BBC Music’s top metal album list: Where it went off the tracks

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It’s inevitable that any ‘best of’ album list will draw criticism, simply because musical taste is so personal. While BBC Music made a good effort with its recent ranking of top metal albums, the way they decided on the order wasn’t ideal.

As a fan, I can say a lot of these albums are genuinely good – it’s not like the BBC’s Robin Askew dug up a bunch of terrible tracks from their 21 selections. There are plenty of solid songs, but sometimes they just aren’t quite the ones I was hoping for.

Most people would agree it’s reasonable to include a Black Sabbath album on any list of the greatest heavy metal albums. While opinions differ on which album to choose, putting their first record, featuring Ozzy Osbourne, at number one – as Askew did – is a sensible choice. The real problems lie with the rest of the list.

BBC Music’s ranking of best metal albums is far too limiting

Problem No. 1: Limiting the list

The article’s headline claims to list the 21 greatest heavy metal albums ever, but the ranking feels incomplete. The author limited the list to only one album per band, meaning truly exceptional albums from the same artist didn’t make the cut. For example, if Black Sabbath had ten albums deserving of a spot, they shouldn’t have been artificially limited to just one.

Askew explained that each artist was only featured once to avoid overrepresenting bands like Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath, and to make room for others. However, this reasoning doesn’t hold up. The list isn’t about the best metal bands overall, but the greatest metal albums. Any ‘greatest albums’ list will inevitably leave out worthy albums, so Askew’s point is ultimately weak.

Problem No. 2: The wrong Metallica

If you had to pick just one Metallica album to represent the band, their self-titled release isn’t the strongest option. While it’s a solid album, it seems to be included here mainly because songs like “Enter Sandman” were more accessible to a wider audience. It’s a good record, but not their best work.

That would be Master of Puppets. The album was key in defining the sound of modern metal while staying true to Metallica’s aggressive, thrash roots. It’s arguably more accessible than Ride the Lightning, but that’s because the band had really come into their own. Master of Puppets wasn’t about chasing sales; it was about Metallica establishing themselves as leaders in the metal world.

Problem No. 3: Getting too cute

Robin Askew’s list is generally strong, despite a few weaknesses. The inclusion of Opeth’s Blackwater Park is a particularly good choice. However, some albums feel like they took the place of other, more deserving records, likely because the list limited itself to just one album per artist.

While Living Colour’s Vivid is a fantastic album, it doesn’t deserve a spot as one of the top 15 metal albums of all time. Some might even argue it’s not strictly metal due to its strong blues influences – and that’s perfectly fine. However, including Vivid raises the question of why similar hard rock albums by Led Zeppelin, which also blend blues elements, aren’t also considered.

Putting Korn’s debut album at number 12 is a mistake. While it was influential in the development of nu-metal, being the first album in a new genre doesn’t automatically make it one of the best. Korn also borrowed heavily from more mainstream metal styles. If an early nu-metal album deserves a spot on this list, it should be Slipknot’s Iowa, which is a much stronger record.

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2026-03-04 19:00