The Best Metal Albums of the 1970s
Our pick of the essential metal records released in the 1970s, ranked.
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1ParanoidBlack Sabbath
Paranoid
The album that effectively founded heavy metal, riff after monstrous riff from 'War Pigs' to 'Iron Man'. Heavy, doom-laden and impossibly influential. Year zero for the genre.
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2Black SabbathBlack Sabbath
Black Sabbath
The debut that effectively invented heavy metal, dark and doom-laden. Heavy and historic. Year zero for the genre.
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3Master of RealityBlack Sabbath
Master of Reality
Down-tuned and even heavier, the record that seeded both doom and stoner metal. Sludgy, dark and pioneering. Essential Sabbath.
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4Vol. 4Black Sabbath
Vol. 4
A heavier, more experimental peak, home to 'Supernaut' and 'Snowblind'. Sludgy and assured. A devotee favourite.
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5Sabbath Bloody SabbathBlack Sabbath
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
A more sophisticated peak balancing heaviness with melody and strings. Ambitious and beloved. A high point.
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6OverkillMotörhead
Overkill
A fast, raw peak that helped birth speed metal. Loud and beloved. A genre cornerstone.
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7SabotageBlack Sabbath
Sabotage
A heavy, varied peak of the original line-up. Powerful and underrated. A fan favourite.
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8Sad Wings of DestinyJudas Priest
Sad Wings of Destiny
An early, ambitious landmark that helped define metal's template. Dramatic and influential. A cornerstone.
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9BomberMotörhead
Bomber
A fast, raw hard-rock peak. Loud and beloved. A high point.