1978 in heavy metal music

This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in the year 1978.

Bands formed

 * Ángeles del Infierno
 * Amebix
 * Anvil (as Lips)
 * Blind Illusion
 * Bodine
 * Cockney Rejects
 * E.F. Band
 * Earthshaker
 * Electric Sun
 * Exciter
 * Fist
 * Fortune
 * Gamma
 * Gillan
 * Girlschool
 * Grand Prix
 * Hades
 * Leño
 * London
 * Mama's Boys
 * Messiah Prophet
 * Mystery Blue
 * New England
 * Nightwing
 * Pagan Altar
 * Pendragon
 * Plasmatics
 * Savage
 * Survivor
 * Trespass
 * The Exploited
 * The Next Band
 * Tygers of Pan Tang
 * Vanexa
 * Venom
 * Whitesnake
 * Wild Horses
 * Wrathchild America
 * Yngwie Malmsteen

Bands disbanded

 * Ian Gillan Band
 * Lone Star
 * Ram Jam
 * Sex Pistols

Events

 * Vocalist Ozzy Osbourne had a change of heart and returned to Black Sabbath after leaving abruptly the year before.
 * Gary Moore embarked on his third and final stint as Thin Lizzy's guitarist, replacing Brian Robertson.
 * Paul Di'Anno took over as Iron Maiden's vocalist, succeeding Dennis Wilcock.
 * Original Def Leppard drummer Tony Kenning departed the band, making way for Rick Allen, who, at just 15 years old, became their permanent drummer.
 * Uli Jon Roth parted ways with Scorpions due to creative differences, leading to Matthias Jabs joining as his replacement.
 * Guitarist Michael Shenker left UFO and rejoined Scorpions.

Deaths

 * January 23 – Terry Alan Kath, founder and guitarist of Chicago, died from an unintentional self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head at the age of 31.
 * September 7 – Keith John Moon, founding member and drummer of The Who, died from an overdose of clomethiazole at the age of 32.