Best Heavy Metal Albums
1,211 albums
| Rank | Cover art | Artist / Album | Rating | Votes | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Painkiller (1990) | 96.8 | 265 | 17 |
| 2 |  | The Number of the Beast (1982) | 94.8 | 125 | 9 |
| 3 |  | Paranoid (1970) | 95.2 | 109 | 7 |
| 4 |  | Powerslave (1984) | 94.6 | 117 | 5 |
| 5 |  | Defenders of the Faith (1984) | 94 | 118 | 6 |
| 6 |  | Heaven and Hell (1980) | 94 | 99 | 6 |
| 7 |  | Operation: Mindcrime (1988) | 93.8 | 99 | 8 |
| 8 |  | Rising Force (1984) | 93.8 | 81 | 5 |
| 9 |  | Blizzard of Ozz (1980) | 92.8 | 95 | 5 |
| 10 |  | Black Sabbath (1970) | 93.2 | 81 | 6 |
| 11 |  | United Alive (2019) [Live] | 97.5 | 30 | 1 |
| 12 |  | Holy Diver (1983) | 92.5 | 87 | 10 |
| 13 |  | Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988) | 93.5 | 65 | 5 |
| 14 |  | Screaming for Vengeance (1982) | 91.9 | 92 | 6 |
| 15 |  | Master of Reality (1971) | 93.3 | 65 | 4 |
| 16 |  | Invincible Shield (2024) | 94.5 | 48 | 3 |
| 17 |  | Priest... Live! (1987) [Live] | 93.1 | 63 | 5 |
| 18 |  | Transcendence (1988) | 92.6 | 66 | 5 |
| 19 |  | Tribute: Randy Rhoads (1987) [Live] | 93.4 | 54 | 3 |
| 20 |  | Rising (1976) | 92.7 | 61 | 4 |
| 21 |  | Ace of Spades (1980) | 93.5 | 50 | 3 |
| 22 |  | Piece of Mind (1983) | 91.1 | 78 | 4 |
| 23 |  | 92.3 | 57 | 3 | |
| 24 |  | Blue Blood (1989) | 90.7 | 82 | 5 |
| 25 |  | Firepower (2018) | 90.5 | 83 | 5 |
| 26 |  | Somewhere in Time (1986) | 91.9 | 57 | 6 |
| 27 |  | Countdown to Extinction (1992) | 89.2 | 106 | 3 |
| 28 |  | Sad Wings of Destiny (1976) | 91.9 | 52 | 4 |
| 29 |  | Live After Death (1985) [Live] | 92.6 | 42 | 3 |
| 30 |  | II : Remember (1987) | 92.7 | 41 | 4 |
| 31 |  | Slave to the Grind (1991) | 90.3 | 71 | 8 |
| 32 |  | Vol 4 (1972) | 92.3 | 42 | 2 |
| 33 |  | Crimson Glory (1986) | 91.4 | 51 | 5 |
| 34 |  | Don't Break the Oath (1984) | 92.3 | 40 | 3 |
| 35 |  | Love at First Sting (1984) | 92.7 | 36 | 3 |
| 36 |  | Metallica (1991) | 86 | 162 | 7 |
| 37 |  | Gutter Ballet (1989) | 91.7 | 43 | 5 |
| 38 |  | Ram It Down (1988) | 89.7 | 67 | 5 |
| 39 |  | Heading for Tomorrow (1990) | 89.6 | 68 | 5 |
| 40 |  | Skid Row (1989) | 88.9 | 79 | 6 |
| 41 |  | The Crimson Idol (1992) | 91.4 | 44 | 7 |
| 42 |  | The Last in Line (1984) | 91 | 45 | 5 |
| 43 |  | Blackout (1982) | 92.6 | 31 | 3 |
| 44 |  | Marching Out (1985) | 91.6 | 39 | 2 |
| 45 |  | Lazenca: A Space Rock Opera (1997) | 89.3 | 64 | 6 |
| 46 |  | Screaming Symphony (1996) | 89.8 | 54 | 7 |
| 47 |  | Dirt (1992) | 90.4 | 47 | 4 |
| 48 |  | Streets: A Rock Opera (1991) | 91.1 | 39 | 8 |
| 49 |  | Brave New World (2000) | 89.9 | 51 | 4 |
| 50 |  | Endgame (2009) | 87.4 | 89 | 8 |
▶ Best Heavy Metal Albums | ||
