This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in the year 1980.

Newly formed bands

35007 :''35007 is also a zip code of Alabaster, Alabama.'' 35007 (''Loose'' in beghilos) is a band from the Netherlands. The sound of 35007 has been described as stoner rock, psychedelic rock, space rock and progressive rock. History 35007 was fo ...

* Agnostic Front *

Alkatrazz Alkatrazz were an English heavy metal band from Maidstone, Kent. Formed in 1980 as part of the new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) movement, the group originally featured lead vocalist Craig Stevens, guitarist and backing vocalist Bob Jenn ...

Anthem An anthem is a musical composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the national anthems of countries. Originally, and in music theory and religious contexts, it also refers more particularly to short ...

* Balance * Barón Rojo * Battleaxe *

Bitch Bitch may refer to: * A female dog or other canine * Bitch (slang), a vulgar slur for a human female Bitch or bitches may also refer to: Arts and media Film and television * ''The Bitch'' (film), a 1979 film starring Joan Collins * ''Bitc ...

Black Rose Black Rose or Black Roses may refer to: Books * Black Rose (.hack), a fictional character from the .hack media franchise * Black Rose (magazine), ''Black Rose'' (magazine), an anarchist magazine published in Boston during the 1970s and 1980s * Bla ...

Blitzkrieg Blitzkrieg ( , ; from 'lightning' + 'war') is a word used to describe a surprise attack using a rapid, overwhelming force concentration that may consist of armored and motorized or mechanized infantry formations, together with close air su ...

Bulldozer A bulldozer or dozer (also called a crawler) is a large, motorized machine equipped with a metal blade to the front for pushing material: soil, sand, snow, rubble, or rock during construction work. It travels most commonly on continuous track ...

* Destiny *

Die Krupps Die Krupps () ("The Krupps") is a German industrial metal/ EBM band, formed in 1980 by Jürgen Engler and Bernward Malaka in Düsseldorf. The band has had a diverse range of musical influences over time, including the percussive industrial '' ...

Gene Loves Jezebel Gene Loves Jezebel are a British rock band formed in the early 1980s by identical twin brothers Jay (born John) and Michael Aston. Gene Loves Jezebel's best-known songs include "Heartache", "Desire (Come and Get It)" (1986), "The Motion of L ...

Grave Digger A gravedigger is a cemetery worker who is responsible for digging a grave prior to a funeral service. Description If the grave is in a cemetery on the property of a church or other religious organization (part of, or called, a churchyard), ...

Heaven Heaven or the heavens, is a common religious cosmological or transcendent supernatural place where beings such as deities, angels, souls, saints, or venerated ancestors are said to originate, be enthroned, or reside. According to the belie ...

* Holy Moses *

Iron Angel Iron Angel is a German heavy metal band from Hamburg. History Early years, reunion and split (1980–2007) The band's origins can be traced back to 1980 when drummer Mike Matthes and bassist Thorsten Lohmann were in a school band called ...

* Joshua *

Killer A killer is someone or something that kills, such as a murderer or a serial killer. Killer may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters * Killer (''Home and Away''), a character from ''Home and Away'' * Killer Kane, ...

Kruiz Cruise (Kruiz, russian: Круиз) is a heavy metal band from the former Soviet Union. Started in 1980 as a government-controlled soft rock and pop act, the band enjoyed great success all across the USSR before the revocation of their licens ...

* Lionheart * Litfiba * Living Death *

Los Suaves Los Suaves is a Spanish hard rock band from Ourense, Galicia (Spain), Galicia. The band was founded in the 1980s by the Domínguez brothers: Charly, bassist and Yosi Domínguez, vocalist. The chance to record their first album, ''Esta vida me va ...

Maninnya Blade The Swedish thrash metal pioneers Maninnya Blade was formed in the early 1980s, and is now considered to be one of the first thrash metal bands from Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Ge ...

Manowar Manowar is an American heavy metal band from Auburn, New York. Formed in 1980, the group is known for lyrics based on fantasy (particularly sword and sorcery) and mythology (particularly Norse mythology and Greco-Roman mythology), as well as ...

