Best Metal Solo Artists
Vote for your favorite heavy metal solo artists (artists that create music under their own name aside from their primary band. )
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born December 3, 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality, often nicknamed "The Prince of Darkness." He rose to fame in the early 1970s as the lead vocalist of Black Sabbath... read more There are no solo artists as famous as Ozzy Osbourne in metal! His strange and peculiar stage persona is hugely loved by fans. Also, his unusual singing style is unique in its own way!
As much as I love the Holy Diver himself, Oz takes the cake. No More Tears and Crazy Train beat Holy Diver and Last in Line by miles.
Ronnie James Dio (born Ronald James Padavona. July 10, 1942 - May 16, 2010) was an American heavy metal singer, songwriter, and musician. He led and performed with several bands including Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio, and Heaven & Hell... read more Dio is by far the greatest solo artist ever. His albums were almost all amazing (not including Angry Machines).
Come on! His solo albums were amazing.
Kim Bendix Petersen, better known by his stage name King Diamond, is a Danish heavy metal musician. He is known for his extensive vocal range, usually sung in falsetto. King Diamond was originally known as the vocalist for Mercyful Fate but has become renowned for his horror-themed concept albums released... read more
Devin Garrett Townsend is a Canadian musician, songwriter, and record producer. He founded the extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad, active from 1994 to 2007. Townsend has also developed a prolific solo career known for blending progressive, ambient, and heavy metal styles. Can't believe he wasn't on this list. He's way better than all these other folks combined. Check him out if you don't already know him. Start with Ocean Machine or Accelerated Evolution (he has the Devin Townsend Project and the Devin Townsend Band, but they're basically solo projects of his).
Absolutely incredible musician. Every song he crafts is incredible!
Saul Hudson, known professionally as Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He has also released solo work and collaborated with... read more
Ihsahn is a Norwegian composer, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist. He is best known for his work with the Norwegian black metal band Emperor. In addition to his work with Emperor, he has pursued a successful solo career that incorporates progressive and avant-garde elements. I've heard his work with Emperor, but for me, it doesn't compare to his solo work. While taking a more progressive approach for his solo albums, Ihsahn keeps in touch with his black metal roots, which can be heard in songs like The Paranoid and Regen. His songwriting ability shines in each of his albums, and it's nothing short of incredible. Plus, his clean voice is amazing.
Nothing beats this guy's perfect composition of music. He's one of the most talented musicians alive in the industry.
Rob Zombie (born Robert Bartleh Cummings) is an American heavy metal musician, film director, screenwriter, and producer. His music career began in 1985 with the formation of the band White Zombie. Following the band's breakup, he launched a successful solo career and has released six solo albums and... read more
Brian Hugh Warner (born January 5, 1969), better known by his stage name Marilyn Manson, is an American rock musician, songwriter, actor, painter, multimedia artist, author, and former music journalist. He is the lead singer and only constant member of the band Marilyn Manson, which he formed in 1989... read more
Paul Bruce Dickinson (born August 7, 1958) is an English musician, airline pilot, and broadcaster. He's best known as the lead singer of Iron Maiden and for his solo career... read more There is no way this guy couldn't be in the top 10. He, Dio, and Rob Halford should be in the top three. I mean, come on! With albums like "The Chemical Wedding" and "Accident of Birth," he put real metal back on the map with songs like "Book of Thel," "The Tower," "Accident of Birth," "Road to Hell," and "Darkside of Aquarius." His song "Machine Men" even inspired an entire band. He is also one of the greatest voices in metal and one of its most intelligent writers.
Tears of a Dragon is a great song.
Brian Patrick Carroll, known professionally as Buckethead, is an American guitarist and multi-instrumentalist who has worked within many genres of music.
The Newcomers
Louis Cachet (born Kristian Vikernes), more popularly known as Varg Vikernes, is a Norwegian musician, writer, and convicted murderer and arsonist. He is known as the sole member of the one-man band Burzum, named after a word in the Black Speech from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings... read more To be honest, he is the only true "solo artist." He recorded every instrument on Burzum. Although that's not exactly what "solo artist" means, it's still very impressive how he played all the instruments.
