If you have landed here after hearing one track somewhere and wondering where the rest came from, the short answer is this: the heavy metal original soundtrack is a compilation album tied to the 1981 Canadian animated anthology film Heavy Metal, released by Columbia Pictures on August 7, 1981. It runs 90 minutes on screen and roughly the length of a single LP on wax, and it gathers rock and metal acts of the era rather than one composer writing a traditional score.
That distinction matters, and it is the first thing most newcomers get wrong. More on the second one below.
01What the Heavy Metal original soundtrack actually is
The film is an anthology of science-fiction and fantasy stories, adapted from Heavy Metal magazine and tied together by a single theme: an evil force described as "the sum of all evils." The movie was directed by Gerald Potterton in his directorial debut and produced by Ivan Reitman and Leonard Mogel, the magazine's publisher.
Because the film was assembled from several animation houses working at once, the music was assembled the same way. Music manager Irving Azoff packaged the soundtrack, pulling in established rock acts instead of commissioning a single composer for a continuous score.
So when people search for a "heavy metal original soundtrack," they usually mean one of two things: the licensed song compilation, or the orchestral-style score. Here it is the first. That single fact changes how you search for it, how you buy it, and what you should expect to hear.
Which bands made the cut is where the story gets interesting.
02Who plays on it
The lineup reads like a radio dial from 1981. Black Sabbath, Blue Öyster Cult, Sammy Hagar, Don Felder, Cheap Trick, DEVO, Journey and Nazareth all appear, among others.
That mix is worth pausing on. Black Sabbath and Blue Öyster Cult sit next to DEVO and Journey, new wave, arena rock and heavy metal on one record. The compilation was not trying to be a genre statement. It was trying to sound like the magazine looked.
If you came here from a game-music background, this is the part that will feel familiar. A soundtrack built from outside artists, stitched to picture, is the same problem a game audio team solves today with licensed tracks and adaptive cues. The 1981 album is an early, very loud version of that puzzle.
Photo: Jonathan Cooper · Pexels
| Route | What you get | Typical cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streaming | Full album, no ownership | $0 with a subscription | Deciding if you like it |
| Digital purchase | Files you keep | Under $15 | Offline listening |
| Vinyl reissue | Physical 2LP, artwork | $30-$45 | Collectors |
Start with streaming. It costs nothing extra and tells you within four tracks whether the compilation is your thing, and whether you want the physical version badly enough to pay for it.
One caution on the vinyl route: this album has been reissued more than once, and prices swing with condition and pressing. Check the pressing details before you commit, not after.
03If you actually came here for game music
Plenty of people searching this phrase are not looking for the 1981 film at all. They are looking for the Metal Gear Solid original soundtrack, or the Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater original soundtrack, and the word "metal" did the rest.
Those are a completely different animal. Where the 1981 album is a licensed rock compilation, the Metal Gear Solid releases are composed scores written for the games, with their own themes and recurring motifs. Same search box, different world.
If that is you, the practical starting point is the same either way: pick one entry, listen to it end to end once, then decide what to collect. If you want a broader map of the field, our guide to the best video game soundtracks covers where to begin across genres.
And if your taste runs toward composed scores rather than compilations, the Final Fantasy 7 soundtrack is a better first stop than the 1981 film.
Photo: Cord Allman · Pexels
04Three mistakes that waste your time
Almost everyone makes at least one of these on the first pass.
- Expecting a score. If you want orchestral underscore, this album will confuse you. It is a song compilation.
- Buying vinyl first. The reissue market is uneven. Listen before you spend $40.
- Confusing it with the 2000 sequel. Heavy Metal 2000 is a separate film with a separate soundtrack. The tracklists do not overlap.
There is a fourth trap, and it is the one that actually costs people money: assuming every "heavy metal soundtrack" listing online refers to the same record. It does not.
05Building a small collection around it
Once you know you like the 1981 album, the natural next step is the neighborhood around it, other compilations and composed scores from the same era and genre.
Two directions work well. The first is sideways into other licensed rock soundtracks of the early 1980s. The second is into composed game scores, which is where most modern listeners end up. Our Sonic original soundtrack guide and the Zelda Ocarina of Time soundtrack guide both start from the same question you are asking now: where do I begin?
Pick one, listen once, then decide. That order saves you from a shelf of records you never play.
FAQ
Who did the soundtrack for the movie Heavy Metal?
No single composer. Music manager Irving Azoff packaged the album as a compilation, drawing on acts including Black Sabbath, Blue Öyster Cult, Sammy Hagar, Don Felder, Cheap Trick, DEVO, Journey and Nazareth.
What songs are on the soundtrack?
The album is a mix of licensed rock tracks from those artists plus instrumental passages used between scenes in the film. Tracklists vary slightly between pressings and reissues, so check the specific edition you are buying.
Is the Heavy Metal soundtrack the same as the Metal Gear Solid one?
No. The 1981 album is a licensed rock compilation for an animated film. The Metal Gear Solid and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater releases are composed game scores. They share a word in the search bar and nothing else.
Is it worth buying on vinyl?
Only after you have streamed it. Reissue prices commonly land between $30 and $45, and condition varies a lot. Listen first, then buy the pressing you actually want.
Was the film a hit?
It was a moderate commercial success, earning $20.1 million against a $9.3 million budget, with mixed reviews on release. The cult following and the soundtrack's reputation grew later.
Where should a game music fan start instead?
With a composed score rather than a compilation. The Mario theme music guide is a gentle entry point, and the Minecraft piano sheet guide works if you want to play what you hear.
06More on the site
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