when and how did the term "heavy metal" start to be used in music?

Answer 1

Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that emerged as a defined musical style in the 1970s, having its roots in hard rock bands which, between 1967 and 1974, mixed blues and rock to create a hybrid with a thick, heavy, guitar-and-drums-centered sound, characterised by the use of highly-amplified distortion. Out of heavy metal various subgenres later evolved, many of which are referred to simply as "metal". As a result, "heavy metal" now has two distinct meanings: either the genre and all of its subgenres, or the original heavy metal bands of the 1970s style sometimes dubbed "traditional metal", as exemplified by Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Blue Öyster Cult and Black Sabbath.

Answer 2

The answer is not completely clear. There are a few speculations. One of the most plausible, but certainly not the only credible claim, is that poet Sandy Perlman coined it. He was a fairly well known poet for his time (late 60's, early 70's) and was associated with the group Blue Oyster Cult, one of the very earliest heavy metal bands. In fact, the name of the band comes from something in one of his poems. They played under another name, but when they debuted their first album under the BOC name, he (Sandy) chose the ancient alchemist symbol for lead (kind of an upside down question mark with a cross) to use on the album cover. Lead is a heavy metal, and not long after that he used the term "heavy metal music" in some fashion about the music. The symbol became the "official" logo for Blue Oyster Cult, by the way. Perlman can also site the first time that he used the term in a print publication, but I don't recall the specifics.

(The most famous song of Blue Oyster Cult, by the way, if people are trying to associate something with them, is :"Don't Fear the Reaper." They also had a great song called "Godzilla," and another "This Ain't the Summer of Love.")

Answer 3

Heavy Metal was first used in a song called Born To Be Wild, by Steppenwolf.

Answer 4

legend is that some music critic after watching a live concert of Jimi Hendrix described the sound as heavy metal falling on the ground

Answer 5

The late 60's.

Answer 6

And Steppenwolf was referring loosely to Led Zeppelin, according to legend.