Top 10 Bands and Artists that are Called Heavy Metal but Aren't

Artists that are or have been called Heavy Metal but aren't Heavy Metal at all. Lots of bands in particular or artists have been mistaken as this. If I missed one feel free to add it.
The Top Ten
1 Avenged Sevenfold Avenged Sevenfold is an American heavy metal band, that was formed 1999 in California. Their longest lineup of members was M. Shadows (Vocals), Synyster Gates (Lead Guitar), Zacky Vengeance (Rhythm Guitar), Johnny Christ (Bass Guitar), and The Rev (Drums). ...read more.

Don't make lists if you're not knowledgeable about the genre. Avenged Sevenfold is definitely a Heavy Metal band. It's just that people like to jump on the hate bandwagon and negatively critique their music, which they do it solely for the sake of letting out their frustration. Majority of those people who pass these vacuous judgements are definitely what we know as "Metal Elitists", who don't seem to be interested in objectively listening to the tracks from this band.

Come on! stop this bullcrap. They are more metal than your average metalcore or alternative bands. The Stage, Buried Alive, Save Me, Bat Country, Beast and the Harlot, Paradigm, Blinded in Chains etc. are all heavy metal songs. Metal elitists are annoying.

Borderline between hard rock, metalcore, and heavy metal. Hail to the King is more hard rock, but the Stage is more metal.

I'd say, some kind of a fusion between metalcore, alt. rock and also symphonic metal.

2 Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin was an English hard rock band formed in London in 1968 as the New Yardbirds. The group consisted of Robert Plant (Vocal), Jimmy Page (Guitar), John Paul Jones (Bass, Keyboard) and John Bonham (Drums) and was very much the child of Jimmy Page who even financed their first tour. He had tasted some previous success with The [original] Yardbirds and was friendly with some big names in rock. Page states it was Keith Moon of The Who that claimed the band could only go down, like a lead balloon -- thus prompting the iconic name of Led Zeppelin. The band's heavy, guitar-driven sound, rooted in blues and psychedelia on their early albums, has earned them recognition as one of the progenitors ...read more.

Influence but not metal
Real metal started in the British new wave

Wait... people actually think that Led Zeppelin is Heavy Metal?

3 AC/DC AC/DC are a Australian hard rock band, formed in November 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young, who continued as members until Malcolm's illness and departure in 2014 . They were fronted by Bon Scott until his untimely death due to alcohol poisoning in 1979, after which they hired Brian Johnson to front the band. Commonly referred to as a hard rock or blues rock band.

Just hard rock

4 KISS Kiss, often styled as KISS, was an American rock band formed in New York City in 1973. The original members were Paul Stanley (vocals, rhythm guitar), Gene Simmons (vocals, bass guitar), Ace Frehley (lead guitar, vocals), and Peter Criss (drums, vocals).

Known for their face paint and stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid-1970s. Their shock rock-style live performances featured... read more
5 Van Halen Van Halen was an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. From 1974 until 1985, the band consisted of guitarist Eddie Van Halen, vocalist David Lee Roth, drummer Alex Van Halen, and bassist Michael Anthony.
6 Guns N’ Roses

They have some heavy stuff but they're mostly just hard rock

7 Black Veil Brides Black Veil Brides is an American rock band currently consisting of Andy Biersack (vocals), Jinxx (guitar), Jake Pitts (guitar), Christian Coma (drums) and Ashley Purdy (bass), that formed in 2006 in Ohio. In the beginning of their career, the band was heavily associated with the emo subculture, and had strong metalcore, screamo and alternative influences, however got more metal oriented over the years. Their songs usually carry a message of acceptance, believing in yourself and being individual and different. Among their most well known songs are "Knives and Pens", "Rebel Love Song", "In the End" and "Fallen Angels".

Eh, I'd call them pop-metal. Mediocre, but they're kind of a guilty pleasure of mine.

8 Slipknot Slipknot is an American metal band formed in Des Moines, Iowa in 1996. The band is best known as one of the pioneers of the New Wave of American Alternative Metal during the late 1990s - 2000s and are distinguishable by the band's clothing choices, consisting of black/red jumpsuits and horror inspired masks. ...read more.
9 Blood on the Dance Floor Blood on the Dance Floor was an American electronic music group from Orlando, Florida, originally consisting of Dahvie Vanity and several other members over time. The group formed in 2006, with former members including Jayy Von Monroe (2009–2016) and Garrett Ecstasy (2009), all of whom provided vocals for the project... read more

Not even close.

