1977 in heavy metal music

This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in the year 1977.

Bands formed

 * 707
 * 44 Magnum
 * Bad Brains
 * Barnabas
 * Black Death
 * Death SS
 * Dedringer
 * Def Leppard (as Atomic Mass)
 * Discharge
 * Divlje Jagode
 * Dokken
 * Gordi
 * Gravestone
 * Great White
 * Holocaust
 * The Hunt
 * Kix
 * Manilla Road
 * Misfits
 * Oz
 * Perfect
 * Quartz
 * Ram Jam
 * Rapid Tears
 * Rock Goddess
 * Saga
 * Samson
 * Sarcofagus
 * Stress
 * TKO
 * Törr
 * Trance
 * Trust
 * Vatreni Poljubac
 * Zarpa

Bands disbanded

 * Buffalo
 * James Gang
 * Lynyrd Skynyrd
 * Montrose
 * T. Rex

Events

 * October 20 – Six people were killed in a tragic plane crash, including Lynyrd Skynyrd lead vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, and vocalist Cassie Gaines.
 * Vocalist Ozzy Osbourne abruptly quit Black Sabbath due to his dissatisfaction with the band's recent albums. He was replaced by Dave Walker.
 * Drummer Herman Rarebell joined Scorpions, replacing Rudy Lenners.

Deaths

 * April 1 – Joachim "Achim" Kirchhoff, original bassist of Scorpions, died from alcoholism-related complications at the age of 28.
 * September 16 – Marc Bolan, founder, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist of T. Rex, died from injuries sustained in a car accident at the age of 29.
 * October 20 – Ronald Wayne "Ronnie" Van Zant, founding member, lyricist and lead vocalist of Lynyrd Skynyrd, died in a plane crash at the age of 29.
 * October 20 – Steven Earl "Steve" Gaines, guitarist of Lynyrd Skynyrd, died in a plane crash at the age of 28.
 * October 20 – Cassie LaRue Gaines, Steve Gaines' sister and vocalist of Lynyrd Skynyrd, died in a plane crash at the age of 29.