Headbangers Ball
Encyclopedia
Headbangers Ball is a music television
program consisting of heavy metal music
videos airing on MTV2
, MTV Australia
, MTV Two (formerly known as MTV2 Europe, however still covering the whole of Europe), MTV Adria
(the MTV subsidiary covering the former Yugoslavia
), MTV Brand New
, MTV Portugal
, MTV Finland
, MTV Arabia
, MTV Norway, MTV Sweden
, MTV Denmark
, MTV Greece
, MTV Türkiye, MTV Hungary
and MTV Japan
. The show began on MTV on Saturday, April 18, 1987, playing heavy metal and hard rock
music video
s late at night, from both well-known and more obscure artists. The show offered (and became famous because of) a stark contrast to Top 40 music videos shown during the day.
However, with the mainstream rise of alternative rock
& rap
music in the '90s, the relevance of Headbangers Ball came into question, and the show was ultimately canceled in 1995. Over eight years later, as new genres of heavy metal were gaining a commercial foothold and fan interest became unavoidable, the program was reintroduced on MTV2
. It has remained in varying degrees on the network.
Many of the videos that aired on the first incarnation of the series would find a home on the similarly themed Metal Mania
on sister channel VH1 Classic
.
), helmed by Dee Snider
of Twisted Sister
fame. In doing so, MTV expanded the format and added more live interviews with bands. At its premiere it was hosted briefly by Kevin Seal, then by VJ Adam Curry
, before ultimately settling on Riki Rachtman
, who to many viewers became the most identifiable host of the show; although some viewers were upset that Curry was replaced by Rachtman, fans of the heavier bands in the genres were equally as happy to have a host that represented both it and them better than Curry, who was seen as a fan and representation of glam metal
(also called "hair metal").
and Sounds
along with many features on the show in local periodicals.
Headbangers Ball was one of the most popular music shows ever to air on MTV, on the air for nearly 8 years, and for a time, it was one of the network's flagship shows. For some time in 1988 and '89, the show was increased to 3 hours. One hour added, plus Hard 60, a daily version of the ball that aired for an hour every weekday afternoon.
Its influence was made widespread with the rise of heavy metal in the 1980s and early '90s. While the program primarily showed videos from the mainstream friendly "hair metal
" during the '80s, it gave an equal amount of time to the often more aggressive-sounding heavy metal music scene active in the late 1980s and early '90s. When "hair metal" faded from the limelight, the show expanded to include coverage of hard rock bands such as Alice in Chains
and Soundgarden
while continuing to focus on less mainstream forms of heavy metal.
Other notable TV programs have emulated Headbangers Ball, such as Fuse TV
's Uranium
and VH1
's Rock Show. Indeed, the popularity and effectiveness of Uranium in the early 2000s may be cited as a strong influence to the revival of The Ball in 2003.
' trip to Action Water Park
, skydiving with Megadeth
, Oktoberfest
in Munich
with Danzig
, and Van Halen
's adventure at Cabo Wabo
.
Road trips were also the focus of John Brent's Headbangers Ball radio program. There is a planned rebirth of the original Headbangers Ball roadshow possibly next year on 106.1 Rock Radio with John Brent on the production staff rather than as host.
, when MTV abruptly canceled the show without any prior warning to viewers, host Riki Rachtman, or the production staff. The European version, hosted by Vanessa Warwick
, was on the air until 1997
, but limited to an hour and a half (as opposed to the three hours given in past years).
Rachtman was informed of the cancellation days afterward when, after filming what would end up being the final episode, he was simply informed via phone call that he would not have to show up to work the following week. No official reason was given for the show's cancellation, but it is suspected to be due to the fact that MTV was then playing grunge
and alternative
more often during its main programming, although they did not play a lot of metal or interview the bands.
Many MTV fans were outraged at the show's abrupt cancellation, as well as denying Rachtman and the production staff the chance to inform viewers that the show was going off the air, or to allow them to put together a "farewell show" for the loyal viewers of Headbangers Ball. Some regular-citizen critics of MTV even cite the cancellation of Headbangers Ball as one of the key decisions which caused the network to "jump the shark
", even though this did not really happen until the early 2000s. The demise of The Ball also came in at #4 on VH1
's 40 Least Metal Moments
in 2005.
