Heavy metal (often referred to simply as
metal) is a genre of
rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in England and the United States. With roots in
blues-rock and
psychedelic rock, the bands that created heavy metal developed a thick, massive sound, characterized by highly amplified
distortion, extended guitar solos, emphatic beats, and overall loudness. Heavy metal lyrics and performance styles are generally associated with
machismo and masculine sexuality.