Top Ten Shock Rock Bands

Not based solely on music style or talent. This list is simply the a time bands that scare the hell out of you live.
The Top Ten
1 Marilyn Manson Marilyn Manson is an American rock band from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Formed in 1989 by frontman Marilyn Manson and Daisy Berkowitz, the group was originally named Marilyn Manson & the Spooky Kids with their theatrical performances gathering a local cult following in the early 1990s... read more

Alice Cooper may have pioneered the shock rock genre, Marilyn Manson made it a thing. Manson embodies shock rock and "lives the values" so to speak. Manson also has more hits than any other shock rocker and flexes his musical muscle while changing up sound on nearly every album. Antichrist Superstar is my favorite album of all time and Sweet Dreams is my favorite cover of all time.

Everything about him is perfect! From his amazing performances, to his wonderful songs he truly deserves to be classed as the best. He is very abstract and even though it can be pretty controversial, you've got to admit that he does it well! His voice really goes with his songs which makes it all the more pleasurable to listen to. His intellegence is quite surprising actually. So with a good personality, intellegence and perfect music, he truly deserves this place!

2 Alice Cooper 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.

to me, alice cooper is THE FACE of shock rock!!! a man who has almost died for an act and continues to put on those insane shows at concerts is a man worthy of being the KING of shock rock

No one does it better than Alice and that includes even today in late 2017. He still tours 9 months a year and still uses all of his trademark theatrics and the music stands the test of time and he is never crude or vulgar to make his point. A class act and the greatest hard rocker ever.

There was nothing shocking about R&R until this man arrived with his (original) band; Alice Cooper. They made music feel dangerous which is what every kid in America wanted. "Billion Dollar Babies" is still one of the greatest albums ever produced. RIP Glen.

3 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)... read more

Kiss are awesome, heavy,mean and dirty when they need to be and also downright poppy and disco at other times. Shocking! But seriously their live shows are what defined shock rock in the 70's and influenced bands like Slipknot.

I absolutley love Alice Cooper, but I had to vote for Kiss since it was so low. Along with Alice Cooper, Kiss pretty much invented shock rock. They perfected it.

After Alice Cooper in the early 70's there was nothing more terrifying to parents other than KISS

4 GWAR Gwar, often styled as GWAR, is an American heavy metal band formed in Richmond, Virginia, United States, in 1984, composed of and operated by a frequently rotating line-up of musicians, artists and filmmakers collectively known as Slave Pit Inc.

While Alice Cooper did all the stuff to himself and all of mansons stuff was super anti religion and sexual. They didn't maim animatronics of celebrities and politicians, their lead singer didn't a cuttle fish thing around their penis that sprayed fake blood, they didn't have fake blood cannons worked by slaves, on the topic of the slaves non of those bands had slave characters but gwar did. Also the crowds at the other shows didn't sprayed with fake piss, sperm and blood

Gwar guts animatronic celebrities on stage and let the fake blood, urine and sperm spray on the crowd.

5 Black Sabbath 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

They are the godfathers of shock rock. They should be higher.

They influenced so much music; they definitely should be higher

6 W.A.S.P. W.A.S.P. is an American heavy metal band formed in 1982 by Blackie Lawless, who is the only remaining original member of the band.

They were formed in 1982, and KISS was formed in 1973. KISS did it first. But W.A.S.P. did it better. The thing I hate about KISS is that every member of the band is scum. That is not true of W.A.S.P.

They should be #1... They invited shock rock (along with KISS), true true legends... They began it all, man!... Ahh memories when I was a kid, damm--how time flys---sunset strip where are you know? , man, laugh out loud.

7 Lordi Lordi are a Finnish hard rock/heavy metal band, formed in 1992 by the band's lead singer, songwriter and costume maker, Mr Lordi.
8 Mercyful Fate Mercyful Fate was a Danish heavy metal band from Copenhagen, formed in 1981 by vocalist King Diamond and guitarist Hank Shermann.

