This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in the year 1978.
Newly formed bands
Ángeles del Infierno
Amebix
Anvil
Blind Illusion
Bodine
E.F. Band
Earthshaker
Electric Sun
Exciter
Fist
Fortune
Gamma
Gillan
Girlschool
Grand Prix
Leño
London
Yngwie Malmsteen
Mama's Boys
Messiah Prophet
New England
The Next Band
Nightwing
Pagan Altar
Pendragon
Plasmatics
Savage
Survivor
Trespass
Tygers of Pan Tang
Vanexa
Venom
Whitesnake
Wild Horses
Wrathchild America
Albums
January
February
April
June
August
September
October
November
December
Release date unknown
Ram Jam - Portrait of the Artist as a Young Ram
Shakin' Street - Vampire Rock
Disbandments
Lone Star
Events
Def Leppard's drummer Rick Allen joins at 15 as a permanent member. The Who's Keith Moon dies of a drug overdose at 32.