Can't believe I had to add him. He's a great musician, but I don't like him as a person.
Serj Tankian (Armenian: Սերժ Թանգյան. Born August 21, 1967) is a Lebanese-born Armenian-American singer-songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, poet, and political activist. He is best known for being the lead singer of the Armenian-American rock band System of a Down... read more He's a very creative songwriter and overall musician.
Yngwie Johan Malmsteen is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter, and bandleader born June 30, 1963, in Stockholm, Sweden. He's renowned for his neoclassical metal playing style. Malmsteen gained prominence in the 1980s with virtuoso albums such as Rising Force (1984).
Sebastian Philip Bierk (born April 3, 1968), known professionally as Sebastian Bach, is a Canadian heavy metal singer. He achieved mainstream success as the frontman of Skid Row from 1987 to 1996. Since leaving Skid Row, he has taken on numerous television roles, appeared in Broadway productions such... read more
Tarja Soile Susanna Turunen-Cabuli (born August 17, 1977) is a Finnish singer-songwriter and soprano with a vocal range spanning approximately three octaves... read more
Shaun Lacanne is the driving force behind Putrid Pile, a one-man brutal death metal act known for its intense vocals and raw production. He's responsible for every aspect of the band's music, from songwriting and vocals to instrumentation. Over the years, Shaun has released multiple albums and performed... read more
Blaze Bayley is an English singer, musician, songwriter, and lyricist. He was the lead singer of Wolfsbane from 1984 to 1994, and currently from 2010 following reunions in 2007 and 2009. Bayley was also the lead singer for Iron Maiden from 1994 to 1999. Since then, he has embarked on a solo career.
Alice Cooper is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and occasional actor whose career spans over five decades. Known for his distinctive raspy voice and theatrical stage shows, Cooper is often referred to as The Godfather of Shock Rock. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011... read more Alice Cooper is an American singer, songwriter, and actor whose career spans over five decades. With his distinctive raspy voice and a stage show that features guillotines, electric chairs, fake blood, deadly snakes, baby dolls, and dueling swords, Cooper is considered by music journalists and peers alike to be "The Godfather of Shock Rock." He has drawn from horror films, vaudeville, and garage rock to pioneer a macabre and theatrical brand of rock designed to shock people. He released hits such as "School's Out," "Poison," "No More Mr. Nice Guy," "I'm Eighteen," and "Feed My Frankenstein."
He's released one solo album so far, and it was pretty good, featuring appearances by Zakk Wylde, Tim Lambesis, Phil Labonte, and a few others.
Martin Adam "Marty" Friedman is an American guitarist known for his technical skill and genre-blending style. He was the lead guitarist for Megadeth throughout the 1990s and previously played in the band Cacophony with Jason Becker. Since 2003, he has lived in Tokyo, Japan, where he has hosted several... read more
Burzum is a Norwegian black metal and dark ambient music project founded by musician and author Varg Vikernes in 1991. The project became a staple of the early Norwegian black metal scene and is considered one of the genre's most influential acts... read more
Philip Hansen "Phil" Anselmo is an American musician who is best known as the former lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Pantera. He is currently the vocalist for the heavy metal bands Down and Superjoint Ritual. Anselmo has also been involved in various side projects and collaborations within the... read more With the Illegals, he's released an album that showcases a completely different side of him that Pantera and Down fans may not be used to. I like that.
Zakk Wylde is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known for his work as a guitarist with Ozzy Osbourne. Wylde also founded the heavy metal band Black Label Society, where he serves as the lead guitarist and vocalist. Zakk Wylde is an incredible artist and a huge inspiration to me.
Jason Eli Becker (born July 22, 1969) is an American neoclassical metal guitarist and composer. At the age of 16, he became part of the Shrapnel Records-produced duo Cacophony with his friend Marty Friedman. They released the albums Speed Metal Symphony in 1987 and Go Off! in 1988. Cacophony broke up... read more