1979 in heavy metal music

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

Bands formed[edit]

• 220 Volt
• A II Z
• Atomkraft
• Axe
• Boss
• Chorny Kofe
• Cloven Hoof
• Crimson Glory
• Deep Machine
• Demon
• Europe
• Exodus
• 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 (as Avatar)
• Michael Schenker Group
• Shark Island
• Sheriff
• Spinal Tap
• Sweet Savage
• Tokyo Blade
• Trouble
• TSA
• T.T. Quick
• V8
• Vicious Rumors
• Witchfinder General

Bands disbanded[edit]

• Emerson, Lake & Palmer
• The Runaways

Events[edit]

• Black Sabbath parted ways with lead singer Ozzy Osbourne due to his persistent drug abuse issues. He was replaced by Ronnie James Dio.
• Tensions within Aerosmith reached a boiling point when lead singer Steven Tyler and guitarist Joe Perry engaged in a heated confrontation after a show in Cleveland, leading Perry to depart from the band.
• Dennis Stratton joined Iron Maiden as the second guitarist, while Clive Burr took over drumming duties, replacing Doug Sampson.
• Guitarist Michael Schenker departed from Scorpions, and Matthias Jabs was brought in as his permanent replacement.

Deaths[edit]

• February 2 – John Simon Ritchie, better known by his stage name Sid Vicious, former bassist of Sex Pistols, died from a drug overdose at the age of 21.
• March 22 – Clayborn Pinkins, founding member and bassist of Black Death, was murdered by gunshot at the age of 25.
• June 21 – Angus William MacLise, original drummer of The Velvet Underground, died from hypoglycemia and pulmonary tuberculosis at the age of 41.

Albums[edit]

January[edit]

February[edit]

March[edit]

April[edit]

May[edit]

June[edit]

July[edit]

August[edit]

September[edit]

October[edit]

November[edit]

December[edit]

Unknown release date[edit]

References[edit]