Music Metrics Vault

Old school thrash

Most popular artists in Old school thrash

This chart is based on the monthly listeners metric for all artists tagged with the genre old school thrash by Spotify. It may contain some errors or some data may not be up to date. You can check the artist profile to update data if necessary.

# Artist Monthly Listeners Followers
1
27,041,666
28,584,724
2
6,370,037
5,252,335
3
5,502,839
4,052,538
4
4,739,102
5,506,686
5
2,666,093
1,113,112
6
1,846,599
2,029,034
7
Helloween
1,401,234
1,267,528
8
1,198,513
1,707,644
9
Suicidal Tendencies
1,099,404
750,699
10
Kreator
683,628
774,999
11
Exodus
468,867
767,651
12
Corrosion Of Conformity
341,206
300,111
13
Annihilator
326,959
386,045
14
Sodom
266,223
461,776
15
Iced Earth
244,160
364,909
16
Bathory
217,234
412,401
17
Prong
212,112
172,069
18
Overkill
196,053
565,098
19
Venom
186,483
528,062
20
Death Angel
174,033
366,298
21
Agnostic Front
159,775
182,167
22
Metal Church
154,064
215,377
23
Gwar
146,221
233,219
24
D.R.I.
117,794
220,244
25
Exhorder
114,315
75,988
26
Destruction
103,670
281,710
27
Celtic Frost
101,701
245,693
28
Sacred Reich
100,518
137,850
29
Running Wild
99,493
175,229
30
Nuclear Assault
96,635
202,282
31
Flotsam & Jetsam
93,278
109,346
32
Cro-Mags
93,193
107,222
33
Rage
89,132
110,666
34
Tankard
70,170
152,116
35
Ratos De Porão
69,422
106,262
36
Onslaught
60,533
89,373
37
Heathen
51,044
78,743
38
Forbidden
46,404
94,770
39
Sarcófago
45,588
113,159
40
Carnivore
41,736
64,658
41
Pro-Pain
41,578
74,412
42
Voivod
39,386
115,495
43
Pestilence
39,211
111,727
44
Vendetta
36,753
9,576
45
Whiplash
36,442
119,887
46
Coroner
36,129
95,115
47
Morbid Saint
35,713
53,103
48
Dark Angel
34,525
157,793
49
Sadus
33,176
80,274
50
Razor
32,080
77,883
51
Vio-Lence
26,702
81,136
52
Laaz Rockit
25,259
35,816
53
Sacrifice
24,855
33,693
54
Demolition Hammer
23,118
63,800
55
Sanctuary
21,681
71,478
56
Channel Zero
20,801
14,634
57
Xentrix
19,941
27,593
58
Leeway
17,714
22,636
59
Mortal Sin
17,638
43,177
60
Excel
16,629
20,486
61
Cryptic Slaughter
16,008
41,538
62
Korzus
14,741
29,724
63
Agent Steel
14,096
42,462
64
Tourniquet
12,509
31,048
65
Helstar
11,582
28,272
66
Toxik
11,445
63,780
67
Hallows Eve
10,678
29,369
68
Deliverance
9,637
22,987
69
Messiah
8,674
9,089
70
Protector
7,973
19,632
71
Living Death
7,841
21,528
72
Sabbat
7,636
18,737
73
Stone
6,890
6,042
74
The Accüsed
6,719
21,112
75
Attomica
6,614
22,098
76
Powermad
6,576
7,329
77
Crumbsuckers
6,153
14,006
78
Rigor Mortis
6,109
28,690
79
Nasty Savage
5,550
26,940
80
Raw Power
5,491
9,059
81
Uncle Slam
5,429
10,517
82
Blood Feast
5,266
21,545
83
Wrathchild America
5,250
6,603
84
Opprobrium
4,272
11,503
85
Détente
4,210
6,357
86
Iron Angel
4,087
25,995
87
Devastation
4,038
17,283
88
Holy Moses
3,773
17,975
89
Vulcano
3,536
9,977
90
Solstice
3,052
7,602
91
Piledriver
2,935
10,531
92
Anestesia
2,653
5,953
93
Mekong Delta
2,644
13,352
94
Lawnmower Deth
2,590
6,072
95
Anacrusis
2,580
13,334
96
Wehrmacht
2,561
10,749
97
Holy Terror
2,501
12,472
98
Sentinel Beast
2,324
11,147
99
At War
2,298
9,306
100
Watchtower
2,253
15,378
101
Necronomicon
2,122
6,571
102
Wargasm
2,122
6,037
103
Meliah Rage
2,094
5,696
104
Seventh Angel
2,060
6,656
105
Ludichrist
2,021
8,669
106
Invocator
1,981
8,076
107
Necrodeath
1,972
9,786
108
Defiance
1,941
4,764
109
Gammacide
1,935
11,970
110
Attitude Adjustment
1,918
8,375
111
S.O.D.
1,900
89,522
112
Dead Brain Cells
1,894
2,950
113
Hellwitch
1,845
4,856
114
Warfare
1,811
6,769
115
Epidemic
1,715
803
116
Znöwhite
1,605
7,587
117
Blind Illusion
1,567
7,930
118
Viking
1,522
15,545
119
Intruder
1,482
8,901
120
Concrete Sox
1,377
6,897
121
Depressive Age
1,354
787
122
Num Skull
1,288
11,938
123
Slammer
1,180
8,132
124
Unseen Terror
1,175
3,842
125
Hobbs' Angel Of Death
1,045
9,511
126
Indestroy
1,029
6,269
127
MX
1,021
7,362
128
Meanstreak
1,011
3,505
129
No Mercy
1,006
2,199
130
Fear of God
904
2,452
131
Thought Industry
851
1,748
132
Airdash
835
2,862
133
Dream Death
812
2,542
134
Indestructible Noise Command
761
3,531
135
Hades
393
1,030
136
Poltergeist
380
1,390
137
Intense Degree
340
1,880
138
Cerebral Fix
322
1,525
139
Faith Or Fear
263
2,141
140
Angkor Wat
216
968
141
ULYSSES SIREN
182
788
142
Schizo
137
1,103
143
Ravenous
81
338
144
Usurper
61
237

