner notes to his credit as well. Additionally, Martin has been a regular contractor to Banger Films, having worked for two years as researcher on the award-winning documentary Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage, on the writing and research team for the 11-episode Metal Evolution and on the ten-episode Rock Icons, both for VH1 Classic. Additionally, Martin is the writer of the original metal genre chart used in Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey and throughout the Metal Evolution episodes. Martin currently resides in Toronto and can be reached through martinp@inforamp.net or www.martinpopoff.com.

Reviews

[Rob Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five Hundred Reasons to Turn It Up to Eleven

Martin Popoff is to heavy metal writing what Lemmy was to bass: loud, opinionated, tireless and utterly committed. The Top 500 Heavy Metal Albums of All Time is built on an extensive poll of metal fans, who were asked to name their favourite records, and Popoff then takes that ranked list and runs with it, adding his own idiosyncratic commentary along with recollections and recording-session stories from dozens of the musicians who made the music.

The breadth is terrific, from AC/DC to ZZ Top, from the Black Sabbath bedrock through the NWOBHM and thrash to the heavier and stranger corners of the genre. Half the fun is arguing with the list. You'll cheer when an old favourite ranks highly, splutter when something you love is buried at number 400-and-something, and make a note of the odd lesser-known gem you somehow missed. That's exactly what a book like this should do.

Popoff's writing is the real star. He's knowledgeable without being dry, funny, and never afraid to give his own view even when it cuts against the fans. The musician interviews add plenty of colour and the occasional surprising revelation about how these records were made.

Best read in bite-sized chunks with a streaming app open beside you. A brilliant reference and a cracking excuse to revisit your record collection. Four stars.

[Cwl · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book would be most useful to readers new to the genre who are looking to explore albums that are sure to impress. You can tell that the book was compiled by older fans based on some of the inclusions (Badlands, Love/Hate, Kick Axe) and omissions (no Napalm, Darkthrone, Burzum, Bolt Thrower, or Godflesh). It is pretty entertaining to see the author walk back portions of his previous books. I remember Mayhem's De Mysteriis getting slammed and rated 0, but here it is on the Top 500 albums of all time list! Given how influential the black metal stuff ended up being (and how stuff like Godsmack and Helmet didn't really endure), it's not a huge surprise to see this change in course, but it is pretty risible. PS you can check out the Top 7500 Heavy Metal Albums of All Time for free by creating a custom chart on rateyourmusic.com.

[Houssein · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great overview of the most popular 500 heavy metal albums until early 2000's. But I won't say those are the best ever for three reasons.
First, the list is outdated and excludes many new epic albums such as nu metal, technical death and metalcore albums. Second, I guess the voting was by a majority of old metalheads, who like classical rock and heavy metal and 'ignore' the existance of new genres. Third, many bands are included in this list although they are not considered at all as heavy metal bands such as Kiss, Queen & co. (I know that's mentioned in the abstract of the book), I just wanted to emphasize it!

A great book though. Glad to have it in my shelf and it would be great to see a new version of it.

[Brent Venton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most legitmate listing of top metal records as polled by the author over years of interviews with metal folks and chats with fans. Every entry is reviewed by the Popoff, one of rock's foremost and funniest writers and he is not afraid to state where he disagrees with an album's place in the pantheon. Many entries feature interview responses from the artists themselves as well as their own Top 10 lists.

[Brent Venton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty much the ultimate heavy metal coffee table book. Get some like-minded metal militia over to your house with a couple frosty beers, crack open the book on a random page and let the debates begin. Agree or disagree, Popoff's way with words and encyclopaedic knowledge of all things heavy make every song review insightful and informative. Bet you will know twice as much about Budgie as you currently do after reading this book.

[Max T · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good list, very inclusive - doesn't write off the 70s hard rock stuff that most metalheads these days don't consider "metal". Not much newer stuff, and heavy on the classic bands, but as good a list as any.

Main complaint would be that the author's own bias is on full display in the write-ups, and the hatred of Maiden especially gets tiresome...

[Kollin (bird) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this would be a good bit of light reading in the midst of Evans’s Third Reich Trilogy. Reflect on some albums, read some interesting commentary, where could it go wrong? Well, this book is… oof. I could forgive either terrible writing or terrible opinions, but not both at once. The writing alternates between actively cringe and “I am not even sure I know what this means”. He describes Korn as “now pariahs from the ass side of psoriasis”. On Yngwie Malmsteen: "Finally, after getting jerked and puppeteered, wedged into spots and expended, Yngwie busts out with an explosion of pure him that is as smothering as it is groundbreaking." I near-shouted “what is he talking about??” multiple times reading this. His takes on some albums are truly unbelievable at times, and I think he means them sincerely. I just can’t do it, this is not for me. It gets a second star because of the work to compile the ranking (which was certainly interesting) and the at times intriguing quotes/lists from people in the industry. Completely separated from the outdated material (I can’t blame the book for the passage of time), I do not recommend this one, and I have to imagine the people at the back of the book who do recommend it received a hearty wad of handshake cash.

[J Byars · Rating 3 out of 5]

A thorough (if obvious) list of albums, which are thankfully determined by fan votes instead of by Martin's taste. The many interview pieces contributed by band members is really the only thing of value in this book as Mr. Popoff continues to showcase his innate peevishness with everything he writes.

[zelote · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but subjective book. It is interesting how some of the comments about the albums are not particularly favorable, despite being on the list. It's a good book, but everyone has their favorite records.

[Elso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comprehensive and well researched a must have for all metal fans.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Queensryche at #7?Give me a fucking break.

[Aron Sändh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might be my favourite book. As a lover of both lists snd heavy metal this is a joy to go through.

[Max T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fairly solid list, and a lot more inclusive than his list of songs. Dated, as these must be, and leaning a bit more on 70s and 80s, for better or worse, but newer things appear as well, and most all subgenres are represented.

[Arnez · Rating 1 out of 5]

I dont know why I even bothered. I could instead talked to a random averenge metalhead at a bar and ask which his "top 500 heavy metal songs of all time" would be, and Im sure that person would have picked a better list then this clique.

[Jeff Hamlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great list

Martin Popoff has an extensive knowledge of music and loves albums. This list is comprehensive and well researched. Very well done through all forms of metal; prog, Extreme, thrash, NWOBHM, death, etc.

[Mark Desrosiers · Rating 4 out of 5]

The readers voted, and a frequently perplexed-by-the-results Martin Popoff comments. Also with lots of interviews and lists from the artists in question. Very entertaining.

[Guido Meza · Rating 3 out of 5]

it tooks me a long time to read it because of the very accurate and long review of each one of 500 best albums of heavy metal, but its a easy and fun to read

[Todd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marking this down a notch purely for the technical issues with my copy: roughly a third of the pages are bound upside-side down. :/