The 4 Metal Bands in Forbes’ 30 Best Rock Bands of All Time List

Forbes recently published their list of the 30 Best Rock Bands of All Time, but there is some metal representation in there and it’s worth noting how these metal icons stack up against some of the biggest rock bands in history.

So which metal bands made the cut? Let’s take a closer look.

Which Metal Bands Made Forbes‘ 30 Best Rock Bands of All Time?

The first metal band to pop up came early in the countdown. That would be Tool, who claimed the No. 28 spot on the list.

In saluting the band’s legacy, Forbes wrote, “Having a progressive metal foundation, the Los Angeles group hasn’t done themselves any favors in terms of marketing towards the wider public, but they’ve found success in the excellence of their unique songwriting and provoking imagery. The four piece consisting of Maynard James Keenan, Adam Jones, Danny Carey and Justin Chancellor formed in 1990 and have since gone on to be an arena selling, multi platinum and Grammy Awards winning act.”

The band is surrounded on the countdown by ZZ Top at No. 29 and Oasis at No. 27.

The next metal band to appear on the countdown are metal icons Iron Maiden, who landed at No. 17 overall.

“As one of heavy metal’s most tenured, esteemed and influential bands, Iron Maiden are every bit as important to the foundation of heavy metal as they are to the pillars of modern rock. Coming out of the east London music scene in 1975, Iron Maiden has since gone on to make soaring lead guitars, sporadic galloping riffs and anthemic choruses a staple within the metal sub-genre. From hit singles like ‘Run To the Hills,’ ‘The Trooper’ and ‘Fear of the Dark’ to their horror inspired artwork and stage theatrics, Iron Maiden have become a quintessential part of heavy metal and the greater rock genre,” notes Forbes.

They landed one spot ahead of Rush (No. 18) and one spot behind U2 (No. 16).

Metal pioneers Black Sabbath claimed the No. 12 spot on the Forbes list of the 30 Best Rock Bands of All-Time.

In speaking about the group, who will play one final performance on July 5 marking the end of Ozzy Osbourne’s touring career, Forbes offered, “With a litany of accolades and a revered status in the metal community, Black Sabbath’s sound and masterful songwriting is undoubtedly timeless. Songs ‘War Pigs,’ ‘Paranoid’ and ‘N.I.B.’ are routinely discovered by new generations of musicians and rock connoisseurs, instilling Black Sabbath as a primary and popular pipeline to the heavy metal sub-genre. To this day there are few metal bands that come even close to wielding a stature and legacy akin to Black Sabbath’s, further proving the band’s timelessness and importance in the greater rock genre.”

They were bookended on the list by The Who (No. 13) and Fleetwood Mac (No. 11).

So which metal band actually ranked the highest on Forbes’ 30 Best Rock Bands list? That would be Metallica, who claimed the No. 9 spot just ahead of AC/DC (No. 10) and just behind The Eagles (No. 8).

Forbes astutely noted, “With albums Ride The Lightning, Master of Puppets and …And Justice For All Metallica built a legacy that’s largely regarded as unmatched in heavy metal to this day. Furthermore, the trajectory and global popularity Metallica saw after the release of their 1991 self-titled album, otherwise known to as The Black Album, has yet to be seen by any band within hard rock or heavy metal to this day. Metallics songs such as ‘Enter Sandman,’ ‘One’ and ‘Master of Puppets’ have been cemented as a masterclass in metal songwriting, and they’re routinely seen as gateway into aggressive music for many listeners.”

READ MORE: Metallica Albums Ranked

The full list of Forbes’ 30 Best Rock Bands of All-Time can be viewed at the Forbes website.