World Day of Heavy Metal is celebrated every May 16th. This date was chosen because on May 16, 2010, Ronnie James Dio, one of the most influential vocalists of the genre, passed away. Dio was known for his work with bands such as Black Sabbath, Rainbow, and Dio. In addition to his influence, Ronnie Dio is credited with popularizing the famous "devil horns π€π»π€πΌπ€π½π€πΎπ€πΏ" hand gesture, which has always been an iconic symbol of heavy metal and rock music in general.
This commemoration began in 2011 as an initiative by fans and musicians to honor Dio and celebrate the music and culture of heavy metal worldwide. Since then, every May 16th, followers of the genre remember his legacy and the importance of this musical style, which emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The genre continues to produce great bands today and remains upheld by groups like Metallica, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, among others. Meanwhile, in the modern era, bands such as Rammstein, Deftones, Avenged Sevenfold, Kittie, Korn, Slipknot, Evanescence, and Sepultura have contributed their own styles while still being part of heavy metal.
The bands recognized as the most influential in heavy metal include Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Dio, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Slayer, MotΓΆrhead, and Kamelot. Among their most renowned vocalists are Ronnie James Dio, Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy Kilmister, Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford, and James Hetfield.
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