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Artwork for 100 Songs that Define Heavy Metal

100 Songs that Define Heavy Metal

Brian Slagel
Heavy Metal
Metal Blade Records
Music Production
Iron Maiden
Thrash Metal
Martin Popoff
New Wave Of British Heavy Metal
Black Sabbath
Anthrax
Punk Rock
Judas Priest
Slayer
Alice Cooper
Death Metal
Kiss
Armored Saint
Bill Metoyer
Cannibal Corpse
Metallica
King's X

100 Songs that Define Heavy Metal is the ultimate journey into the heart of heavy music, hosted by Metal Blade Records’ founder, Brian Slagel. Each week, Brian dives into one of his personally curated tracks from his list of the heaviest songs in metal and hard rock, exploring the music that shaped a genre. With special guest musicians—some who wrote and recorded these iconic songs and others who ... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes87Founded2 years ago
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MusicMusic HistoryMusic Commentary

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Artwork for 100 Songs that Define Heavy Metal

Latest Episodes

AC/DC - "Hells Bells"

From the album "Back In Black"

Released Halloween 1980

Metal Blade Records CEO Brian Slagel welcomes back to the show Adam Rank from NFL Network and The Jim Rome Show to discuss the first track on AC/DC's "Back in Black" albu... more

Black Sabbath - "Symptom of the Universe"

From the Album "Sabatoge", released July 28, 1975

Metal Blade Records CEO Brian Slagel is joined by actor-comedian Brian Posehn to talk about Black Sabbath's "Symptom of the Universe", Brian's favorite Sab... more

YouTube

Slayer "South of Heaven" from the album of the same name.

RELEASED : July 5, 1988

Metal Blade Records CEO Brian Slagel talks about the title track from Slayer's 1988 album "South of Heaven" with Chris Kael of Five Finger Death Punch who also co-hos... more

YouTube

Iron Maiden - "Number of the Beast" from the album of the same name

Released March 22, 1982

Metal Blade Records CEO Brian Slagel talks to Queensryche lead singer Todd La Torre about Iron Maiden's "Number of the Beast".

Producer Jay Ruston returns ... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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Recent Guests

Todd La Torre
Lead singer of Queensryche, guest on Iron Maiden discussion
Queensryche
Episode: Iron Maiden - "Number of the Beast"
Mike Hamer
Owner/Founder of Violent Gentlemen clothing
Violent Gentlemen
Episode: Metallica - "Creeping Death"
Adam Wodon
College Hockey News writer and Queensryche fan
College Hockey News
Episode: Queensryche - "Roads To Madness"
Martin Popoff
Music journalist and critic providing historical context
Self-employed, literary contributor
Episode: Jimi Hendrix - "All Along The Watchtower"
Ryan Williams
A&R at Metal Blade Records, musician and producer
Metal Blade Records
Episode: Jimi Hendrix - "All Along The Watchtower"
Stoney Curtis
Blues guitarist and Hendrix enthusiast
Solo artist, Count's Vamped, etc.
Episode: Jimi Hendrix - "All Along The Watchtower"
John Corabi
Singer formerly of Union, Motley Crue, Ratt; guest on the episode
The Dead Daisies / All-Star Band
Episode: Black Sabbath - "Into The Void"
Ray Alder
Lead singer of Fates Warning during the Ray era
Fates Warning
Episode: Fates Warning - "A Pleasant Shade of Gray"
Scott Laughlin
Host of NHL Morning Skate, hockey media figure
NHL Network / Series XM
Episode: Kiss - "Love Gun"

Host

Brian Slagel
Host of the show and founder of Metal Blade Records; central figure behind the show's historical-metal focus.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 73 ratings
  • Excellent

    Absolutely love this pod cast! I’m a 54 year old UK metal head and really enjoy going behind the scenes of these classics…excellent stuff.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JCLSWAN12
    United Kingdom5 months ago
  • Only for die-hards

    Slagel is a decent host, and his intimate knowledge of metal is worthwhile. He gets great guests who drop intriguing details from metal’s past and present. But the editing of this podcast is HORRENDOUS. People talk over each other in a way that’s clearly just a bad copy-paste, the trims are jarringly unnatural, the volume is mouselike (exceedingly inappropriate for tinnitus-plagued metalheads).

