Rock + Metal Bands You Didn’t Realize Are Turning 40 in 2023

The ’80s were a really pivotal time for music, especially rock and metal, because that’s around the time that a lot of different subgenres started taking shape. But you’ll be surprised to learn that a lot of your favorite bands will be celebrating their 40th anniversaries this year.

The year 1983 pretty much marked the start of thrash metal as we know it. Slayer and Metallica released their debut albums, and after Dave Mustaine was fired from the latter, he founded Megadeth. Other bands rooted in glam, punk and funk formed in ’83 as well, so the year marked the beginning of some extremely successful careers.

We gathered a gallery of rock and metal bands that formed in 1983, which you can see below. Then, check out our list of the biggest rock + metal moments of 1983 underneath it to see what was going on in the world of heavy music.