* Metal Church *

More More or Mores may refer to: Computing * MORE (application), outline software for Mac OS * more (command), a shell command * MORE protocol, a routing protocol * Missouri Research and Education Network Music Albums * ''More!'' (album), by Booka ...

* Ostrogoth * Ozzy Osbourne (solo career) *

Overkill Overkill may refer to: * Overkill (term), the use of excessive force or action to achieve a goal * Surplus killing, when a predator kills more prey than it can eat * Overexploitation, depletion of a natural resource through overharvesting ** Ove ...

Pokolgép Pokolgép is a Hungarian heavy metal band formed in the early 1980s (around 1982). They were among the first heavy metal bands in Hungary along with Moby Dick. The name "Pokolgép" literally means Infernal Machine, but is the Hungarian word for ...

* Queensrÿche * Riff * The Rods *

Rok Mašina Rok Mašina ( sr-cyr, Рок Машина; trans. ''Rock Machine'') was a short-lasting Yugoslav hard rock and heavy metal band formed in Belgrade in 1980. Formed by former members of the progressive/hard rock band Pop Mašina Robert Nemeček ( ...

Sacred Rite A ritual is a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, actions, or objects, performed according to a set sequence. Rituals may be prescribed by the traditions of a community, including a religious community. Rituals are characterized, ...

Saint In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of Q-D-Š, holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and Christian denomination, denominat ...

* Sound Barrier * Starfighters *

Stormwitch Stormwitch is a German Heavy metal music, heavy metal band from Heidenheim an der Brenz, Heidenheim, Baden Württemberg, Germany, formed in 1981. They have been called "The Masters of Black Romantic" by their fans. The band's song lyrics often f ...

* Suicidal Tendencies * Syron Vanes * Tank * Turbo *

Vanadium Vanadium is a chemical element with the symbol V and atomic number 23. It is a hard, silvery-grey, malleable transition metal. The elemental metal is rarely found in nature, but once isolated artificially, the formation of an oxide layer ( pas ...

* Vixen * Warlord * Warning * White Sister *

Wrathchild Wrathchild (sometimes known as Wrathchild UK in the United States due to a naming conflict with Wrathchild America) were an English glam metal band. Formed in 1980, the group was an early band of the glam metal genre, starting off about the s ...

Albums & EPs

AC/DC AC/DC (stylised as ACϟDC) are an Australian Rock music, rock band formed in Sydney in 1973 by Scottish-born brothers Malcolm Young, Malcolm and Angus Young. Their music has been variously described as hard rock, blues rock, and Heavy metal ...

- ''

Back in Black ''Back in Black'' is the seventh studio album by Australian rock band AC/DC. It was released on 25 July 1980 by Albert Productions and Atlantic Records. It is the band's first album to feature lead singer Brian Johnson, following the death of ...

'' *

Accept Accept may refer to: * Acceptance, a person's assent to the reality of a situation etc. * Accept (band), a German heavy metal band ** ''Accept'' (Accept album), their debut album from 1979 * ''Accept'' (Chicken Shack album), 1970 * ACCEPT (or ...

- '' I'm a Rebel'' *

Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of Steven Tyler (lead vocals), Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry (guitar), Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton (bass), Joey Kramer (drums) and Brad Whi ...

– '' Greatest Hits'' * Alice Cooper - '' Flush the Fashion'' * Angel Witch - '' Angel Witch'' *

Atomic Rooster Atomic Rooster are a British rock band originally formed by members of The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, organist Vincent Crane and drummer Carl Palmer. Throughout their history, keyboardist Vincent Crane was the only constant member and wrote ...

– ''

'' *

A II Z A II Z were an English heavy metal band founded in 1979 in Manchester, England, by the guitarist Gary Owens. The original line-up consisted of David Owens (vocals), Gary Owens (guitar), Cam Campbell (bass), Karl Reti (drums). For a short time ...

