If you like more than 20 of these bands, you're my friend for life!
1-5 is absolutes, but after that there's no ranks. I've listed the bands with genres if you're a newbie who needs guidence!
Judas Priest - Heavy Metal. The best band in the world!
Symphony X - Progressive Metal. Right up there with Priest!
Dream Theater - Progressive Metal
Iron Maiden - Heavy Metal
Dire Straits - Melodic Rock
adrenaline kings - Hard Rock
Sonata Arctica - Power Metal
Scorpions - Heavy Metal/ Hard Rock
Kamelot - Power Metal/ Progressive Metal
Blind Guardian - Power Metal
Ensiferum - Folk Metal
Wintersun Melodic Speed Metal/ Folk Metal / Unplaceable
Gamma Ray - Power Metal
Pagan's Mind - Progressive Metal
Halford - Heavy Metal
Helloween - Power Metal
Opeth - Progressive Death Metal / Progressive Rock
Motörhead - Rock and Roll
Pantera - Groove Metal
Circus Maximus - Progressive Metal
Seventh Wonder - Progressive Metal
Edguy - Power Metal / Hard Rock (later)
Dio - Heavy Metal
Sabaton - Heavy Metal / Power Metal
Tankard - Thrash Metal
Alice Cooper - Hard Rock/ Heavy Metal/ Shock Rock
Rush - Progressive Rock/ Hard Rock
Queensrÿche - Progressive Metal
Jorn - Heavy Metal
Allen-Lande - Heavy Metal / Progressive Metal
Communic - Progressive Metal
TNT - Heavy Metal
Adagio - Progressive Metal / Neo-Classical Metal
Europe - Hard Rock / Melodic Metal
Black Sabbath - Heavy Metal
Heaven & Hell - Heavy Metal
Pink Floyd - Progressive Rock
Megadeth - Thrash Metal
Dokken - Hair Metal
King Diamond - Heavy Metal
Deep Purple - Hard Rock/ Progressive Rock/ Heavy Metal
Saxon - Heavy Metal
Eluveitie - Folk Metal
Toto - Melodic Rock
moddi - Folk/ Acoustic
The Prodigy - Electronica
Accept - Heavy Metal
Twisted Sister - Heavy Metal
Guardians of Time - Progressive Metal/ Power Metal
Keep of Kalessin - Melodic Black Metal
Bathory - Folk Metal/ Black Metal/ Thrash Metal
Masterplan - Power Metal
Mastodon - Progressive Metal/ Sludge
Turisas - Folk Metal
Manowar - Heavy Metal
Kansas - Progressive Rock
Øystein Sunde - Acoustic/ Bluegrass/ Folk
Metallica - Thrash Metal (old)
Fairyland - Symphonic Metal
Skid Row - Heavy Metal
Summoning - Atmospheric Black Metal
Mötley Crüe - Hair Metal
Enslaved - Progressive Black Metal
Turbonegro - Death Punk
Queen - Melodic Rock/ Hard Rock/ Glam Rock/ Undefineable
Nightwish - Symphonic Metal
Saint Deamon - Power Metal
Highland Glory - Power Metal
Van Halen - Hard Rock
Susperia - Thrash Metal/ Melodic Black Metal
Rhapsody of Fire - Symphonic Power Metal
Avantasia - Symphonic Power Metal/ Heavy Metal
Ozzy Osbourne - Heavy Metal
Uriah Heep - Hard Rock/ Progressive Rock
KISS - Hard Rock
Fight - Thrash Metal/ Groove Metal
Dominici - Progressive Metal
Threshold - Progressive Metal
Grim Reaper - Heavy Metal
Arcturus - Progressive Metal
Borknagar - Folk Metal/ Progressive Metal
Rainbow - Heavy Metal/ Hard Rock
Michael Schenker Group - Heavy Metal/ Hard Rock
Meshuggah - Technical Metal
Yngwie Malmsteen - Neo-Classical Metal
In Flames - Melodic Death Metal (old
Dark Tranquillity - Melodic Death Metal
Scar Symmetry - Progressive Metal/ Melodic Death Metal
Jokke & Valentinerne - Norwegian Rock and Roll
W.A.S.P. - Heavy Metal
Whitesnake - Hard Rock