Over the years, MTV Europe attempted to fill the void left by the cancellation of Headbangers Ball with other rock-themed block programs such as the Julia Valet-hosted Superock, but all have failed for various reasons – including MTV Europe's addition of pop, dance and alternative videos to some of the shows which made them not much different from the rest of the day.
After nearly a decade of the show being off the air, MTV2 started up the series again on Saturday, May 10, 2003
at 11 p.m. The revived Headbangers Ball initially had the same type of playlist as its latter "sister shows" in MTV Europe, as well as interviews with metal artists (current and classic). The debut episode was hosted by Metallica
, a trend which continued with various artists (including non-metal rock artists such as Staind
). Later on, Hatebreed
vocalist Jamey Jasta
became a permanent host. However, the show still continued to have guest host artists at times. The show eventually returned to its roots (in types of music) of showing underground
music, as well as metalcore
, death metal
and thrash
, and mostly stopped showing famous or mainstream bands even if they are metal bands. However, the guest hosts are still famous.
During VH1's 40 Least Metal Moments countdown, musicians criticized the 2003 incarnation of Headbangers Ball in comparison with the original, citing its "scripted" studio feel and lack of excitement. The new version mostly shows only music videos and in-studio interviews, which was not true of the original show.
guitarist
"Dimebag" Darrell Abbott
at the Hollywood Walk of Fame
, including segments covering the event in between music videos. Also, brief interview segments still frequently air before and after commercial breaks, typically re-airing on several consecutive episodes for a long period.
Since April 14, 2007, MTV2 has aired the show from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. and put Saturday Rock the Deuce, a hard rock–alternative show, at 10. The week's episode is also re-aired on Tuesday mornings from 4:00 to 6:00 a.m.
Since 2008, Headbangers Ball has been aired erratically, sometimes airing several hours later then its normal airtime or not being aired at all. Its last on-air time slot was Tuesdays 3AM-4AM.
As of July 21, 2011 Jose Mangin took over as host of Headbangers Ball which is now a web only show.
, Opeth
, DevilDriver
, God Forbid
, Chimaira
, Sevendust
, Lacuna Coil
, Atreyu
, Shadows Fall
, Children of Bodom
, Lamb of God
, A Life Once Lost
, Cradle of Filth
, Deftones
, and Godsmack
have also been sold.
Each album has at least one live song. The first Headbangers Ball compilation featured "Raining Blood
" by Slayer
as its live track, the second compilation used an in-studio performance of "My Tortured Soul" by Probot
, and the latest compilation had two live tracks: "A Bid Farewell" by Killswitch Engage
and "Now You've Got Something To Die For" by Lamb of God
. The earliest-released CD has famous bands, and the second has obscure ones. Songs featuring Slipknot
band members Corey Taylor
and Joey Jordison
are appeared on all three CDs through their other bands. Other bands that have appeared on all three compilations include Killswitch Engage
, Lamb of God
, and In Flames
.
Music television
Music television is a type of television programming which focuses predominantly on playing music videos from bands, usually on dedicated television channels broadcasting on satellite or cable. Music TVs may host their own shows charts, award prizes. Examples are VIVA, Scuzz, MTV, JBTV, MuchMusic,...
program consisting of heavy metal music
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
videos airing on MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...
, MTV Australia
MTV Australia
MTV Australia is 24 hour general entertainment channel specialising in music and youth culture programming which serves Australia and New Zealand. It is operated by Viacom International Media Networks Australia owned by Viacom and primarily features imported shows as well as locally produced...
, MTV Two (formerly known as MTV2 Europe, however still covering the whole of Europe), MTV Adria
MTV Adria
MTV Adria is a localized version of the music and entertainment channel MTV Europe, customized for the Balkan countries that used to be constituent parts of Yugoslavia...
(the MTV subsidiary covering the former Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
), MTV Brand New
MTV Brand New (Italy)
MTV brand:new was an Italian television channel and plays mainly Indie music videos with many music-related themed zones and some productions from MTV USA like Beavis and Butt-head subtitled in Italian....
, MTV Portugal
MTV Portugal
MTV Portugal is a 24-hour general entertainment channel serving Portugal.The channel was launched on July 1, 2003 replacing MTV Europe within the territory. In its initial stages MTV Portugal shared similar content to MTV Spain and MTV Italy, while also airing programming from MTV US and MTV Europe...
