n [ U ]
a kind of very fast rock music which became popular in the 1970s, with very loud guitars, drums and singing. The term is used of groups and performers such as Iron Maiden, Uriah Heep, Black Sabbath, Metallica and Alice Cooper. Heavy metal groups and their fans often have long hair, wear leather jackets and dance in a way that is known as ‘headbanging’ (= moving the head backwards and forwards very quickly to the rhythm of the music). The songs are often about violence and the occult (= things connected with magic powers).
Compare hard rock .