- ''The Witch of Berkeley'' (live) * Beowulf - ''Slice of Life'' *

Blackfoot The Blackfoot Confederacy, ''Niitsitapi'' or ''Siksikaitsitapi'' (ᖹᐟᒧᐧᒣᑯ, meaning "the people" or " Blackfoot-speaking real people"), is a historic collective name for linguistically related groups that make up the Blackfoot or Bla ...

- ''

Tomcattin' ''Tomcattin is the fourth studio album of Southern rock band Blackfoot, released in 1980. The album features Shorty Medlocke, grandfather of band member Rickey Medlocke, on "Fox Chase". While the album did not spawn any hit singles, it was eno ...

'' * Black Sabbath - '' Heaven and Hell'' * Blue Öyster Cult - ''

Cultösaurus Erectus ''Cultösaurus Erectus'' is the seventh studio album by American hard rock band Blue Öyster Cult, released on June 14, 1980. Following an experiment with a more-polished sound on the album ''Mirrors'' (released the previous year), this recordi ...

'' * Bow Wow - ''Glorious Road'' * Bow Wow - ''Telephone'' *

Budgie Budgie may refer to: Arts * Budgie (album), ''Budgie'' (album), the debut album by the Welsh heavy metal band Budgie * Budgie (band), a Welsh heavy metal band from Cardiff * Budgie (musician) (born 1957), English drummer * Budgie (TV series), ''Bu ...

- '' If Swallowed, Do Not Induce Vomiting'' (EP) * Budgie - '' Power Supply'' * Chevy - ''The Taker'' *

Cirith Ungol In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional world of Middle-earth, Mordor (pronounced ; from Sindarin ''Black Land'' and Quenya ''Land of Shadow'') is the realm and base of the evil Sauron. It lay to the east of Gondor and the great river Anduin, and ...

- '' Frost and Fire'' * Def Leppard - '' On Through the Night'' * Diamond Head - '' Lightning to the Nations'' * Ethel the Frog - ''Ethel the Frog'' * Fargo - ''No Limit'' * Fist (UK) - ''Turn the Hell On'' * Fist (Can) - ''Hot Spikes'' *

Gamma Gamma (uppercase , lowercase ; ''gámma'') is the third letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 3. In Ancient Greek, the letter gamma represented a voiced velar stop . In Modern Greek, this letter re ...

- ''

Gamma 2 ''Gamma 2'' is Gamma's second album, released in 1980. On this album Ronnie Montrose keeps his streak of not having the same personnel on two albums in a row, changing the line-up once again. Davey Pattison (vocals), Montrose (guitar), and Jim ...

'' * Gillan - '' Glory Road'' * Girl - ''

Sheer Greed ''Sheer Greed'' is the first album of the British glam rock band Girl, released in January 1980 by Jet Records. The album was published during the explosion of the new wave of British heavy metal phenomenon and its sales took advantage of the ...

'' * Girlschool - ''

Demolition Demolition (also known as razing, cartage, and wrecking) is the science and engineering in safely and efficiently tearing down of buildings and other artificial structures. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a ...

'' *

Grand Prix Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural Grands Prix), is a name sometimes used for competitions or sport events, alluding to the winner receiving a prize, trophy or honour Grand Prix or grand prix may refer to: Arts and entertainment ...

- ''Grand Prix'' * The Hunt - ''Back on the Hunt'' * Iron Maiden - '' Iron Maiden'' *

Judas Priest Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in Birmingham in 1969. They have sold over 50 million albums and are frequently ranked as one of the greatest metal bands of all time. Despite an innovative and pioneering body of work in th ...

- '' British Steel'' * Killer (Bel) - ''Ready for Hell'' * KISS - '' Unmasked'' * Krokus - '' Metal Rendez-vous'' * Limelight - ''Limelight'' * Magnum - '' Marauder'' (live) *

Mama's Boys Mama's Boys were a 1980s hard rock/ heavy metal group from County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. The band includes the three McManus brothers Pat, a.k.a. "The Professor", (guitar, fiddle), John (bass, vocals), and Tommy (drums). Later in thei ...

