Metal Family Tree

Heavy Metal Family Tree

For Metal Evolution, Sam Dunn presented a new, updated version of his “Heavy Metal Family Tree“, a 24 sub-genre chart that mapped out Metal’s various sub-genres that have spawned over the course of its 40-year history. This new, more elaborate version included a “Pre-Metal” field that listed non-metal musicians that had an influence on Heavy Metal. It also listed additional bands as examples of the various styles of Metal.

Pre-History of Metal : 

Niccolò Paganini; Richard Wagner; Gustav Holst; Howlin’ Wolf; Robert Johnson; Buddy Rich; Elvis Presley; Little Richard; The Beatles; The Kinks; The Who; Cream; Jimi Hendrix

Progressive Rock : 

Jethro Tull; King Crimson; Emerson, Lake & Palmer; Yes; Genesis; Uriah Heep; Mahavishnu Orchestra; Journey; Styx; Kansas

Early Metal US : 

Dick Dale; Vanilla Fudge; Steppenwolf; Iron Butterfly; Blue Cheer; Alice Cooper; ZZ Top; Blue Öyster Cult; Aerosmith; Montrose; Kiss; Ted Nugent; Y&T; Van Halen

Early Metal UK : 

Deep Purple; Led Zeppelin; Black Sabbath; Budgie; Sweet; Slade; Status Quo; Nazareth; Thin Lizzy; Queen; Judas Priest; AC/DC; Rainbow; Whitesnake

Shock Rock : 

Screamin’ Jay Hawkins; Arthur Brown; Alice Cooper; New York Dolls; KISS; Ozzy Osbourne; Venom; W.A.S.P.; King Diamond; Gwar; Marilyn Manson; Slipknot; Rammstein

Progressive Metal : 

Rush; Savatage; Queensrÿche; Fates Warning; Voivod; Dream Theater; Meshuggah; Porcupine Tree; Tool; The Dillinger Escape Plan; Opeth; Gojira; Mastodon; Coheed and Cambria

Power Metal : 

Scorpions; Accept; Manowar; Dio; Yngwie Malmsteen; Helloween; Blind Guardian; Stratovarius; Iced Earth; Kamelot; HammerFall; Rhapsody of Fire; Nightwish; Primal Fear; Sonata Arctica; DragonForce

New Wave of British Heavy Metal : 

Motörhead; Def Leppard; Quartz; Saxon; Iron Maiden; Tygers of Pan Tang; Diamond Head; Angel Witch; Girlschool; Raven; Fist; Holocaust; Tank

Doom Metal : 

Witchfinder General; Trouble; Candlemass; Solitude Aeturnus; Paradise Lost; Cathedral; Kyuss; My Dying Bride; Electric Wizard

Glam Metal : 

Quiet Riot; Mötley Crüe; Twisted Sister; Europe; Dokken; Ratt; Bon Jovi; Cinderella; Poison; Guns N’ Roses; Winger; Warrant

Grunge : 

Green River; Screaming Trees; Melvins; Skin Yard; Soundgarden; Mudhoney; Tad; Nirvana; Alice in Chains; Mother Love Bone; Pearl Jam

Thrash Metal : 

Anvil; Metallica; Slayer; Anthrax; Megadeth; Pantera; Exodus; Overkill; Kreator; Destruction; Sodom; Sepultura; Testament; Death Angel

First Wave of Black Metal : 

Venom; Mercyful Fate; Bathory; Hellhammer; Celtic Frost

Industrial Metal : 

Ministry; White Zombie; Godflesh; Nine Inch Nails; Fear Factory; Genitorturers; Strapping Young Lad; Orgy; Static-X; Rammstein

Hard Alternative : 

Faith No More; Red Hot Chili Peppers; Jane’s Addiction; Prong; Living Colour; The Smashing Pumpkins; Primus; Rage Against the Machine

Post-Grunge : 

Stone Temple Pilots; Candlebox; Bush; Silverchair; Nickelback; Creed; Godsmack

Metalcore : 

Corrosion of Conformity; D.R.I.; Suicidal Tendencies; Stormtroopers of Death; Cro-Mags; Biohazard; Machine Head; Earth Crisis; Hatebreed

Death Metal : 

Possessed; Death; Autopsy; Morbid Angel; Obituary; Cannibal Corpse; Deicide; Immolation; Vader; Six Feet Under; Kataklysm; Dying Fetus; Nile; Amon Amarth

Grindcore : 

Repulsion; Extreme Noise Terror; Napalm Death; Carcass; Bolt Thrower; Brutal Truth; Nasum; Cephalic Carnage; Agoraphobic Nosebleed; Pig Destroyer

Black Metal : 

Mayhem; Darkthrone; Marduk; Satyricon; Enslaved; Gorgoroth; Emperor; Dimmu Borgir; Cradle of Filth; Dark Funeral

Goth Metal : 

Tiamat; Type O Negative; Therion; The Gathering; Anathema; Katatonia; Theatre of Tragedy; Within Temptation; HIM; Lacuna Coil; Leaves’ Eyes

Nu Metal : 

Korn; Deftones; Stuck Mojo; Limp Bizkit; Papa Roach; Coal Chamber; System of a Down; Kittie; Linkin Park; Disturbed

New Wave of American Metal : 

Shadows Fall; Lamb of God; God Forbid; Darkest Hour; Killswitch Engage; Unearth; Chimaira; The Black Dahlia Murder; As I Lay Dying; Trivium

Swedish Extreme Metal : 

Entombed; Grave; Unleashed; Dismember; At the Gates; Dark Tranquillity; In Flames; Arch Enemy; Soilwork; The Haunted

(Source : Metal Evolution VH1 Official Website )

Definitive Metal Genealogy Chart  (Source : Metal – A Headbanger’s Journey )