, MTV Finland
MTV Finland
MTV Finland is a general entertainment channel broadcasting to the Finnish speaking market. The channel replaced MTV Nordic on September 18, 2005.-History:* MTV Finland launched in September 2005 along with MTV Sweden and MTV Norge...
, MTV Arabia
MTV Arabia
MTV Middle East, formerly MTV Arabia, is a free-to-air music television channel, and the Middle Eastern incarnation of MTV. As an addition to the MTV network, it is a joint venture between MTV Networks International and Arabian Television Network, a subsidiary of Arabian Broadcasting Network, and...
, MTV Norway, MTV Sweden
MTV Sweden
MTV Sweden is a general entertainment channel broadcasting to the Swedish market. The channel replaced MTV Nordic on September 18, 2005.-History:* MTV Sweden launched in September 2005 along with MTV Finland and MTV Norge...
, MTV Denmark
MTV Denmark
MTV Denmark or MTV Danmark is a television channel broadcasting to Denmark and the Faroe Islands market. It started in May 2005 as part of MTV's expansion into the Nordic region which followed with launches of MTV Finland, MTV Sweden and MTV Norway in September 2005...
, MTV Greece
MTV Greece
MTV Greece is the Greek version of MTV, launched on September 1, 2008.MTV Greece broadcasts mainly English, American and Greek music, MTV's shows like Date My Mom, Made, Nitro Circus, RoomRaiders, America's Most Smartest Model, etc. subtitled in Greek, as well as three Greek shows...
, MTV Türkiye, MTV Hungary
MTV Hungary
MTV Hungary is a television channel broadcasting to Hungary. It started on October 1, 2007. The channel is available on cable/digital television and hosts a number of localised programming and presenters.-Local Shows:* Swung* Alternative Nation...
and MTV Japan
MTV Japan
MTV Japan is the Japanese version of the cable television network based in Japan. It is a subsidiary of MTV Networks, and was launched on December 24, 1992. It can be viewed on cable television, SKY PerfecTV!, SKY PerfecTV! e2 and IPTV.-History:MTV originally was a music block on JORX-TV from 1989...
. The show began on MTV on Saturday, April 18, 1987, playing heavy metal and hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s late at night, from both well-known and more obscure artists. The show offered (and became famous because of) a stark contrast to Top 40 music videos shown during the day.
However, with the mainstream rise of alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
& rap
Rap
Rap may refer to:*Rapping, performance in which rhyming lyrics are used, with or without musical accompaniment ; while an MC performs spoken verses in time to a beat/ melody**Hip hop subculture**Hip hop music...
music in the '90s, the relevance of Headbangers Ball came into question, and the show was ultimately canceled in 1995. Over eight years later, as new genres of heavy metal were gaining a commercial foothold and fan interest became unavoidable, the program was reintroduced on MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...
. It has remained in varying degrees on the network.
Many of the videos that aired on the first incarnation of the series would find a home on the similarly themed Metal Mania
Metal Mania
Metal Mania is a block of classic heavy metal/hard rock music videos on VH1 Classic, sometimes hosted by Eddie Trunk.Musicians who have appeared on the show as guests include Rob Zombie, Black Sabbath, Geoff Tate , and the founding members of Judas Priest.The show also includes news of upcoming...
on sister channel VH1 Classic
VH1 Classic
VH1 Classic is a television network, launched on May 8, 2000. It is operated as part of MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom and primarily features music videos and concert footage from the 1970s through the mid-1990s, though it formerly included a wider range of genres and time periods...
.
Hosts
"The Ball," as it is commonly called, replaced Heavy Metal Mania (which began airing monthly in June 19851985 in television
The year 1985 involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1985.For the American TV schedule, see: 1985-86 United States network television schedule.-Events:*January 1 – VH1 launches in the United States....
), helmed by Dee Snider
Dee Snider
Daniel "Dee" Snider is an American singer-songwriter, screenwriter, radio personality, and actor. Snider is most famous for his role as the frontman of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister...
of Twisted Sister
Twisted Sister
Twisted Sister is an American heavy metal band from Long Island. Musically, the band implements elements of traditional heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, along with a style that is similar to early glam metal bands...
fame. In doing so, MTV expanded the format and added more live interviews with bands. At its premiere it was hosted briefly by Kevin Seal, then by VJ Adam Curry
Adam Curry
Adam Clark Curry is a broadcasting and Internet personality well known for his stint from 1987 to 1994 as a video jockey on the music video channel MTV. In the mid-1990s, Curry was a World Wide Web entrepreneur and one of the first celebrities to personally create and administer a Web site...
