The best heavy metal albums

Ranked by every score on sleeves, critics' and listeners'. An album with few scores is pulled toward the average until more come in, so one perfect score cannot top the list.

  1. 1MagmaGojira · 4.3 from 3 scores
  2. 2Master of PuppetsMetallica · 5 from 1 score
  3. 3Pretty Hate MachineNine Inch Nails · 5 from 1 score
  1. 4Appetite for DestructionGuns N’ Roses5 from 1 score
  2. 5Thirteenth StepA Perfect Circle4.5 from 1 score
  3. 6ImperaGhost4.5 from 1 score
  4. 7.5: The Gray ChapterSlipknot4 from 2 scores
  5. 8Ten Thousand FistsDisturbed4 from 1 score
  6. 9Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)Slipknot4 from 1 score
  7. 10RenegadesRage Against the Machine4 from 1 score
  8. 11Year ZeroNine Inch Nails3.7 from 3 scores
  9. 12SempiternalBring Me the Horizon3.5 from 2 scores
  10. 13That’s the SpiritBring Me the Horizon3.5 from 2 scores
  11. 14Elect the DeadSerj Tankian3.5 from 2 scores
  12. 15Hail to the KingAvenged Sevenfold3.3 from 2 scores
  13. 16METAL GALAXYBABYMETAL3.3 from 2 scores
  14. 17METAL RESISTANCEBABYMETAL3 from 1 score
  15. 18The Open DoorEvanescence3 from 1 score
  16. 19MeteoraLinkin Park3 from 1 score
  17. 20NightmareAvenged Sevenfold3 from 1 score
  18. 21Break the CycleStaind2.5 from 1 score
  19. 22LateralusTool1 from 1 score
  20. 23The FragileNine Inch Nails1 from 1 score