Headbangers Ball

Headbangers Ball premiered on MTV on April 18, 1987, and ran in its original incarnation until 1995. During that period it was the primary destination on television for heavy metal and hard rock music videos. The show was canceled in 1995 as grunge and alternative rock shifted MTV's programming priorities.

The show's most iconic host was Riki Rachtman, who became synonymous with the program during its peak years in the early 1990s. Before Rachtman, the show used a rotation of MTV VJs. The revived MTV2 version in 2003 was hosted by Jamey Jasta, frontman of Hatebreed.

Yes, MTV2 revived Headbangers Ball in 2003 with Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed as host, targeting the metalcore and underground metal scenes of the 2000s. This revival ran for several years and featured bands like Lamb of God, Slipknot, and Killswitch Engage before eventually being discontinued.

The show was one of the only places on television where underground and extreme metal acts could reach a wide audience in the pre-internet era. Bands ranging from Metallica and Megadeth to Slayer, Anthrax, and Death benefits from video rotation and guest appearances. International acts also got exposure through the various MTV international networks that carried their own versions of the Ball.