, before ultimately settling on Riki Rachtman
Riki Rachtman
Riki Rachtman is an American television and radio personality.-Rock scene:At the age of 16, Rachtman auditioned to sing in the band the Angry Samoans, and the next year he was in a band called the Fairlanes. In the late 1980s, Rachtman was lead vocalist of the L.A. Metal Act "Virgin"...
, who to many viewers became the most identifiable host of the show; although some viewers were upset that Curry was replaced by Rachtman, fans of the heavier bands in the genres were equally as happy to have a host that represented both it and them better than Curry, who was seen as a fan and representation of glam metal
Glam metal
Glam metal is a subgenre of hard rock and heavy metal that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip music scene...
(also called "hair metal").
Popularity and influence
The name "Headbangers Ball" was originally invented and used by DJ John Brent of Bury, Lancashire and was used on his rock and metal roadshows from 1980 onwards and toured throughout the UK with great success. John's Headbangers Ball Rock charts were also regularly featured in the pages of Rock publications Kerrang!Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
and Sounds
Sounds (magazine)
Sounds was a long-term British music paper, published weekly from 10 October 1970 – 6 April 1991. It was produced by Spotlight Publications , which was set up by Jack Hutton and Peter Wilkinson, who left "Melody Maker" to start their own company...
along with many features on the show in local periodicals.
Headbangers Ball was one of the most popular music shows ever to air on MTV, on the air for nearly 8 years, and for a time, it was one of the network's flagship shows. For some time in 1988 and '89, the show was increased to 3 hours. One hour added, plus Hard 60, a daily version of the ball that aired for an hour every weekday afternoon.
Its influence was made widespread with the rise of heavy metal in the 1980s and early '90s. While the program primarily showed videos from the mainstream friendly "hair metal
Glam metal
Glam metal is a subgenre of hard rock and heavy metal that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip music scene...
" during the '80s, it gave an equal amount of time to the often more aggressive-sounding heavy metal music scene active in the late 1980s and early '90s. When "hair metal" faded from the limelight, the show expanded to include coverage of hard rock bands such as Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Starr...
and Soundgarden
Soundgarden
Soundgarden is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984 by singer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto...
while continuing to focus on less mainstream forms of heavy metal.
Other notable TV programs have emulated Headbangers Ball, such as Fuse TV
Fuse TV
Fuse is an American national television network dedicated exclusively to music. It features original series and specials, exclusive interviews, live concerts and video blocks....
's Uranium
Uranium (TV series)
Uranium is an American television program about heavy metal which aired on Fuse TV in the early 2000s. After establishing herself as the host of MMUSA's Tastemakers program, Juliya Chernetsky, along with network producers, created Uranium as an outlet for the broad range of heavy metal subgenres...
and VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's Rock Show. Indeed, the popularity and effectiveness of Uranium in the early 2000s may be cited as a strong influence to the revival of The Ball in 2003.
Road trips
Bands would visit the set for interviews, and in some instances, the show would follow bands on trips to assorted locations across the world. Memorable road trip episodes include Alice in ChainsAlice in Chains
Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Starr...
' trip to Action Water Park
Action Park
Action Park was an amusement park, open from 1978 to 1996 in Vernon Township, New Jersey at the former Vernon Valley / Great Gorge ski area, now known as Mountain Creek....
, skydiving with Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
, Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest, or Wiesn, is a 16–18 day beer festival held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, running from late September to the first weekend in October. It is one of the most famous events in Germany and is the world's largest fair, with more than 5 million people attending every year. The...
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
with Danzig
Danzig (band)
Danzig is an American heavy metal band, formed in 1987 in Lodi, New Jersey. The band serves as a musical outlet for the singer/songwriter Glenn Danzig. Danzig can be seen as the third stage in Glenn Danzig's musical career, preceded by the horror punk bands The Misfits and Samhain...
, and Van Halen
Van Halen
Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
's adventure at Cabo Wabo
Cabo Wabo
Cabo Wabo is the name of a chain of nightclubs and restaurants located in Cabo San Lucas, BCS, Mexico, as well as Harvey's Lake Tahoe in Stateline, Nevada and a third location on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada just outside of the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood. It is also a popular brand of...
