No Contest, Black Sabbath!!

Iron Maiden - Not playing the area I guess but they are the metal kings after all these years. Never broke up, always release material and tour like absolute animals and have maintained arena level crowds or higher the whole time. Even when grunge took all the other metal bands down.

The others have broke up, drug breakdowns, mental breakdowns and take years off to deal with shrinks.

Maiden's newest release opened #1 all over the globe which for a double album is pretty impressive and even more so that they are metal.

Maiden has been and always will be a very global band. Loved the early stuff with Paul, had a real raw street punk type vibe. Cant beat those first two! IM have almost gotten more of a progressive sound these days. Dont forget Priest!!

To me Black Sabbath inspired the creation of Heavy Metal but I just don't consider the metal. Likely an age thing for me but bands like Metallica can't even begin to be compared to them.

But we have seen Sabbath is some sad states over the years. Low point for me was when it was only Tony left and the arena barely had 1000 people in it.

I think Blue cheer is one of the most importasnt metal bands of all time, they never get enough credit.

[Edited on 2/7/2016 by fender31]

LOVE Metallica....But Sabbath was my intro to hard rock/metal.

Impossible to choose for me

Sabbath for me. I've tried getting into Metallica several times over many years but they just never did anything for me musically. I do like some of their lyrics, though.

Sabbath for me. I've tried getting into Metallica several times over many years but they just never did anything for me musically. I do like some of their lyrics, though.

Sabbath. No question. Isn't Metallica's drummer Lars considered to be one of the biggest d-bags in the music world? Same could be said for Sharon Osbourne I guess.

my two cents.

black Sabbath in the answer. why? they are the most influential.

metallica though is the biggest metal band there has ever been and ever will be.

iron maiden? sorry but metallica is more popular now and always will be. metallica have about 18 releases, iron maiden around 30 and metallica has outsold them globally

I used their ten points and not just sales.

Metallica gains much of those sales from "selling out" anyway. They have been in therapy ever since. Iron Maiden absolutely buries them in touring and the number of headbangers buying a ticket. Which is what metal is all about.

Besides Maiden are awesome guys who gladly share their beer while Metallica are prima donnas. Although I did once witness Lars buy a round of drinks at a bar for everyone. The Maiden guys are so nice and down to earth.

I used their ten points and not just sales.

Metallica gains much of those sales from "selling out" anyway. They have been in therapy ever since. Iron Maiden absolutely buries them in touring and the number of headbangers buying a ticket. Which is what metal is all about.

Besides Maiden are awesome guys who gladly share their beer while Metallica are prima donnas. Although I did once witness Lars buy a round of drinks at a bar for everyone. The Maiden guys are so nice and down to earth.

yes maiden tours a lot. metallica still plays stadiums everywhere though. maiden is not going to sell out a stadium in the usa alone anymore.

besides maiden sold out too. the first 2 albums are punky in vibe. then after bruce came was the classic sound and buy the late 80's the band was using synths trying to get a mainstream hit.

I do respect maiden though and seem to be one of the few people who thought x factor was a brilliant release

I've only seen each band live once. Black Sabbath during the Sabbotage tour and Metallica (Acoustica) at the Bridge School Benefit in '97. Although I'm more into Sabbath's music Metallica did a great set at Bridge School.

http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/metallica/1997/shoreline-amphitheatre-mountain-view-ca-6bd6dafe.html

They played Bridge School Benefit again 10 years later.

http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/metallica/2007/shoreline-amphitheatre-mountain-view-ca-4bd6dfde.html

I used their ten points and not just sales.

Metallica gains much of those sales from "selling out" anyway. They have been in therapy ever since. Iron Maiden absolutely buries them in touring and the number of headbangers buying a ticket. Which is what metal is all about.

Besides Maiden are awesome guys who gladly share their beer while Metallica are prima donnas. Although I did once witness Lars buy a round of drinks at a bar for everyone. The Maiden guys are so nice and down to earth.

yes maiden tours a lot. metallica still plays stadiums everywhere though. maiden is not going to sell out a stadium in the usa alone anymore.

besides maiden sold out too. the first 2 albums are punky in vibe. then after bruce came was the classic sound and buy the late 80's the band was using synths trying to get a mainstream hit.

