Top 10 Best Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Bands Formed in the 60s
What are the best bands that played hard rock or heavy metal and were formed between 1960 and 1969? It doesn't matter if they released only one album or multiple albums during those years.
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although their musical approach changed over the years. Originally formed as a progressive rock band, the band shifted to a heavier sound in 1970. Deep Purple,... read more @the guy who commented before me: Actually, the classical influence makes them the sole inventors of metal music as we know it now, which is rock music based on classical. Nobody else played rock based on classical back then. Of course, they also played hard rock, which is based on blues, and they are one of the hard rock pioneers too.
Great band - saw them twice and their music is as good as in the recording studio.
Good hard rock. Blackmore, Lord, and Paice - enough said?
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... read more Absolutely one of the most influential hard rock and heavy metal bands of all time.
Judas Priest are a British heavy metal band that formed in Birmingham, England, in 1969. They are often referred to as one of the greatest metal bands of all time, and are even commonly called “The Metal Gods”, after one of the songs on their 1980 album “British Steel”... read more Judas Priest not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is the biggest travesty in the history of music!
Ever since the first time I heard Judas Priest, they're still my favorite band.
Black Sabbath were a Heavy Metal band formed in Birmingham, England in 1968 by guitarist and songwriter Tony Iommi, singer John "Ozzy" Osbourne, bassist and main lyricist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward... read more Black Sabbath are the founders of metal!
The godfathers of Heavy Metal. Any metal musician will tell you so.
The true fathers of the Heavy Metal genre!
Scorpions are a German rock band formed in 1965 in Hanover by Rudolf Schenker. Since the band's inception, its musical style has ranged from hard rock to heavy metal. Love the German musical influence.
Uriah Heep are an English rock band formed in London in 1969 that was one of the top rock bands in the early 1970s. Twelve of the band's albums have made it to the UK Albums Chart (Return to Fantasy reached No. 7 in 1975). Uriah Heep's distinctive features include a massive keyboard sound, strong vocal... read more
Rush was a Canadian progressive rock band that was formed in 1968. The band has had an iconic lineup since 1975, which included Neil Peart (Drums, Percussion), Geddy Lee (Vocals, Bass, Keyboards), and the guitarist, Alex Lifeson. Peart passed away after a 3 year battle with brain cancer in January of... read more
Cream were a 1960s British rock supergroup power trio consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, drummer Ginger Baker, and guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton.
Thin Lizzy are an Irish rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Their leader Phil Lynott was composer or co-composer of almost all of the band's songs, and the first black Irishman to achieve commercial success in the field of rock music. Thin Lizzy's most successful songs, "Whiskey in the Jar", "Jailbreak"... read more
The Who is an English rock band formed in London, England, in 1964. The most recognizable lineup consisted of Roger Daltrey (lead vocals), Pete Townshend (guitar), John Entwistle (bass guitar), and Keith Moon (drums). They are best known for their live performances and hit songs "Baba O'Riley," "My... read more Dude, they were the first thrashers. They smashed their instruments into the ground and made your ears ring. You don't see excitement like that these days.
The Newcomers
The Stooges, also known as Iggy and the Stooges, are an American proto-punk band from Ann Arbor, Michigan, first active from 1967 to 1974, and later reformed in 2003. Although they sold few records in their original incarnation, and often performed for indifferent or hostile audiences, the Stooges are... read more
The Jimi Hendrix Experience was an English-American rock band that formed in Westminster, London, in September 1966. Composed of singer, songwriter, and guitarist Jimi Hendrix, bassist and backing vocalist Noel Redding, and drummer Mitch Mitchell, the band was active until June 1969. During this time... read moreWay ahead of their time! Incredible musicianship!
Alice Cooper was an American rock band formed in Phoenix, Arizona in 1964. The band consisted of lead singer Vince Furnier, Glen Buxton, Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway, and Neal Smith. Better than Rush, Deep Purple, Scorpions, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and The Who!
UFO are an English rock band that was formed in 1969. They became a transitional group between early hard rock and heavy metal and the new wave of British heavy metal.
Blue Öyster Cult is an American rock band from Long Island, New York, whose most successful work includes the hard rock and heavy metal songs "(Don't Fear) The Reaper", "Godzilla" and "Burnin' for You". One of the best bands of all time. Although they are hard to categorize, they probably were the first Gothic band. Some so-called experts don't even list them. Look up "The Relationship between Blue Öyster Cult and Vampires" for an excellent argument that they should be included. They are very influential in many styles from punk to metal.
I know, Led Zeppelin is untouchable and so is The Who in some ways. Well, I might argue that Secret Treaties is superior to them all. Blue Öyster Cult's hard rock compositions of their first 5 albums, and the beauty and lightning of Buck Dharma's guitar are unmatched. Sorry, the world got it wrong.
Steppenwolf is a Canadian-American rock group that was prominent from 1968 to 1972. The group was formed in late 1961 in Toronto by vocalist John Kay, keyboardist Goldy McJohn, and drummer Jerry Edmonton.
The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, comprising vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most influential and controversial rock acts of the 1960s, primarily due to Morrison's lyrics and voice,... read more
Blue Cheer was an American rock band that initially performed and recorded in the late 1960s and early 1970s and was sporadically active until 2009. Based in San Francisco, Blue Cheer played in a psychedelic blues rock style, and are also credited as being some of the earliest pioneers of heavy metal,... read more Had this album when I was a teenager in the early 70s. Still listen to it occasionally today. It's a classic!
Their debut album "Vincebus Eruptum," recorded in '67, practically created the distorted and loud Heavy Metal sound.
Slade are an English rock band formed in Wolverhampton in 1966. They rose to prominence during the glam rock era in the early 1970s, achieving 17 consecutive Top 20 hits and six number ones on the UK Singles Chart. The British Hit Singles & Albums names them the most successful British group of the... read more
ZZ Top is an American rock band that formed in 1969 in Houston, Texas. The band is composed of bassist and lead vocalist Dusty Hill, guitarist and lead vocalist Billy Gibbons, and drummer Frank Beard.
Iron Butterfly was an American rock band formed in San Diego, California, in 1966. They are best known for their 1968 hit "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida," which featured a dramatic sound that helped pave the way for the development of hard rock and heavy metal music... read more
The Yardbirds are an English rock band formed in London in 1963. The band launched the careers of three of rock's most famous guitarists: Eric Clapton (1963-1965), Jeff Beck (1965-1966), and Jimmy Page (1966-1968), all of whom ranked in the top five of Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest... read more
Free were an English rock band formed in London in 1968, best known for their 1970 signature song "All Right Now".