İlk metal albümünü Black Sabbath`ın çıkardığı genel olarak kabul edilir. Kimilerine göre Black Sabbath`tan öncesi de vardır. Black Sabbath`ın açtığı yolda birçok grup ilerledi, müziğe ilham kaynağı oldu. Metallica, Iron Maiden, Slayer, Megadeth, Judas Priest, Pantera gibi gruplar metalin etki alanını daha da artıran isimler oldu.
Zorlayıcı listede yer alan gruplar şöyle:
50. Accept – Balls to the Wall
49. Mayhem – De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
48. Slipknot – Slipknot
47. Cannibal Corpse – Tomb of the Mutilated
46. Darkthrone – A Blaze in the Northern Sky
45. Iron Maiden – Iron Maiden
44. Morbid Angel – Altars of Madness
43. Helloween – Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 1
42. Neurosis – Times of Grace
41. King Diamond – Abigail
40. Bathory – Bathory
39. Korn – Korn
38. Mercyful Fate – Don`t Break the Oath
37. Emperor – Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk
36. Metallica – The Black Album
35. Iron Maiden – Powerslave
34. Death – Human
33. Megadeth – Rust in Peace
32. Metallica – Kill `Em All
31. Judas Priest – British Steel
30. At the Gates – Slaughter of the Soul
29. Anthrax – Among the Living
28. Celtic Frost – To Mega Therion
27. Entombed – Wolverine Blues
26. Exodus – Bonded by Blood
25. Dream Theater – Images and Words
24. Queensryche – Operation: Mindcrime
23. Black Sabbath – Heaven and Hell
22. Slayer – Seasons in the Abyss
21. Sepultura – Beneath the Remains
20. Rainbow – Rising
19. Mastodon – Leviathan
18. Judas Priest – Sad Wings of Destiny
17. Dio – Holy Diver
16. Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath
15. Opeth – Blackwater Park
14. Venom – Welcome to Hell
13. Tool – Lateralus
12. Motörhead – Ace of Spades
11. System of a Down – Toxicity
10. Black Sabbath – Master of Reality
9. Megadeth – Peace Sells…But Who`s Buying?
8. Metallica – Ride the Lightning
7. Judas Priest – Screaming for Vengeance
6. Ozzy Osbourne – Blizzard of Ozz
5. Pantera – Vulgar Display of Power
4. Slayer – Reign in Blood
3. Iron Maiden – The Number of the Beast
2. Metallica – Master of Puppets
1. Black Sabbath – Paranoid
