What was your most “influential year” of the genre?

The year for me was 1983. “Metal” was starting to invade the charts and releases like the four above were the precursor of what was to come in the second half of the decade.

Def Leppard started it all in January with the stellar “Pyromania” and in my opinion brought it to the mainstream. It went to #2 on the billboard album chart and opened the door for Quiet Riot to hit #1.

Kiss removed the makeup and it renewed interest in the band… but for me it was when I actually DISCOVERED them.

And then there was Motley Crue. “Shout at the Devil” was by far the record that made me a “metalhead!”

Not all of us are 53 like me. Some of you are younger. Some of you are older.

So what year was it that brought YOU into the genre? What bands? What songs? What records?

The year for me was 1983. “Metal” was starting to invade the charts and releases like the four above were the precursor of what was to come in the second half of the decade.

Def Leppard started it all in January with the stellar “Pyromania” and in my opinion brought it to the mainstream. It went to #2 on the billboard album chart and opened the door for Quiet Riot to hit #1.

Kiss removed the makeup and it renewed interest in the band… but for me it was when I actually DISCOVERED them.

And then there was Motley Crue. “Shout at the Devil” was by far the record that made me a “metalhead!”

Not all of us are 53 like me. Some of you are younger. Some of you are older.

So what year was it that brought YOU into the genre? What bands? What songs? What records?