- ''Official Album'' *

Manilla Road Manilla Road was an American heavy metal band from Wichita, Kansas, founded by Mark "The Shark" Shelton (vocals and guitar) and Scott "Scooter" Park (bass guitar). Beginning in 1977, the early years of Manilla Road were spent playing mostly pro ...

- '' Invasion'' *

Metal for Muthas ''Metal for Muthas'' is the name given to a series of heavy metal compilations made during the new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM). The original compilation was ''Metal for Muthas'', released in February 1980. The compilation was a sampl ...

- (Compilation, various artists) * Metal for Muthas - Volume II - Cut Loud - (Compilation, various artists) * Muthas Pride - (Compilation, EP, various artists) * Metal Explosion - From The Friday Rock Show - (Compilation, various artists) * Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush - '' What's Next'' * Michael Schenker Group - ''

The Michael Schenker Group The Michael Schenker Group (often abbreviated as MSG) are a guitar-oriented hard rock band, formed in London in 1979 by former Scorpions and UFO guitarist Michael Schenker. In 1986, Schenker and vocalist Robin McAuley formed the McAuley Schenke ...

'' * Molly Hatchet - ''

Beatin' the Odds Beatin' the Odds may refer to: * ''Beatin' the Odds'' (Molly Hatchet album), 1980 * ''Beatin' the Odds'' (Eddie Rabbitt album), 1997 {{disambiguation ...

'' *

Gary Moore Robert William Gary Moore (4 April 19526 February 2011) was a Northern Irish musician. Over the course of his career he played in various groups and performed a range of music including blues, blues rock, hard rock, heavy metal, and jazz ...

- ''

G-Force The gravitational force equivalent, or, more commonly, g-force, is a measurement of the type of force per unit mass – typically acceleration – that causes a perception of weight, with a g-force of 1 g (not gram in mass measure ...

'' * Motörhead - '' Ace of Spades'' * Mythra - ''Death & Destiny'' (EP) * Ted Nugent - ''

Scream Dream ''Scream Dream'' is the sixth studio album by American hard rock musician Ted Nugent. The album was released in June 1980 by Epic Records, and reached number 13 on the Billboard 200, ''Billboard'' 200. It was his last studio album to feature dru ...

'' * Ocean - ''"A" Live + B'' (side one is live) * Ozzy Osbourne - '' Blizzard of Ozz'' * Pat Benatar - ''

Crimes of Passion A crime of passion (French: ''crime passionnel''), in popular usage, refers to a violent crime, especially homicide, in which the perpetrator commits the act against someone because of sudden strong impulse such as anger rather than as a premed ...

'' *

Plasmatics The Plasmatics were an American punk rock, hardcore punk and heavy metal band formed by Rod Swenson and Wendy O. Williams in New York City in 1977. They were a controversial group known for chaotic, destructive live shows and outrageous theat ...

- '' New Hope for the Wretched'' * Quartz - ''Stand Up and Fight'' * Rail - ''Arrival'' * Reckless - ''Reckless'' * The Rods - ''Rock Hard'' *

Rush Rush(es) may refer to: Places United States * Rush, Colorado * Rush, Kentucky * Rush, New York * Rush City, Minnesota * Rush Creek (Kishwaukee River tributary), Illinois * Rush Creek (Marin County, California), a stream * Rush Creek (Mono Cou ...

- ''

Permanent Waves ''Permanent Waves'' is the seventh studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released January 14, 1980, through Anthem Records. After touring to support their previous album, '' Hemispheres'' (1978), the band began working on new material for a ...

'' * Samson - '' Head On'' *

Saxon The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic * * * * peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...

- '' Wheels of Steel'' * Saxon - '' Strong Arm of the Law'' * Schoolboys – ''Singin' Shoutin (EP) * Scorpions - ''

Animal Magnetism Animal magnetism, also known as mesmerism, was a protoscientific theory developed by German doctor Franz Mesmer in the 18th century in relation to what he claimed to be an invisible natural force (''Lebensmagnetismus'') possessed by all livi ...

