1984 in heavy metal music

This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in the year 1984.

Events

 * October 23 – A debate over heavy metal music occurs on SVT's Svar direkt between Anders Tegnér and Siewert Öholm.

Newly formed bands

 * Agent Steel
 * Angel Dust
 * Annihilator
 * Atheist
 * Barren Cross
 * The Black Crowes
 * Blasphemy
 * Blind Guardian (under the name "Lucifer's Heritage" until 1988)
 * Bloodgood
 * Candlemass
 * Celtic Frost
 * Chastain
 * Chrome Molly
 * Concrete Sox
 * Cranium
 * The Crucified
 * Cryptic Slaughter
 * Dead End
 * Deathrow
 * Deceased
 * Detente
 * Deviated Instinct
 * Dirty Looks
 * Domine
 * Enuff Z'Nuff
 * Eudoxis
 * Executioner
 * Faith
 * Fantom Warior
 * The Firm
 * FM
 * Frehley's Comet
 * The Front
 * Grinder
 * Gwar
 * Heathen
 * Héroes del Silencio
 * Hellbastard
 * Helloween
 * Heretic
 * Hirax
 * Hittman
 * Iced Earth
 * Jack Starr's Burning Starr
 * Jesters of Destiny
 * Keel
 * King Kobra
 * KMFDM
 * Korrozia Metalla
 * Krabathor
 * Kraken
 * Leeway
 * Living Colour
 * Lobotomia
 * Los Cycos
 * Ludichrist
 * Tony MacAlpine
 * Massacre
 * Mayhem
 * Mefisto
 * Messiah
 * Mistrust
 * Morbid Saint
 * Mordred
 * Necrodeath
 * Nepal
 * Nuclear Assault
 * Obituary
 * Phenomena
 * Piledriver
 * Powermad
 * Praxis
 * Primus
 * The Quireboys
 * Racer X
 * Rage (under the name "Avenger" until 1986)
 * Repulsion
 * Sacrilege
 * Sadus
 * Sepultura
 * Slaughter
 * Soundgarden
 * Starship
 * Steel Prophet
 * Stratovarius
 * Tangier
 * Thanatos
 * Uncle Slam (known as The Brood until 1987)
 * Vendetta
 * Victory
 * Vinnie Vincent Invasion
 * Warfaze
 * Warrant
 * Whiplash
 * Wolfsbane
 * Xentrix

