1979 in heavy metal music

This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in the year 1979.

List of years in heavy metal music (table)
… 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 …
Art Archaeology Architecture Literature Music Philosophy Science +...

Newly formed bands

• 220 Volt
• A II Z
• Atomkraft
• Axe
• Boss
• Chorny Kofe
• Cloven Hoof
• Crimson Glory
• Deep Machine
• Demon
• Dokken
• Europe
• Exodus
• The Exploited
• Faith No More (as Sharp Young Men)
• Fallout
• Fishbone
• Girl
• Grim Reaper
• Hanoi Rocks
• Headpins
• Hollow Ground
• Icon
• Jaguar
• The Joe Perry Project
• Kat
• Killer
• Killing Joke
• Loverboy
• Nightmare
• Night Ranger
• Persian Risk
• Picture
• Pomaranča
• Saint Vitus
• Salem
• Satan
• Savatage
• Michael Schenker Group
• Shark Island
• Sheriff
• Spinal Tap
• Sweet Savage
• Tokyo Blade
• Trouble
• TSA
• T.T. Quick
• V8
• Vicious Rumors
• Witchfinder General

Albums & EPs

January

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
16	Accept	Accept	Debut
?	Strangers in the Night	UFO	Live
	The Def Leppard E.P.	Def Leppard	Debut EP
	No Mean City	Nazareth

February

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
?	Lovedrive	Scorpions	Germany
28	Hell Bent For Leather	Judas Priest	US Release

March

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
23	Van Halen II	Van Halen
30	Just a Game	Triumph
?	Overkill	Motörhead

April

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
13	Black Rose: A Rock Legend	Thin Lizzy
?	Strikes	Blackfoot

May

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
21	Saxon	Saxon	Debut
23	Dynasty	Kiss
?	Narita	Riot	Japan
	State of Shock	Ted Nugent

June

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
19	Mirrors	Blue Öyster Cult
22	Live Killers	Queen	Live
?	Survivors	Samson

July

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
27	Highway to Hell	AC/DC
?	Gamma 1	Gamma

August

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
3	Down to Earth	Rainbow
22	In Through the Out Door	Led Zeppelin

September

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
11	Head Games	Foreigner
17	Unleashed in the East	Judas Priest	Live
?	Street Machine	Sammy Hagar

October

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
1	Lovehunter	Whitesnake
12	Bomber	Motörhead
	Mr. Universe	Gillan
?	Flirtin' with Disaster	Molly Hatchet
	Harder ... Faster	April Wine
	Magnum II	Magnum

November

Day	Album	Artist	Notes
1	Night in the Ruts	Aerosmith
9	The Soundhouse Tapes	Iron Maiden	EP

Events

• Ozzy Osbourne is kicked out of Black Sabbath due to his ongoing problems with drugs and alcohol. His place is taken by Ronnie James Dio