'' * Shakin' Street - ''Shakin' Street'' * Snow - ''Snow'' (EP) * Speed Queen - ''Speed Queen'' * Thin Lizzy - ''

Chinatown A Chinatown () is an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Austra ...

'' * Triumph - ''

Progressions of Power ''Progressions of Power'' is the fourth studio album by Canadian hard rock band Triumph, released in 1980. The album reached number 32 on the Billboard 200 and the single "I Can Survive" hit number 91 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1980. The single ...

'' * Trust - ''

Répression ''Répression'' is the second studio album by French hard rock/metal band Trust (French band), Trust. It was released in 1980 (in France) and was dedicated to Bon Scott, the recently deceased lead singer of AC/DC; the English version was released ...

'' * Tygers of Pan Tang - '' Wild Cat'' *

UFO An unidentified flying object (UFO), more recently renamed by US officials as a UAP (unidentified aerial phenomenon), is any perceived aerial phenomenon that cannot be immediately identified or explained. On investigation, most UFOs are id ...

- '' No Place to Run'' * Van Halen - '' Women and Children First'' * Vardis - ''100 M.P.H.'' (live) * Whitesnake - '' Ready an' Willing'' * Whitesnake - '' Live...in the Heart of the City'' *

White Spirit White spirit (AU, UK & Ireland)Primarily in the United Kingdom and Australia. In New Zealand "white spirit" can also refer to Coleman fuel (white gas). or mineral spirits (US, Canada), also known as mineral turpentine (AU/NZ), turpentine substitu ...

- ''White Spirit'' *

Wild Horses Wild horse (''Equus ferus'') is a species of the genus ''Equus'' that includes domesticated and undomesticated subspecies. * Przewalski's wild horse (''Equus ferus przewalskii'' or ''Equus przewalskii''), a rare and endangered subspecies of wild ...

- ''

'', aka ''The First Album'' * Wishbone Ash - ''

Just Testing ''Just Testing'' is the tenth studio album by the British rock band Wishbone Ash, released on 18 January 1980 by MCA Records. Recorded primarily at Surrey Sound Studios in England, it was the last to feature the original lead vocalist and bass ...

'' * Witchfynde - '' Give 'Em Hell'' * Witchfynde - '' Stagefright''

Disbandments

* Led Zeppelin

Events

* Bon Scott, lead singer of

, dies at 33 on February 19 after a binge of heavy drinking. * October: Iron Maiden comp guitarist

Dennis Stratton Dennis Stratton (born 9 October 1952) is an English guitarist who is best known as a former member of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden from December 1979 to October 1980. Biography Born in Canning Town, London, Stratton showed early promise a ...

leaves and is replaced by Adrian Smith. * John Bonham, drummer for Led Zeppelin, dies at 32 on September 25, after a binge of heavy drinking. His death was similar to Bon Scott's, and caused Led Zeppelin to disband. *April:

Brian Johnson Brian Johnson (born 5 October 1947) is an English singer and songwriter. In 1980, after the death of Bon Scott, he became the third lead singer of the Australian rock band AC/DC. He and the rest of the band were inducted into the Rock and Rol ...

joins AC/DC replacing Bon Scott as lead singer. * May 18: Peter Criss, drummer of Kiss, leaves the band.

Eric Carr Paul Charles Caravello (July 12, 1950 – November 24, 1991), better known professionally as Eric Carr, was an American musician who was the drummer for the rock band Kiss from 1980 to 1991. Caravello was selected as the new Kiss drummer after ...

takes his place. * ''Sounds'' Music Paper Editor Dave Lewis, invents the term ''New Wave Of British Heavy Metal'' to accompany an article Geoff Barton wrote on three young British Heavy Metal bands touring together, namely Samson, Iron Maiden and Angelwitch. {{DEFAULTSORT:1980 In Heavy Metal Music 1980s in heavy metal music Metal