I do respect maiden though and seem to be one of the few people who thought x factor was a brilliant release

Metallica does not play stadiums everywhere and never did. There are definitely markets where they have and still do. Outside of the US some of those markets are always stadium shows for pretty much most who will tour there.

I don't have the figures in front of me , Matt but the audience figures between the two are not even close. If Metallica worked and toured than they would be. I just looked back over Metallica's tours since 2000 and was shocked at how little they have played the US since then. There was also only a couple of stadium shows in the US in all those years. SF and NY and anything else was a festival. When they do tour, the tours are very short. Even arena show attendance is cut back as the stage (very cool) takes up the entire floor which takes up lots of seats.

They are basket cases who barely work. Sad But True. 😉

Maiden sold out after Killers? You are a funny guy, Matt.

I've got nothing against Metallica, as they say just not really my cup of tea.

Recall one show. Opened for Guns & Roses. I think they played for 3 hours since Axl was later than usual. That must have been a great show.

One of my nephews who's an amazing guitar player learned most of his early chops listening to Metallica.

Also enjoy early Maiden.

I used their ten points and not just sales.

Metallica gains much of those sales from "selling out" anyway. They have been in therapy ever since. Iron Maiden absolutely buries them in touring and the number of headbangers buying a ticket. Which is what metal is all about.

Besides Maiden are awesome guys who gladly share their beer while Metallica are prima donnas. Although I did once witness Lars buy a round of drinks at a bar for everyone. The Maiden guys are so nice and down to earth.

yes maiden tours a lot. metallica still plays stadiums everywhere though. maiden is not going to sell out a stadium in the usa alone anymore.

besides maiden sold out too. the first 2 albums are punky in vibe. then after bruce came was the classic sound and buy the late 80's the band was using synths trying to get a mainstream hit.

I do respect maiden though and seem to be one of the few people who thought x factor was a brilliant release

Metallica does not play stadiums everywhere and never did. There are definitely markets where they have and still do. Outside of the US some of those markets are always stadium shows for pretty much most who will tour there.

I don't have the figures in front of me , Matt but the audience figures between the two are not even close. If Metallica worked and toured than they would be. I just looked back over Metallica's tours since 2000 and was shocked at how little they have played the US since then. There was also only a couple of stadium shows in the US in all those years. SF and NY and anything else was a festival. When they do tour, the tours are very short. Even arena show attendance is cut back as the stage (very cool) takes up the entire floor which takes up lots of seats.

They are basket cases who barely work. Sad But True. 😉

Maiden sold out after Killers? You are a funny guy, Matt.

maiden never sold out?

these sound similar to you?

stuff from the first 2 albums

from the late 80's

commercial sounding, synths present, just reeks of trying to have a hit.

Well first off, you skipped over a bunch of albums. Where is the "sell out" song from Number Of The Beast? Second those songs sound just like Maiden. Maybe not your favorite tunes but it is Maiden. They did not try to become a new beast which Metallica did.

Bob Rock trying to teach James how to sing instead of just the monotone yell and songs like Nothing Else Matters are clearly outside of the Metallica norm. Nothing wrong with that at all. But definitely an attempt at mainstream popularity. Again that is fine. It became the cool thing to like Metallica for non-metalheads. I worked tons of their shows after and the crowds included lots of people who didn't know the tunes at all. Just waiting for those hits. The same happened to Aerosmith after Pump where the crowds were divided between long time fans and those waiting for Janie's Got a Gun. Followed by all those soundtrack crap singles that are not "Aerosmith". It divided the band and they have never fully recovered either. Joe Perry hates those songs. Steven loves them. I side with Joe.

Metallica have struggled to regain/keep that popularity since and it has hurt each release since then. Not to mention it lead to all sorts of issues within the band and mentally for the members.

The Metal Madmen turned into pussies. Jason was the only one who kept his balls and was tossed because of it.

