This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in the year 1978. Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that emerged as a defined musical style in the 1970s, having its roots in hard rock bands which, between 1969 and 1974,[1] mixed blues and rock music to create a hybrid with a thick, heavy, guitar-and-drums-centered sound, characterised... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ...

Newly formed bands

• Dokken
• Europe
• Ratt
• Whitesnake

Dokken is an American metal band which was formed in 1977. ... Europe is a Swedish hard rock band originally assembled as a progressive rock group; they later added keyboards to their sound in order to soften it, in hopes of gaining radio airplay. ... Ratt is an American glam metal band that enjoyed significant commercial success during the 1980s. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Albums

• AC/DC - Powerage
• AC/DC - If You Want Blood You've Got It
• Alice Cooper - From the Inside
• Black Sabbath - Never Say Die!
• Judas Priest - Stained Class
• KISS - Ace Frehley
• KISS - Gene Simmons
• KISS - Paul Stanley
• KISS - Peter Criss
• Queen - Jazz
• Rainbow - Long Live Rock 'n' Roll
• Rush - Hemispheres
• Ted Nugent - Double Live Gonzo
• UFO - Obsession
• Van Halen - Van Halen

This article is about the band. ... Powerage is the fifth studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, released in May 1978. ... This article is about the band. ... If You Want Blood Youve Got It is the first live album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, released in October 1978. ... Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948), is a rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans four decades. ... From the Inside is an album by Alice Cooper, released in 1978 (see 1978 in music). ... For other uses, see Black Sabbath (disambiguation). ... Never Say Die! is an album by heavy metal band Black Sabbath. ... Judas Priest are a heavy metal band formed in 1968 in the northwest midlands of England, near Birmingham. ... Considered by most fans to be one of the high points of Judas Priests catalogue, Stained Class showcased a more streamlined songwriting style, while not compromising on the bands trademark heavy metal riffs. ... Kiss (sometimes typeset KISS, to fit the official logo) is an American rock band formed in New York City in 1973. ... Paul Daniel Frehley, aka Ace Frehley (born April 27, 1951) is an American guitarist best known as a founding member and lead guitarist for the rock band KISS. Frehley played with the group from its inception in 1973 until his departure in 1982. ... Kiss (sometimes typeset KISS, to fit the official logo) is an American rock band formed in New York City in 1973. ... Gene Simmons (born August 25, 1949) is the performer and entertainment mogul best known as The Demon, his blood-spitting, fire-breathing, tongue-wagging personality in the rock band KISS. He plays bass guitar and sings lead vocals. ... Kiss (sometimes typeset KISS, to fit the official logo) is an American rock band formed in New York City in 1973. ... Stanley Harvey Eisen (born January 20, 1952, Manhattan, New York) aka Paul Stanley, is an American Hard rock guitarist and vocalist for the rock band KISS. He is the writer or co-writer of most of the bands highest-charting hits, including Rock and Roll All Nite, Hard Luck... Kiss (sometimes typeset KISS, to fit the official logo) is an American rock band formed in New York City in 1973. ... Peter George John Criscuola (born December 20, 1945) a. ... Queen are an English rock band formed by Brian May, Freddie Mercury, and Roger Taylor in London, England in 1970 from the remains of Smile, with John Deacon completing the lineup the following year. ... Jazz is a 1978 album by English rock band Queen. ... Rainbow were a British heavy metal/hard rock band formed by former Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore in 1975. ... Long Live Rock N Roll - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... Rush is a Canadian rock band comprising bassist, keyboardist, and vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart. ... Hemispheres is the sixth studio album by the Canadian rock band Rush, released in 1978 (see 1978 in music). ... Theodore Ted Nugent (born December 13, 1948, Detroit, Michigan) (aka The Nuge, Uncle Ted, Terrible Ted, Sweaty Teddy, Deadly Tedly, Great Gonzos, Theodocious Atrocious and The Motor City Madman) is a hard rock guitarist from Detroit, Michigan, originally gaining fame as a member of the Amboy Dukes, and recently noted... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... UFO are an English rock band formed in 1969. ... Obsession is an album by the British rock band U.F.O., released in 1978. ... Van Halen is an American hard rock band. ... Van Halen is an American hard rock band. ...

Disbandments

Events

• Def Leppard's drummer Rick Allen joins at 15 as a permanent member.
• The Who's Keith Moon dies of a drug overdose.