Classic Rock + Heavy Metal

CLASSIC ROCK was originally conceived as a radio station programming formula which evolved into the album oriented rock (AOR) format of the early-1980s. In the United States, this rock music genre now features a large playlist of songs ranging from the early-1960s through to the early-1980s with more emphasis on the core albums, artists, and songs most often represented by the subset of recorded catalogue that was popular during the so-called original classic rock era (1964-1975) when rock and hard rock dominated the charts. British hard rock and progressive rock bands make up the central pillar of classic rock artists; significant among these are Led Zeppelin, ELP, The Who, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Yes and Queen.

Concept albums indirectly led to the album-rock format and remain a major component of classic rock. American-bred 70s rock acts such as Aerosmith and REO Speedwagon, Toto, Heart, Rush, Boston and Journey often appear on classic rock radio stations. Also included is late 60s rock from artists like Santana, Free, Jimi Hendrix, Procol Harum, Jeff Beck and Cream. In many areas, Southern rock, notably that of Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top forms a significant subset of classic rock programming as well. Other classic rock playlists also include some of the hard-rock/heavy metal bands of the 1980s such as AC/DC, Guns N' Roses and Van Halen as classic rock. While new generations of fans are drawn to the most enduring classic rock songs and artists, similarly, more modern material by bands such as U2, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, R.E.M., Soundgarden, Foo Fighters and The Red Hot Chili Peppers has proven to appeal to generations of older listeners.

HEAVY METAL (often referred to simply as metal) is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s. With roots in blues-rock and psychedelic rock, the bands that created heavy metal developed a thick, heavy, guitar-and-drums-centered sound, characterized by highly amplified distortion and fast guitar solos. Of all popular music forms, heavy metal is the most extreme in terms of volume, machismo, and theatricality. Heavy Metal has long had a worldwide following of fans known as "metalheads" or "headbangers". Although early heavy metal bands such as Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and Deep Purple attracted large audiences, they were often critically reviled at the time, a status common throughout the history of the genre. In the mid-1970s, UFO and Thin Lizzy reigned supreme while Kiss and Judas Priest helped spur the genre's evolution by discarding much of its blues influence.

The New Wave of British Heavy Metal followed in a similar vein with Iron Maiden and Motorhead, introducing a punk rock sensibility and an increasing emphasis on speed. In the mid-1980s, pop-infused glam metal became a major commercial force with groups like Motley Crue, Poison and Bon Jovi. Underground scenes produced an array of more extreme, aggressive styles: thrash metal broke into the mainstream with bands such as Metallica, Anthrax and Megadeth, while other styles like death metal and black metal remain subcultural phenomena. Since the mid-1990s, popular styles such as nu metal, which often incorporates elements of funk and hip hop; and metalcore, which blends extreme metal with hardcore punk, have further expanded the definition of the genre.