Reformed bands

 * Deep Purple

Albums & EPs

 * Lee Aaron - Metal Queen
 * AC/DC - '74 Jailbreak (EP)
 * Alcatrazz - Live Sentence (live)
 * Angeles del Infierno - Pacto con el Diablo
 * The Angels, aka Angel City - Two Minute Warning
 * Anthrax - Fistful of Metal
 * Antix - Get Up, Get Happy (EP)
 * April Wine - Animal Grace
 * Armed Forces - Let There Be Metal (EP)
 * Armored Saint - March of the Saint
 * ATC - Cut in Ice
 * Atlain - Living in the Dark
 * Attack - Danger in the Air
 * Attentat Rock – Le Gang des Saigneurs
 * Autograph - Sign In Please
 * Avenger (UK) - Blood Sports
 * Axe Victims - Another Victim
 * Axe Witch - Visions of the Past
 * Baby Tuckoo - First Born
 * Backwater - Revelation
 * Banzai - Duro y Potente
 * Barón Rojo - Barón Al Rojo Vivo (live)
 * Bathory - Bathory
 * Battleaxe - Power from the Universe
 * Black Death - Black Death
 * Black Lace - Unlaced
 * Black 'n Blue - Black 'n Blue
 * The Black Riders - The Chosen Few
 * Black Rose - Boys Will Be Boys
 * Black Rose - Black Rose (EP)
 * Black Tears – Child of the Storm
 * Blackout - Evil Game
 * Blade Runner – Hunted
 * Blaspheme – Blaspheme
 * Bloody Six - In the Name of Blood
 * Bon Jovi - Bon Jovi
 * Boss - Step on It
 * Brainfever – Capture the Night
 * Brocas Helm - Into Battle
 * Bronz – Taken by Storm
 * Brooklyn Brats - Brooklyn Brats (EP)
 * Buster Brown – Loud and Clear
 * Buzzard (Bel) - Gambler
 * Cacumen - Down to Hell
 * Celtic Frost - Morbid Tales
 * Chariot - The Warrior
 * Charon – Charon
 * Chateaux - Fire Power
 * Childhood's End - Childhood's End (EP)
 * Chinawite - Run for Cover
 * Cirith Ungol - King of the Dead
 * Cloven Hoof - Cloven Hoof
 * Corrosion of Conformity - Eye for an Eye
 * Crisis - Armed to the Teeth (EP)
 * Crossfire - See You in Hell
 * Crown - Red Zone
 * Crown - All That Rock & Roll Music
 * Crystal Pride – Knocked Out (EP)
 * Crystal Pride – Crystal Pride
 * The Cult - Dreamtime
 * Cutty Sark - Die Tonight
 * Dark Age (US) - Dark Age (EP)
 * Dark Heart - Shadows of the Night
 * Dark Wizard - Devil's Victim (EP)
 * Darxon – Killed in Action
 * D.D.T. – Let The Screw...Turn You On (EP)
 * Deep Purple - Perfect Strangers
 * Demon - Wonderland (EP)
 * Demon Eyes - Rites of Chaos
 * Denigh – Fire from the Sky
 * Der Kaiser – Vautours
 * Destruction - Sentence of Death (EP)
 * Di'Anno - Di'Anno
 * Dio - The Last in Line
 * Divine Rite - First Rite
 * Dokken - Tooth and Nail
 * Electric Eels (CA) - Electric Eels
 * Elessar - Defy the King (EP)
 * Earthshaker - Fugitive
 * Earthshaker - Midnight Flight
 * Eric Steel - Eric Steel
 * Europe - Wings of Tomorrow
 * Evil - Evil's Message (EP)
 * Exciter - Violence & Force
 * Explorer - Exploding
 * Exxplorer - Symphonies of Steel
 * Ezy Meat - Not for Wimps
 * Fact – As a Matter of Fact
 * Faithful Breath - Gold 'n' Glory
 * Fastway - All Fired Up
 * Fates Warning - Night on Bröcken
 * First Strike – Rock of Offense
 * Fisc - Tracker
 * FN Guns - Nightmare
 * Force – Set Me Free
 * Flatbacker - Minagoroshi
 * Lita Ford - Dancin' on the Edge
 * Rhett Forrester - Gone with the Wind
 * Gilgamesj - Take One (EP)
 * Glory Bells - Century Rendezvous
 * Gotham City - The Unknown
 * Grave Digger - Heavy Metal Breakdown
 * Graven Image - People in Hell Want Ice Water (EP)
 * Gravestone – Victim of Chains
 * Great White - Great White
 * Griffin - Flight of the Griffin
 * Sammy Hagar - VOA
 * Hammerhead - Heart Made of Steel (EP)
 * Hammers Rule - Show No Mercy
 * Hanoi Rocks - All Those Wasted Years (live)
 * Hanoi Rocks - Two Steps from the Move
 * Hardline (Nor) - Hardline
 * Hardware - Common Time Heroes
 * Hawaii - Loud, Wild and Heavy (EP)
 * Hazzard - Hazzard
 * H-Bomb - Attaque
 * Headstone - Burning Ambition
 * Helix - Walkin' the Razor's Edge