James was pissed that Jason played with Govt Mule. And yet, he does a song with them and it is OK. Double standard and I admire Jason for telling him to screw himself.

I hope Sabbath is able to get through this tour.

Any attempt to minimize what Iron Maiden have accomplished (and continue to accomplish) is effing comical.

Sabbath by a landslide. Metal does not exist without Sabbath, period.

I don't care about numbers of albums, sales figures, or even longevity, much less who is nicer. Sabbath is more influential, period.

Maiden vs Metallica is silly. Both are children of Sabbath.

Deep Purple wrote the book on metal.

I just don't see bands like Sabbath or Purple as metal bands. Again it may be an age thing for me.

Those bands definitely gave birth to metal but to me it is hard rock. I think to call them metal is limiting. But if calling them metal then they win hands down. There simply is no debate or fun with this then though. It would be like your existence without your parents ever being born. Impossible.

QUIEN ES MAS METAL?

Well first off, you skipped over a bunch of albums. Where is the "sell out" song from Number Of The Beast? Second those songs sound just like Maiden. Maybe not your favorite tunes but it is Maiden. They did not try to become a new beast which Metallica did.

Bob Rock trying to teach James how to sing instead of just the monotone yell and songs like Nothing Else Matters are clearly outside of the Metallica norm. Nothing wrong with that at all. But definitely an attempt at mainstream popularity. Again that is fine. It became the cool thing to like Metallica for non-metalheads. I worked tons of their shows after and the crowds included lots of people who didn't know the tunes at all. Just waiting for those hits. The same happened to Aerosmith after Pump where the crowds were divided between long time fans and those waiting for Janie's Got a Gun. Followed by all those soundtrack crap singles that are not "Aerosmith". It divided the band and they have never fully recovered either. Joe Perry hates those songs. Steven loves them. I side with Joe.

Metallica have struggled to regain/keep that popularity since and it has hurt each release since then. Not to mention it lead to all sorts of issues within the band and mentally for the members.

The Metal Madmen turned into pussies. Jason was the only one who kept his balls and was tossed because of it.

I didn't skip a bunch of albums as my post clearly says by the late 80's, not as soon as bruce joined. by the end of the 80's maiden was clearly looking for a hit because their popularity was starting to slip in the usa and it lead to the terrible album no prayer for the dying with "bring your daughter to the slaughter" as the climax of trying to get a hit

I was 16 when Kill em all came out. My stoner buddies and I listened to that album all the time. No one got it but us and others like us.

You we're going against the grain of the Stones, Zeppelin, Clapton, Rush and Van Halen crowd listening to speed and death metal from that era (Slayer, Venom, Mercyful Fate).

By the time Metallica got popular (post and Justice for all) I did the end around and got into the dead and ABB, I know makes no sense. I think its because I didn't look good in black and my headbanging skills we're lacking.

I think Metallica was a ground breaking band but not to the level of Black Sabbath or Motorhead. I am not old enough to remember but I am assuming Black Sabbath scared the crap out of people with their early releases.

Motorhead started out in I think 77 with the release of Motorhead.

My vote would go to Motorhead over Metallica as being the leader and ground breaker for every metal band that came after them.

Motorhead's Overkill from 1979!!!

Motorhead album from 1977, 1977!!!

I am not old enough to remember but I am assuming Black Sabbath scared the crap out of people with their early releases.

I think their first record, "Black Sabbath", really was scary at times, especially the title cut. Very dark. And to a lesser degree, their second record, Paranoid. You have to remember, War Pigs is a standard of metal now, but think about when that record (Paranoid) first arrived. You really had to be INTO heavy music to "get" Sabbath's first two records WHEN THEY CAME OUT. Very much ahead of their time. Even McCartney has said, "No one before them was exploring the dark side." And it's very true. When they first started, Sabbath DID scare a lot of people. I don't mean scared like seeing a scary movie. I mean scared in the sense that people just thought the subject matter was way, WAY too bizarre. Dangerous if you will. Weird would be another word. I'm proud to say I got them at a young age and myself and a few buddies certainly didn't care what anyone else thought about it. I first saw Sabbath in 1971, I was 16. They were all kids, 22 or 23 years old.