.
Road trips were also the focus of John Brent's Headbangers Ball radio program. There is a planned rebirth of the original Headbangers Ball roadshow possibly next year on 106.1 Rock Radio with John Brent on the production staff rather than as host.
Death of The Ball
The show remained on the air until January 19951995 in television
The year 1995 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1995.For the American TV schedule, see: 1995-96 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
, when MTV abruptly canceled the show without any prior warning to viewers, host Riki Rachtman, or the production staff. The European version, hosted by Vanessa Warwick
Vanessa Warwick
Vanessa Warwick is an English former MTV presenter, notable for her eight-year spell as a video jockey from 1990 to 1997 inclusive. She was for a time during the 1990s married to musician Ricky Warwick, guitarist with The Almighty...
, was on the air until 1997
1997 in television
The year 1997 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1997.- Events :-Debuts:-Miniseries:*Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac, a reunion of the 1979–93 series*The Last Don...
, but limited to an hour and a half (as opposed to the three hours given in past years).
Rachtman was informed of the cancellation days afterward when, after filming what would end up being the final episode, he was simply informed via phone call that he would not have to show up to work the following week. No official reason was given for the show's cancellation, but it is suspected to be due to the fact that MTV was then playing grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
and alternative
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
more often during its main programming, although they did not play a lot of metal or interview the bands.
Many MTV fans were outraged at the show's abrupt cancellation, as well as denying Rachtman and the production staff the chance to inform viewers that the show was going off the air, or to allow them to put together a "farewell show" for the loyal viewers of Headbangers Ball. Some regular-citizen critics of MTV even cite the cancellation of Headbangers Ball as one of the key decisions which caused the network to "jump the shark
Jump the Shark
"Jump the Shark" is the 197th episode and the ninth season's fifteenth episode of the science fiction television series The X-Files. The episode first aired in the United States and Canada on April 21, 2002 on Fox, and subsequently aired in the United Kingdom. It was written by executive producers...
", even though this did not really happen until the early 2000s. The demise of The Ball also came in at #4 on VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's 40 Least Metal Moments
The Greatest (TV series)
The Greatest is a VH1 series. Each episode counts down either songs, albums, music videos, moments, musicians, or celebrities of a particular category.-Episodes:-References:...
in 2005.
Over the years, MTV Europe attempted to fill the void left by the cancellation of Headbangers Ball with other rock-themed block programs such as the Julia Valet-hosted Superock, but all have failed for various reasons – including MTV Europe's addition of pop, dance and alternative videos to some of the shows which made them not much different from the rest of the day.
Rebirth
2003 in television
The year 2003 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2003.For the American TV schedule, see: 2003-04 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1940s:...
at 11 p.m. The revived Headbangers Ball initially had the same type of playlist as its latter "sister shows" in MTV Europe, as well as interviews with metal artists (current and classic). The debut episode was hosted by Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, a trend which continued with various artists (including non-metal rock artists such as Staind
Staind
Staind is an American rock band that was formed in 1995 in Springfield, Massachusetts. For 16 years, the band consisted of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist Johnny April, and drummer Jon Wysocki...
). Later on, Hatebreed
Hatebreed
- History :Hatebreed was formed in 1994 in Bridgeport, Waterbury and New Haven. They began by recording a three song demo and selling it to locals. Those three songs would eventually be released on a split seven inch with New York's Neglect in 1995...
vocalist Jamey Jasta
Jamey Jasta
Jamey Jasta is an American musician from New Haven, Connecticut, best known as the lead vocalist of the hardcore band Hatebreed and sludge metal band Kingdom of Sorrow...
became a permanent host. However, the show still continued to have guest host artists at times. The show eventually returned to its roots (in types of music) of showing underground
Underground music
Underground music comprises a range of different musical genres that operate outside of mainstream culture. Such music can typically share common values, such as the valuing of sincerity and intimacy; an emphasis on freedom of creative expression; an appreciation of artistic creativity...
music, as well as metalcore
Metalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
, death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
and thrash
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
, and mostly stopped showing famous or mainstream bands even if they are metal bands. However, the guest hosts are still famous.
