Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance

The Grammy Awards is an annual ceremony, where honors in several categories are presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position".

[2] The Recording Academy recognized heavy metal music artists for the first time at the 31st Annual Grammy Awards (1989).

The category was originally presented as Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Vocal or Instrumental, combining two of the most popular music genres of the 1980s.

This choice led to widespread criticism of The Recording Academy, as journalists suggested that the music of Jethro Tull did not belong in the hard rock or heavy metal genres.

The awards were presented for the song "One", a cover version of Queen's "Stone Cold Crazy", and the album Metallica.

Four men in dark clothing on a stage; the man on the left has his arm raised in the air, while the third man from the left has his arms around the second and fourth.
Members of the seven-time award-winning band, Metallica
A man wearing a black shirt singing into a microphone, in front of a drum kit.
Trent Reznor of the two-time award-winning band, Nine Inch Nails
A man with his eyes closed and mouth open, holding a microphone; he is wearing dark clothing and wrist bands.
Jonathan Davis of the 2003 award-winning band, Korn
A man wearing a black shirt, looking down and playing a bass guitar.
Lemmy of the 2005 award-winning band, Motörhead
Black and white image of three men wearing jackets and masks over their faces. The one in the forefront is bent over, holding a guitar.
Members of the 2006 award-winning band, Slipknot
Three men on a stage, all holding guitars. All three are wearing black clothing, and audio equipment can be seen both in front of and behind them.
Members of the two-time award-winning band, Slayer
Four men standing next to one another on a stage, three of which are holding guitars. All four men are wearing black clothing, and some of the articles of clothing are studded.
Members of the 2010 award-winning band, Judas Priest
Members of the 2011 award-winning band, Iron Maiden
Members of the two-time award-winning band, Black Sabbath , including two-time award winner, Ozzy Osbourne (right)