 * Hellanbach - The Big H
 * Hellhammer - Apocalyptic Raids (EP)
 * Hellion (NY) - Dangerous Maneuvers
 * Helstar - Burning Star
 * Hexx - No Escape
 * Highway Chile - For the Wild and Lonely (EP)
 * Hiroshima – Taste of Death
 * Hocculta – Warning Games
 * Holland (UK) – Early Warning
 * Holocaust - No Man's Land
 * Icon - Icon
 * Incubus (UK) - To the Devil a Daughter
 * Ironcross - Steel Warrior
 * Iron Maiden - Powerslave
 * Jag Panzer - Ample Destruction
 * Jaguar - This Time
 * Albert Järvinen Band – Countdown (EP)
 * Judas Priest - Defenders of the Faith
 * Keel - Lay Down the Law
 * Kick Axe - Vices
 * Killer (Swi) - Stronger Than Ever
 * Killer (Bel) - Shock Waves
 * KISS - Animalize
 * Krokus - The Blitz
 * Lȧȧz Rockit - City's Gonna Burn
 * Lazy - Creature
 * Leatherwolf - Leatherwolf (EP)
 * Le Griffe - Breaking Strain (EP)
 * Legs Diamond - Out on Bail
 * Leviticus - I Shall Conquer
 * Limelight - Ashes to Ashes, aka Limelight (1980)
 * Living Death - Vengeance of Hell
 * Lizzy Borden - Give 'Em the Axe (EP)
 * Loudness - Disillusion
 * Madam X - We Reserve the Right
 * Mad Axeman - Mad Axeman
 * Mad Max - Rollin' Thunder
 * Madd Hatter - Madd Hatter
 * Madison - Diamond Mistress
 * Maineeaxe - Shout It Out
 * Yngwie Malmsteen - Rising Force
 * Maltese Falcon – Metal Rush
 * Mama's Boys - Mama's Boys
 * Manowar - Hail to England
 * Manowar - Sign of the Hammer
 * Marseille – Touch the Night
 * Mass (Ger) - War Law
 * McCoy – Think Hard
 * Medieval Steel - Medieval Steel (EP)
 * Mercy - Mercy
 * Mercyful Fate - Don't Break the Oath
 * Messiah (US) - Final Warning
 * Messiah Prophet - Rock the Flock
 * Metal Church - Metal Church
 * Metal Massacre - Metal Massacre V (Compilation, various artists)
 * Metallica - Ride the Lightning
 * Millennium - Millennium
 * Gary Moore - We Want Moore! (live)
 * Motörhead - No Remorse (comp)
 * MSG - Rock Will Never Die (live)
 * Nemesis - The Day of Retribution (EP)
 * Mystery Blue - Mystery Blue
 * New York – Carry the Torch (EP)
 * Nightmare – Waiting for the Twilight
 * Nightwing – My Kingdom Come
 * Obsession - Marshall Law (EP)
 * Obús - El Que Más
 * Omen - Battle Cry
 * Ostrogoth - Ecstasy and Danger
 * Overdrive - Swords and Axes
 * Overkill - Overkill (EP)
 * Oz - III Warning
 * Pantera - Projects in the Jungle
 * Parasite - Parasite EP
 * Persian Risk – Too Different (EP)
 * Pet Hate – The Bride Wore Red
 * Phenomena – Phenomena
 * Philadelphia - Tell the Truth...
 * Picture - Traitor
 * Piledriver - Metal Inquisition
 * Pretty Maids - Red Hot and Heavy
 * Prophecy - Prophecy
 * Proud - Fire Breaks the Dawn
 * Q5 - Steel the Light
 * Queen - The Works
 * Queensrÿche - The Warning
 * Quiet Riot - Condition Critical
 * Rail - Rail (EP)
 * Railway - Railway
 * Rapid Tears - Cry for Mercy (EP)
 * Ratt - Out of the Cellar
 * Raven - Live at the Inferno (live)
 * Ravens - Get It in Your Head
 * Razor - Armed & Dangerous (EP)
 * Reckless - Heart of Steel
 * Restless (Ger) - Heartattack
 * Rising Power - Power for the People
 * The Rods - Let Them Eat Metal
 * Rosa Negra (Spain) - Rosa Negra
 * Rose Bayonet - Leather and Chains
 * Rose Tattoo - Southern Stars
 * Ruffkut - Fight for the Right (EP)
 * Running Wild - Gates to Purgatory
 * Rush - Grace Under Pressure
 * Ruthless - Metal Without Mercy (EP)
 * S.A.D.O. - Shout!
 * Sacred Rite - Sacred Rite
 * Sad Iron - Total Damnation
 * Saint - Warriors of the Son (EP)
 * Saint Vitus - Saint Vitus
 * Samain - Vibrations of Doom
 * Sam Thunder - Manoeuvres
 * Samurai – Sacred Blade
 * Santers – Guitar Alley
 * Saracen – Change of Heart
 * Satan Jokers - Trop Fou Pour Toi
 * Samson - Don't Get Mad, Get Even
 * Savage – We Got the Edge (EP)
 * Saxon - Crusader
 * Scorpions - Love at First Sting
 * Shire - Shire (EP)