I've always felt very, VERY fortunate to have started going to concerts at 16 in 1971. WHAT an era for rock 'n' roll music!!

My vote would go to Motorhead over Metallica as being the leader and ground breaker for every metal band that came after them.

Someone else here questioned whether Black Sabbath was really a metal band. I'll have to weigh in on that one: In my opinion, their first record, Black Sabbath, GAVE BIRTH TO HEAVY METAL MUSIC. And then they backed it right up with Paranoid and then with another great record, Master Of Reality. Say what you want, but every "metal" band that came after them was influenced by them, either directly or indirectly. If you don't agree, then PLEASE tell me who came before them? Some would say Cream, and Cream was a very heavy power trio, but they were not dark sounding like Sabbath was. FYI I'm a huge Cream fan.

[Edited on 2/9/2016 by robslob]

Black Sabbath is the ultimate Heavy Metal band of all times. The only real contender would be Iron Maiden. But Sabbath started 10 years earlier. Metallica may also be labeled the ultimate or the mightiest but more in a Heavy Metal subgenre. Kings of trash metal or whatever.

Black Sabbath is the mold, the blue print of Heavy Metal i personally think it's odd to put another label on them.
On the other hand i don't see Mötörhead as Heavy Metal. More a hardrock band or very loud roll and roll band. As i recall Lemmy himself vigourly refused to be labeled HM.

Someone else here questioned whether Black Sabbath was really a metal band. I'll have to weigh in on that one: In my opinion, their first record, Black Sabbath, GAVE BIRTH TO HEAVY METAL MUSIC. And then they backed it right up with Paranoid and then with another great record, Master Of Reality. Say what you want, but every "metal" band that came after them was influenced by them, either directly or indirectly. If you don't agree, then PLEASE tell me who came before them?

There's no question that Sabbath are the biggest influence of all. Isn't "who came first?" a bit of a different matter, though?

The most difficult thing in the way is how to define what heavy metal is, and what's the difference between heavy metal and hard rock. Heavy metal became metal and now there's about 14,193 different sub-genres of metal.

I think there's three bands along with Sabbath that helped shape the sound that became heavy metal.

MC5 - Yeah, I know, protopunk or heavy metal? I've always heard both, and the sounds they were making when they were making them are still stunning now.

Vanilla Fudge - Excellent musicians, of course, and sounds that were all over the place in style. Biggest direct influence on Deep Purple, and many will credit Purple as heavy metal pioneers.

Blue Cheer - I've always thought the early guitar and drum sounds of Sabbath sound very very close to Blue Cheer. Not that Sabbath copied them, but they do sound similar to my ears. Being that Blue Cheer is a San Francisco band, there's no denying the psychedelic element to them, but there's definitely power chords and drum parts that could definitely fit the early heavy metal mold.

Iron Butterfly - Hell their first album is called Heavy. Plus the three Bhawk mention and about two dozen more that all pre-date Sabbath.

Sam Dunn was able to create a whole series based upon the birth of metal.

good points. Who started metal and who the greatest were don't have to be the same thing.
I mentioned Deep Purple because to my ears they were really the first with that rapidfire machine overdrive so characteristic of later metal. Sabbath, Cream, they were solid hard rock, but they never did anything like that. Even Yes was more like later metal, with the super fast and strict time signatures.

When I was a kid, long before the Metallica type of metal came along, we were using the term Heavy Metal for Hendrix, Sabbath, Deep Purple, Zep, Yes, Cream, Trower, Mountain, even Electric Hot Tuna, anything that featured overdriven electric guitar
, at earsplitting volume and generally fast rates of speed.

interesting aside,
and I don't think Steppenwolf is metal, but supposedly the first time the words "heavy metal" appeared in rock was in Born To Be Wild.... "heavy metal thunder"...!

As far as Sabbath vs Metallica... well I like Sabbath better, but as metal came to be defined Metallica was more representative of the form.