Genre
The 50 most-read heavy metal artists worldwide, by Wikipedia readership in August 2026. Movement compares against July 2026.
Artists
Readers August
New entries
200 artists are ranked in heavy metal. The biggest move was Pepper Keenan, up 102 places.
| # | Artist | Readers | 30d |
|---|---|---|---|
01 | Sid WilsonDes Moines · United States | 327,614 | +39 |
02 | Ozzy OsbourneAston · United Kingdom | 226,323 | -1 |
03 | Deep PurpleHertford · United Kingdom | 168,665 | +2 |
04 | MetallicaLos Angeles · United States | 154,684 | -2 |
05 | SlashHampstead · United Kingdom | 123,461 | +3 |
06 | Black SabbathBirmingham · United Kingdom | 113,336 | +1 |
07 | Tommy LeeAthens · Greece | 110,555 | -4 |
08 | Iron MaidenLeyton · United Kingdom | 106,539 | -2 |
09 | Mötley CrüeLos Angeles · United States | 104,972 | -5 |
10 | Bad WolvesLos Angeles · United States | 88,725 | +44 |
11 | James HetfieldDowney · United States | 86,788 | -2 |
12 | Judas PriestBirmingham · United Kingdom | 75,295 | +5 |
13 | Dimebag DarrellEnnis · United States | 74,919 | -3 |
14 | MegadethLos Angeles · United States | 67,712 | +1 |
15 | PanteraArlington · United States | 64,290 | -3 |
16 | ScorpionsHannover · Germany | 62,114 | -5 |
17 | GhostLinköping · Sweden | 59,185 | +10 |
18 | Vince NeilHollywood · United States | 58,104 | -4 |
19 | Lars UlrichGentofte · Denmark | 58,043 | -6 |
20 | Dave MustaineLa Mesa · United States | 56,481 | -2 |
21 | Rob HalfordSutton Coldfield · United Kingdom | 55,490 | +13 |
22 | Paul StanleyManhattan · United States | 55,000 | -3 |
23 | Five Finger Death PunchLas Vegas · United States | 54,240 | +7 |
24 | Robert TrujilloSanta Monica · United States | 52,254 | -8 |
25 | Bruce DickinsonWorksop · United Kingdom | 51,360 | -2 |
26 | SepulturaBelo Horizonte · Brazil | 50,991 | +2 |
27 | MotörheadLondon · United Kingdom | 50,256 | -3 |
28 | RainbowCalifornia · United States | 49,023 | +4 |
29 | Randy RhoadsSanta Monica · United States | 48,334 | -4 |
30 | Kirk HammettSan Francisco · United States | 46,365 | -9 |
31 | Cliff BurtonCastro Valley · United States | 44,376 | -9 |
32 | Eloy CasagrandeSanto André · Brazil | 43,067 | +43 |
33 | AnthraxNew York · United States | 40,143 | -7 |
34 | Dee SniderAstoria · United States | 36,793 | -14 |
35 | Synyster GatesHuntington Beach · United States | 35,504 | +16 |
36 | Twisted SisterHo-Ho-Kus · United States | 34,741 | +2 |
37 | John EntwistleChiswick · United Kingdom | 33,842 | -4 |
38 | BuckcherryAnaheim · United States | 33,211 | +52 |
39 | DisturbedChicago · United States | 31,856 | -4 |
40 | Mike PortnoyLong Beach · United States | 30,230 | +5 |
41 | BronzBath · United Kingdom | 30,095 | -2 |
42 | Quiet RiotLos Angeles · United States | 29,885 | -11 |
43 | Skid RowToms River · United States | 28,741 | -1 |
44 | Vinnie PaulAbilene · United States | 28,713 | -8 |
45 | Pepper KeenanOxford · United States | 28,131 | +102 |
46 | SabatonFalun · Sweden | 27,567 | -9 |
47 | Tobias ForgeLinköping · Sweden | 26,702 | +19 |
48 | White ZombieNew York · United States | 26,009 | +12 |
49 | Harry Wayne CaseyHialeah · United States | 25,882 | -8 |
50 | Geezer ButlerBirmingham · United Kingdom | 25,816 | -3 |
147 | Reed MullinRaleigh · United States | 8,440 | +174 |
151 | Jill JanusCooperstown · United States | 7,812 | +100 |
125 | Jimmy BowerNew Orleans · United States | 9,565 | +81 |
197 | Mark MortonWilliamsburg · United States | 5,462 | +62 |
157 | The SwordAustin · United States | 7,546 | +60 |
How this is ranked. Artists are matched from the MusicBrainz database by genre and by the area they are based in. An artist appears in a genre when at least 15% of their genre votes are for it. Position is set by readership of their English Wikipedia article in August 2026; movement compares that against July 2026. Readership measures public attention, not streams or sales.