# 1978 in heavy metal music

This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in the year 1978.

## Bands formed

* Amebix
* Anvil (as Lips)
* Blind Illusion
* Bodine
* Cockney Rejects
* E.F. Band
* Earthshaker
* Electric Sun
* Exciter
* Fist
* Fortune
* Gamma
* Gillan
* Girlschool
* Grand Prix
* Hades
* Leño
* London
* Mama's Boys
* Messiah Prophet
* Mystery Blue
* New England
* Nightwing
* Pagan Altar
* Pendragon
* Plasmatics
* Savage
* Survivor
* Trespass
* The Exploited
* The Next Band
* Tygers of Pan Tang
* Vanexa
* Venom
* Whitesnake
* Wild Horses
* Wrathchild America
* Yngwie Malmsteen

## Bands disbanded

* Ian Gillan Band
* Lone Star
* Ram Jam
* Sex Pistols

## Events

* Vocalist Ozzy Osbourne had a change of heart and returned to Black Sabbath after leaving abruptly the year before.
* Gary Moore embarked on his third and final stint as Thin Lizzy's guitarist, replacing Brian Robertson.
* Paul Di'Anno took over as Iron Maiden's vocalist, succeeding Dennis Wilcock.
* Original Def Leppard drummer Tony Kenning departed the band, making way for Rick Allen, who, at just 15 years old, became their permanent drummer.
* Uli Jon Roth parted ways with Scorpions due to creative differences, leading to Matthias Jabs joining as his replacement.
* Guitarist Michael Shenker left UFO and rejoined Scorpions.

## Deaths

* January 23 – Terry Alan Kath, founder and guitarist of Chicago, died from an unintentional self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head at the age of 31.
* September 7 – Keith John Moon, founding member and drummer of The Who, died from an overdose of clomethiazole at the age of 32.

## Albums
### February

| Day | Artist | Album |
| 10 | Judas Priest | Stained Class |
| 10 | Van Halen | Van Halen |
| 17 | Budgie | Impeckable |

### March

| Day | Artist | Album |
| 2 | Quiet Riot | Quiet Riot |

### April

| Day | Artist | Album |
| 10 | Jethro Tull | Heavy Horses |
| 14 | Rainbow | Long Live Rock 'n' Roll |

### May

| Day | Artist | Album |
| 5 | AC/DC | Powerage |

### June

| Day | Artist | Album |
| 2 | Thin Lizzy | Live and Dangerous |
| 2 | Whitesnake | Snakebite (EP) |
| 23 | UFO | Obsession |
| | Yesterday and Today | Struck Down |

### August

| Day | Artist | Album |
| 15 | Boston | Don't Look Back |
| 15 | Scorpions | Tokyo Tapes (live album) |
| 18 | The Who | Who Are You |
| | Magnum | Kingdom of Madness |

### September

| Day | Artist | Album |
| 1 | Molly Hatchet | Molly Hatchet |
| 13 | Blue Öyster Cult | Some Enchanted Evening |
| 18 | Ace Frehley | Ace Frehley |
| 18 | Gene Simmons | Gene Simmons |
| 18 | Paul Stanley | Paul Stanley |
| 18 | Peter Criss | Peter Criss |
| 22 | Jethro Tull | Bursting Out |
| 22 | Ramones | Road to Ruin |
| 29 | Black Sabbath | Never Say Die! |
| | Styx | Pieces of Eight |
| | Uriah Heep | Fallen Angel |

### October

| Day | Artist | Album |
| 6 | Wishbone Ash | No Smoke Without Fire |
| 13 | AC/DC | If You Want Blood You've Got It |
| | Whitesnake | Trouble |
| 24 | Rush | Hemispheres |
| 30 | Krokus | Pain Killer |

### November

| Day | Artist | Album |
| 3 | Judas Priest | Killing Machine |
| 10 | Queen | Jazz |
| 10 | The Clash | Give 'Em Enough Rope |
| | Heavy Load | Full Speed at High Level |
| | Rose Tattoo | Rose Tattoo |

### December

| Day | Artist | Album |
| 2 | Quiet Riot | Quiet Riot II |
| 20 | Bow Wow | Guarantee |
| | Alice Cooper | From the Inside |

### Unknown release date

| Artist | Album |
| Golden Earring | Grab It for a Second |
| Lucifer's Friend | Good Time Warrior |
| Ram Jam | Portrait of the Artist as a Young Ram |
| Preceded by1977 | Heavy Metal Timeline 1978 | Succeeded by1979 |