    It’s worth a listen, but it desperately needs better production — a major topic of the podcast itsel... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Nicholas, Tell Him
    United States5 months ago
  • Well Done!

    Love the show. Not sure why the song snippets are of a lowfi quality though?? Also, no more of that Siriusxm Jose Magniwhatever guy. Please. Guy loves to talk about himself.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Castermt
    United States5 months ago
  • Great but…

    I absolutely love this podcast, but the amount of ads is absurd. Most of the time you’re close to 7-8 minutes in before there’s any content that isn’t an ad, the intro song, or the copy and pasted intro. Then, more ads (at least 2 minutes) between each segment. It’s crazy.

    Like I said, I love it, but, c’mon, a 50 minute episode shouldn’t be 30-35% ads and less than 30 minutes of new, original content.

    It could be great, but for now it’s frustratingly good.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Tsauce124
    United Statesa year ago
  • Awesome as always Brian, Tom's section was so interesting, always learning something from these episodes!

    Podcast Addict
    5
    D3af_f0r3v3r
    a year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Covers behind-the-scenes production and lore with strong guests.
A must for fans who crave production detail and historical context.
Some listeners call out production and ad load, but praise the knowledge and guests.
Guest mix is strong, attracting veterans and newer fans alike.
Shows a clear anchor in Metal Blade's legacy with authoritative context.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Iron Maiden - "Number of the Beast"
Q: How did Bruce Dickinson's joining affect the band's trajectory and production?
Martin Birch and the team discuss how Dickinson opened up possibilities and shifted the band's direction from the Di'Anno era to a more progressive-metal oriented approach, impacting song writing and vocal performance.
Iron Maiden - "Number of the Beast"
Q: What was your first Iron Maiden album you connected with?
Todd La Torre explains he came in with Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, and that Number of the Beast set him on a lifelong path with Bruce Dickinson's vocal style and Maiden's evolving sound.
Queensryche - "Roads To Madness"
Q: What makes Roads to Madness special in the Queensryche catalog?
The guests highlight its epic length, progressive structure, orchestration, and lyrical depth, marking it as a pivotal track that predated the heavier acts and established a blueprint for future grand closers.
Queensryche - "Roads To Madness"
Q: Where did you first discover Queensryche and Roads to Madness?
Adam recalls discovering the band via college radio and Mindcrime-era tapes, which sparked a lifelong fan relationship and led to a deep dive into their early records, including The Warning and Rage for Order.
Black Sabbath - "Into The Void"
Q: What makes Into The Void stand out in the Master of Reality era?
The track embodies a heavier, more atmospheric approach with a slow build, distinctive unison riffs between Geezer and Tony, and a narrative of escape that feels both philosophical and science fiction in scope, which set a benchmark for heaviness in the early 70s.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About 100 Songs that Define Heavy Metal

What is 100 Songs that Define Heavy Metal about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A deep-dan metal history show that uses a rotating cast of guests to unpack classic tracks that helped define the genre. Each episode pairs insider perspective from producers, engineers, and musicians with historical context from a respected music journalist, plus host-driven storytelling that links studio choices, live performance energy, and the era more broadly. Notable strengths include access to high-caliber production and performance anecdotes, strong ties to label history, and a consistent focus on how specific songs became enduring touchstones for metal. Listeners can expect detailed production notes, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and broader genre context that appeals to die-hard fans and curious newcomers alike.

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Which podcasts are similar to 100 Songs that Define Heavy Metal?

These podcasts share a similar audience with 100 Songs that Define Heavy Metal:

1. The Eddie Trunk Podcast
2. History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff
3. Dean Delray's LET THERE BE TALK
4. The Magnificent Others with Billy Corgan
5. Shout It Out Loudcast

How many episodes of 100 Songs that Define Heavy Metal are there?

100 Songs that Define Heavy Metal launched 2 years ago and published 87 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on 100 Songs that Define Heavy Metal?

Recent guests on 100 Songs that Define Heavy Metal include:

1. Todd La Torre
2. Mike Hamer
3. Adam Wodon
4. Martin Popoff
5. Ryan Williams
6. Stoney Curtis
7. John Corabi
8. Ray Alder

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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