10 Skillet Skillet is an American Christian rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee in 1996 and based in the United States.
The Contenders
11 Five Finger Death Punch Five Finger Death Punch, often shortened to Five Finger or Death Punch, also abbreviated as 5FDP or FFDP, is an American metal band from Las Vegas, Nevada. Formed in 2005, the band's name comes from the kung fu movie The Five Fingers of Death.
12 Disturbed Disturbed is an American alternative metal/nu-metal/hard rock band from Chicago, Illinois. The band comprises vocalist David Draiman, bassist John Moyer, guitarist Dan Donegan, and drummer Mike Wengren. They are known for songs like "Down With the Sickness" and "Stricken".

I'd call them alt metal/hard rock

Actaully this band is heavy metal but yes they also do Nu metal.-TheCoolGuy1

13 Suicide Silence Suicide Silence is an American deathcore band from Riverside, California. Formed in 2002, the band has released four full-length studio albums, one EP and eleven music videos.
14 System of a Down System of a Down, formed in 1994, is an Armenian-American alternative metal group from Glendale, California. The band name is sometimes shortened to System or SOAD. They've always been a very political band since their inception. Often being against genocide and war most notably in songs like: Pluck, Holy Mountains, and BYOB (Bring Your Own Bombs). Serj is an active activist who wants to change the world for the better.

The band's current members include Serj Tankian (vocalist, keyboards), Daron Malakian (guitarist, vocalist), Shavo Odadjian (bassist), and John Dolmayan (drummer). ...read more.

Why do people think this is metal?

15 Asking Alexandria Asking Alexandria are an English metalcore band from York, North Yorkshire formed initially in 2008 by lead guitarist Ben Bruce along with former lead singer Danny Worsnop, bassist Joe Lancaster, keyboardist and synth player Ryan Binns, and current members drummer James Cassells and rhythm guitarist Cameron Liddell. Lancaster and Binns later departed from the band in 2009 with Lancaster joining heavy metal band With One Last Breath. Bassist Sam Bettley joined the band that same year, and in January 2015 Worsnop departed to focus on his new band We Are Harlot and was later replaced by Denis Stoff of Down & Dirty and Make Me Famous. The band has released four studio albums, their most recent being ...read more.
16 Attila Attila is an American metalcore band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 2005. Frontman Chris Fronzak started the band in high school and, not wanting to use typical death metal terms, adopted the name from Attila the Hun, which he came across in a book.
17 Godsmack Godsmack is an American alternative metal/hard rock band from Lawrence, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. The band is composed of founder, frontman and songwriter Sully Erna, guitarist Tony Rombola, bassist Robbie Merrill, and drummer Shannon Larkin.
18 Bullet for My Valentine Bullet for My Valentine are a Welsh metalcore band from Bridgend, formed in 1998. The band is composed of Matthew Tuck (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Michael Paget (lead guitar, backing vocals), Michael Thomas (drums) and Jamie Mathias (bass guitar). Former members include Nick Crandle and Jason James; ...read more.
19 Palaye Royale
20 Korn Korn is an American nu-metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The band's current lineup includes founding members Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Brian "Head" Welch, and Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, with the addition of Ray Luzier, who replaced the band's original member, David ...read more.
21 Def Leppard Def Leppard are an English hard rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement.

Def Leppard's first album is a Metal album, it has metal riffs on so they are metal but only their first album (and the song On Through the Night on High N Dry)

22 Motley Crue Mötley Crüe is an American metal band formed in Los Angeles, California on January 17, 1981. The group was founded by bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, lead vocalist Vince Neil and lead guitarist Mick Mars.

I agree this band isn't a metal band but they are on Metal Archives

Nothing metal at all about this band.

23 Limp Bizkit Limp Bizkit is an American nu-metal/rap metal/rock band from Jacksonville, Florida, formed in 1994. Their lineup consists of Fred Durst, Sam Rivers, John Otto, and Wes Borland. They're mostly known for their singles like Break Stuff, My Way, My Generation, Nookie, Eat You Alive, Rollin', and Take a Look Around... read more
24 Automatic Loveletter
25 Linkin Park Linkin Park is an American alternative rock band formed in Agoura Hills, California, in 1996. The current members include Mike Shinoda (vocals, keyboards, rhythm guitar), Brad Delson (guitar), Dave "Phoenix" Farrell (bass), Joe Hahn (DJ), and Rob Bourdon (drums). Linkin Park is associated with a mixture of alternative rock, hip hop, and techno. Some of their influences include Nine Inch Nails, Deftones,... read more

Chester Bennington has stated that he never referenced Linkin Park as a metal band, so that should explain. In addition, Mike Shinoda denies referring Linkin Park as a Nu Metal band, although Chester states that he's fine with that label.

I see very little nu-metal influence to them
I think they're more hardcore, rap-rock, and electronic rock

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