Shocking music and lyrics. King Diamond was always a little sloppy on stage. I wish he had the energy the music of Mercyful Fate exerted

9 Rammstein Rammstein is a German Neue Deutsche Härte and Industrial Metal band consisting of Till Lindemann (vocals), Richard Kruspe (guitar), Paul Landers (guitar), Oliver Riedel (electric bass), Christoph Schneider (drums) and Christian Lorenz (keyboard), that formed in 1994 in Berlin ... read more

Their songs, music videos, and performances are all very controversial. They're the masters of shock rock.

10 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... read more

Anyone who has seen these guys live knows why they made the list. Every time I see them I bring extra pair of pants incase I piss myself from watching one of them almost get their head ripped off.

The Contenders
11 White Zombie White Zombie was an American heavy metal band that formed in 1985. Based in New York City, White Zombie was originally a noise rock band, and was known for its later heavy metal-oriented sound.

So much better than Manson, where's John 5 now? Enough said.

12 Iron Maiden Iron Maiden are an English Heavy Metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. The most critically acclaimed period for the band was from 1983-1989. With vocalist Bruce Dickinson, bassist Steve Harris, lead guitarist Dave Murray, rhythm guitarist Adrian... read more

Iron Maiden has no place in shock rock. Maiden is top tier music

Bring your daughter to the slaughter!

13 Misfits Misfits are an American Horror Punk band often recognized as the progenitors of the horror punk subgenre, blending punk rock and other musical influences with horror film themes and imagery.
14 King Diamond 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 notorious for his horror themed Concept albums... read more
15 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.

The most shocking moment is when Nikki Sixx was lit on fire during the filming of live wire. So they were considered shock rock at that time.

Honestly after reading their book they are more shocking than manson, only ozzy can surpass them in crazy. My fave band of all time but not really shock rock

Mick Mars also had blood spitting out similar to Gene Simmons of Kiss.

16 Arthur Brown

This guy is so damn influential and inspirational to so many weirdos. This man was an absolute original. He shaped rock and roll. A genuine oddball imitated for decades since.

I don't care what anyone says. This guy was the original shock rocker that started it all.

17 Ozzy Osbourne John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne was born on December 3, 1948. He is also known as ''The Prince of Darkness''. Ozzy is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence in the early 1970s as the lead vocalist of the band Black Sabbath. Osbourne was fired from Black Sabbath... read more
18 Slayer Slayer was an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California, formed in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. They rose to fame with their 1986 album Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the big four of thrash metal bands, the others being Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax... read more

They have some of the most blasphemous songs you can ever imagine. Just listen to Raining Blood, Angel of Death, Disciple, and Jihad and come back and tell me that wasn't shocking! Not to mention their graphic and offensive album covers.

The funny thing is that the lead singer of this band is Catholic.

19 Ramstien

Clearly nobody has seen Rammstein live otherwise they would be number one. Marilyn Manson is woeful live. A mention that Tool could have been included in the top ten.

They're far more edgy than Marilyn Manson.

20 Gorgoroth Gorgoroth is a Norwegian black metal band based in Bergen. Formed in 1992 by Infernus, the band is named after the dead plateau of evil and darkness in the land of Mordor (a fictional location in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings).

Gorgoroth's live shows are brutal. They are also the only band that actually worships the devil. And they have reportedly murdered people on stage. Think ill stick to watching these guys on YouTube..

21 New York Dolls
22 Cannible Corpse

CC is on here because of their lyrics. Truely some of the grossest song names and album covers in music came from cannible corpse.

23 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... read more
24 Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although they initially lasted just two and a half years and produced only four singles and one studio album, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols, they are considered one of the most influential acts in the history... read more
25 Venom Venom are an English extreme metal band formed in 1979 in Newcastle upon Tyne. Coming to prominence towards the end of the new wave of British heavy metal, Venom's first two albums—Welcome to Hell and Black Metal—are considered a major influence on thrash metal and extreme metal in general.

One of the first bands to play the satan worshipers card. Hugely influential on shock bands to come.

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