During VH1's 40 Least Metal Moments countdown, musicians criticized the 2003 incarnation of Headbangers Ball in comparison with the original, citing its "scripted" studio feel and lack of excitement. The new version mostly shows only music videos and in-studio interviews, which was not true of the original show.
Removal of the show from Headbangers Ball
Since the January 13, 2007 episode, Headbangers Ball is simply the title for a block of metal videos, rather than an actual show. However, the June 23, 2007 episode went behind the scenes of the induction of PanteraPantera
Pantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...
guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
"Dimebag" Darrell Abbott
Dimebag Darrell
Darrell Lance Abbott , also known as Diamond Darrell and Dimebag Darrell, was an American guitarist. He was best known as a founding member of the heavy metal bands Pantera and Damageplan. Abbott also contributed to the album Rebel Meets Rebel, a collaboration between Pantera and David Allan Coe...
at the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
, including segments covering the event in between music videos. Also, brief interview segments still frequently air before and after commercial breaks, typically re-airing on several consecutive episodes for a long period.
Since April 14, 2007, MTV2 has aired the show from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. and put Saturday Rock the Deuce, a hard rock–alternative show, at 10. The week's episode is also re-aired on Tuesday mornings from 4:00 to 6:00 a.m.
Since 2008, Headbangers Ball has been aired erratically, sometimes airing several hours later then its normal airtime or not being aired at all. Its last on-air time slot was Tuesdays 3AM-4AM.
As of July 21, 2011 Jose Mangin took over as host of Headbangers Ball which is now a web only show.
Discography
Headbangers Ball-labeled products, including a guitar tabs book and three CD sets including artists such as HatebreedHatebreed
- History :Hatebreed was formed in 1994 in Bridgeport, Waterbury and New Haven. They began by recording a three song demo and selling it to locals. Those three songs would eventually be released on a split seven inch with New York's Neglect in 1995...
, Opeth
Opeth
Opeth is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. Though the group has been through several personnel changes, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth's driving force throughout the years...
, DevilDriver
DevilDriver
DevilDriver is an American heavy metal band from Santa Barbara, California, formed in 2002. The band was originally named Deathride, however, due to copyright issues and the name being taken by several bands, Deathride changed its name to DevilDriver, which refers to bells Italian witches used to...
, God Forbid
God Forbid
God Forbid is an American heavy metal band formed in 1996 in East Brunswick, New Jersey.-Biography:Building up a following in the late 1990s by touring with bands such as GWAR, Nile, Cradle of Filth and Candiria, God Forbid's first full album Reject the Sickness was released by 9 Volt Records in 1999...
, Chimaira
Chimaira
Chimaira is an American heavy metal band from Cleveland, Ohio. Formed in 1998, the group is a notable member of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal scene. The band's name is derived from the word Chimera, a monstrous creature in Greek mythology...
, Sevendust
Sevendust
Sevendust is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia. Formed in 1994 by bassist Vince Hornsby, drummer Morgan Rose and guitarist John Connolly. After their first demo, lead vocalist Lajon Witherspoon and guitarist Clint Lowery joined the group...
, Lacuna Coil
Lacuna Coil
Lacuna Coil is an Italian gothic metal band from Milan. Formed in 1994, the group has had two name changes since being previously known as Sleep of Right and Ethereal and was inspired by the combination of gothic imagery and music...
, Atreyu
Atreyu (band)
Atreyu is an American rock band from Orange County, California, formed in 1998. The band consists of vocalist/lyricist Alex Varkatzas, guitarists Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel, bassist Marc McKnight and drummer/vocalist Brandon Saller...
, Shadows Fall
Shadows Fall
Shadows Fall is an American heavy metal band from Springfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. They are one of the few contemporary metal bands who take their lyrical influence from Eastern philosophy and some references to the Rastafari culture...
, Children of Bodom
Children of Bodom
Children of Bodom is a Finnish heavy metal band from Espoo. Formed in 1993, the group currently consists of Alexi Laiho , Roope Latvala , Janne Wirman , Henkka Seppälä , and Jaska Raatikainen...
, Lamb of God
Lamb of God (band)
Lamb of God is an American heavy metal band from Richmond, Virginia. Formed in 1994, the group consists of vocalist Randy Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell, and drummer Chris Adler...
, A Life Once Lost
A Life Once Lost
A Life Once Lost is an American metalcore band formed in 1999 in a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After releases on Robotic Empire and Deathwish Inc., A Life Once Lost released their successful album, Hunter on Ferret Music in 2005...