Some info about old school thrash

**Old School Thrash: A Furious Confluence of Speed and Aggression**

Old School Thrash Metal, often simply known as Thrash, is a music genre that emerged in the early 1980s and is characterized by its aggressive guitar riffs, rapid tempos, and intense lyrical themes. Born from the raw energy of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) and the rebellious spirit of hardcore punk, thrash metal stands as a significant evolutionary link in the chain of heavy metal music, laying much of the groundwork for the extreme genres that would follow, such as death and black metal.

Thrash metal’s inception is largely attributed to a handful of bands from the United States, particularly those originating from the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles in California, as well as New York City. These bands, including Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, and Megadeth, came to be known as the "Big Four," not only for their pioneering role in the genre but also for bringing it to global prominence. Their music featured fast, intricate guitar work, complex arrangements, and howling vocals that narrated tales of societal issues, politics, and personal strife, all cloaked in the imagery of apocalypse and inhumanity.

The genre's primary appeal lies in its ability to encapsulate the frustrations and sentiments of youth, channeling angst and disenchantment into explosive sonic experiences. This was music that was unapologetically loud, fast, and heavy, pushing against the polished commercial rock that dominated the airwaves at the time. As such, thrash became a form of musical rebellion, resonating with teens and young adults who felt alienated or disillusioned with mainstream society.

Beyond the shores of the United States, thrash metal also found fertile ground in Germany, where bands like Kreator, Destruction, and Sodom developed a variant of thrash known as Teutonic Thrash Metal. While these groups shared many of the musical characteristics of their American counterparts, they often infused even more aggression and speed into their sound, making the German scene distinctively harsher and more abrasive.

The impact of old school thrash metal can also be seen in its influence on other musical styles. The genre’s emphasis on speed and technical precision would inspire the development of death metal, while its dark and often satanic imagery and blistering pace would pave the way for black metal in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Additionally, the crossover thrash subgenre, which blends the complexity of thrash with the more straightforward intensity of hardcore punk, emerged in the mid-1980s, further demonstrating the genre's expansive impact on the wider music scene.

Today, old school thrash remains a cornerstone of the metal community, celebrated in both nostalgic reverberations and contemporary iterations. The genre's pioneers continue to command large audiences around the world, reflecting a lasting legacy that endures through reissues of classic albums, revered festival appearances, and persistent influence on newer bands. Meanwhile, a resurgence in thrash, often referred to as the "thrash revival," has seen many emerging bands adopting and adapting the classic thrash sound, ensuring that the raw, unfettered spirit of the 1980s continues to thunder across stages and stereo systems across the globe.

For music enthusiasts and historians alike, old school thrash metal is not just a pivotal genre in the tapestry of music but an enduring cultural phenomenon that continues to inspire passion, creativity, and rebellion in its wake.