We celebrate 50 YEARS OF METAL with this massive special issue on the all-time best albums, as chosen by some of the biggest names in our world. But will you agree with their choices?

In 1969, after a year of to-ing and fro-ing in the ranks (we’re looking at you, tony Iommi), a relatively unknown, heavy rock band from Birmingham called earth changed their name to Black Sabbath, and the world would never be the same again. It was in this period that they would write and record their eponymous album – the record that would introduce the world to heavy metal for the first time, and change the course of rock’n’roll forever.

to celebrate, we bring you 50 Years Of Metal – a look through five incredible decades of riffs, roars, screams and chaos. We pick out some of the artists who helped to define metal as we know and love it today, and reveal some of the untold stories behind the albums that became the cornerstones of our world.

But that’s not all. We also decided to bring together the most star-studded, fearsome and metal-as-fuck panel of all time to curate and talk us through the 50 greatest albums ever made. from Black Sabbath in the 70s to the stars of the nu millennium, we made sure we left no bases uncovered. the only rule? Only one album per band allowed. Hey, we had to make our panel work for it, right? Let us know what you think of their choices now at www.facebook.com/metalhammerreaders. In the meantime, turn the page and get ready to celebrate five decades of heavy with us.