, Cradle of Filth
Cradle of Filth
Cradle of Filth are an English extreme metal band, formed in Suffolk in 1991. The band's musical style evolved from black metal to a cleaner and more "produced" amalgam of gothic metal, symphonic black metal, and other extreme metal styles, while their lyrical themes and imagery are heavily...
, Deftones
Deftones
Deftones are an American alternative metal band from Sacramento, California, founded in 1988. The band consists of Chino Moreno , Stephen Carpenter , Chi Cheng , Frank Delgado , and Abe Cunningham . Currently Sergio Vega is standing in on bass while Cheng recovers from a car accident...
, and Godsmack
Godsmack
Godsmack is an American heavy metal band from Lawrence, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. The band is composed of founder, frontman and songwriter Sully Erna, guitarist Tony Rombola, bassist Robbie Merrill, and drummer Shannon Larkin...
have also been sold.
Each album has at least one live song. The first Headbangers Ball compilation featured "Raining Blood
Raining Blood
"Raining Blood" is a song by the American thrash metal band Slayer. Written by Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King for the 1986 studio album Reign in Blood, the concept deals with religion, specifically said to be about overthrowing Heaven...
" by Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
as its live track, the second compilation used an in-studio performance of "My Tortured Soul" by Probot
Probot
Probot was a heavy metal side project of ex-Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters rhythm guitarist and lead-singer Dave Grohl. An album was recorded out of the material and released in February 2004...
, and the latest compilation had two live tracks: "A Bid Farewell" by Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999 after the disbandment of Overcast and Aftershock. Killswitch Engage's current lineup consists of vocalist Howard Jones, bassist Mike D'Antonio, guitarists Joel Stroetzel and Adam Dutkiewicz, and drummer...
and "Now You've Got Something To Die For" by Lamb of God
Lamb of God (band)
Lamb of God is an American heavy metal band from Richmond, Virginia. Formed in 1994, the group consists of vocalist Randy Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell, and drummer Chris Adler...
. The earliest-released CD has famous bands, and the second has obscure ones. Songs featuring Slipknot
Slipknot (band)
Slipknot is an American heavy metal band from Des Moines, Iowa. Formed in 1995, the group was founded by percussionist Shawn Crahan and bassist Paul Gray...
band members Corey Taylor
Corey Taylor
Corey Todd Taylor sometimes known by the number 8, is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of Slipknot and Stone Sour. Taylor was raised by his single mother. He developed a fond feeling toward classic rock after his grandmother introduced him to it...
and Joey Jordison
Joey Jordison
Joey Jordison , is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known for his work as the drummer for the nu metal band Slipknot. He grew up in Waukee, Iowa with his parents and two sisters, and was given his first drum kit at the age of 8...
are appeared on all three CDs through their other bands. Other bands that have appeared on all three compilations include Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999 after the disbandment of Overcast and Aftershock. Killswitch Engage's current lineup consists of vocalist Howard Jones, bassist Mike D'Antonio, guitarists Joel Stroetzel and Adam Dutkiewicz, and drummer...
, Lamb of God
Lamb of God (band)
Lamb of God is an American heavy metal band from Richmond, Virginia. Formed in 1994, the group consists of vocalist Randy Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell, and drummer Chris Adler...
, and In Flames
In Flames
In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. Since the band's inception in 1993, they have released ten studio albums and one live DVD...
.
- MTV2 Headbangers BallMTV2 Headbangers BallMTV2 Headbangers Ball is a heavy metal compilation album released in conjunction with the MTV program, Headbanger's Ball. It is the first in a series of compilations and was released approximately five months after the program re-debuted on MTV2...
(2003) - MTV2 Headbangers Ball Volume 2MTV2 Headbangers Ball, Vol. 2MTV2 Headbangers Ball Volume 2 is the second in a series of heavy metal compilation albums released in conjunction with the MTV2 program Headbangers Ball...
(2004) - MTV2 Headbangers Ball: The RevengeMTV2 Headbangers Ball: The RevengeMTV2 Headbangers Ball: The Revenge is a double-album compilation of metal music released in association with the MTV2 program Headbanger's Ball. The CD includes 38 tracks, in excess of 2½ hours of music, from both established and up-and-coming artists...
(2006)