 * Shok Paris - Go for the Throat
 * Silver Mountain - Universe
 * Sinister Angel - Sinister Angel (EP)
 * Sinner - Danger Zone
 * Six Feet Under (Swe) - Eruption
 * Six Point Six - Fallen Angel
 * Slayer - Haunting the Chapel (EP)
 * Slayer - Live Undead (live)
 * Smack - Smack On You
 * Sortilège - Métamorphose
 * Sound Barrier - Born to Rock (EP)
 * Spartan Warrior - Spartan Warrior
 * Spellbound - Breaking the Spell
 * Spinal Tap - This Is Spinal Tap
 * Splitcrow - Rockstorm
 * Jack Starr - Out of the Darkness
 * Steeler (Ger) - Steeler
 * Steelover - Glove Me
 * Steeltower - Night of the Dog
 * The Sterling Cooke Force – Full Force
 * Stone Fury - Burns Like a Star
 * Stormwitch - Walpurgis Night
 * Stratus – Throwing Shapes
 * Street Fighter - Shoot You Down
 * Strike (US) – Strike (EP)
 * Strike (Swe) – Strike (EP)
 * Strike Force - Strike Force
 * Stryper - The Yellow and Black Attack
 * Stygian Shore - Stygian Shore (EP)
 * Surrender - Surrender
 * Swift Kick - Long Live Rock (EP)
 * Syar - Death Before Dishonour
 * Syron Vanes – Bringer of Evil
 * Taist of Iron - Resurrection
 * Talon - Neutralized
 * Tank - Honour & Blood
 * Teeze (PA) - Teeze
 * Third Stage Alert - Third Stage Alert (EP)
 * Thrust - Fist Held High
 * Thunder (Ger) - All I Want
 * Thundercraaft - Fighting for Survival
 * Thunderstick – Beauty and the Beasts
 * TKO - In Your Face
 * TNT (Ger) - Deflorator
 * TNT – TNT (EP)
 * TNT - Knights of the New Thunder
 * Tokyo Blade - Night of the Blade
 * Tokyo Blade - Midnight Rendezvous (EP)
 * Torch - Bad Girls (EP)
 * Torch - Electrikiss
 * Bernie Tormé – Live
 * Touchdown – Don't Look Down
 * Touched – Back Alley Vices
 * Trauma - Scratch and Scream
 * Triumph - Thunder Seven
 * Trouble - Psalm 9
 * Trouble - Assassin (EP)
 * Trust - Man's Trap
 * T.T. Quick - TT Quick (EP)
 * Twisted Sister - Stay Hungry
 * 220 Volt - Powergames
 * Tyran' Pace - Eye to Eye
 * Tyrant (Ger) - Mean Machine
 * Tysondog - Beware of the Dog
 * Tyton - Castle Donington
 * Underdog - Rabies in Town
 * Upper Echelon - Surface Tension (EP)
 * Steve Vai - Flex-Able
 * Valhalla (US) - Valhalla (EP)
 * Vanadium - Game Over
 * Van Halen - 1984
 * Vengeance (Hol) - Vengeance
 * Venom - At War with Satan
 * Vice (CA) - Vice (EP)
 * Vigilants – Run for Cover
 * Virgin - Virgin
 * Viva - Apocalypse
 * Voivod - War and Pain
 * Vow Wow - Beat of Metal Motion
 * Vulcain - Rock'n'Roll Secours
 * Warfare - Pure Filth
 * Warhead (Bel) - Speedway
 * Warlock - Burning the Witches
 * Warlord - Lost and Lonely Days (EP)
 * Warlord - And the Cannons of Destruction Have Begun...
 * Warning - Metamorphose
 * Warriors - Warriors
 * W.A.S.P. - W.A.S.P.
 * Wasted - Halloween... the Night Of
 * Waysted - Waysted (EP)
 * White Wolf - Standing Alone
 * Whitesnake - Slide It In
 * Wild Dogs - Man's Best Friend
 * Wildfire - Summer Lightning
 * Winterkat – The Struggle (EP)
 * Witch - The Hex Is On (EP)
 * Witch Cross - Fit for Fight
 * Witchfynde - Lords of Sin & Anthems live (EP)
 * Witchkiller - Day of the Saxons (EP)
 * Wizz - Crazy Games
 * Wolf - Edge of the World
 * Wendy O. Williams - WOW
 * Wrathchild (UK) - Stakk Attakk
 * Wyzard - Knights of Metal (EP)
 * Xcursion - Ready to Roll
 * Y&T - In Rock We Trust
 * Zebra - No Tellin' Lies
 * Znowhite - All Hail to Thee (EP)

Events

 * Def Leppard's drummer Rick Allen loses his left arm in a car accident on December 31.
 * Deep Purple reunite.
 * Hanoi Rocks drummer Razzle is killed in an automobile accident in early December. The driver of the car is Vince Neil of Mötley Crüe.
 * The debut albums of both Saint Vitus (Saint Vitus) and Trouble (Psalm 9) are released.
 * This is Spinal Tap, a cult mockumentary directed by Rob Reiner about the semi-fictional band Spinal Tap, is released.