1982 in heavy metal music

This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in the year 1982.

Iron Maiden's first album with Bruce Dickinson, The Number of the Beast, becomes one of the first heavy metal album to reach No.1 in the U.K. music charts.
Motörhead's guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke leaves the band and is replaced by ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist Brian Robertson.
(not released till 1983)Quiet Riot's Metal Health becomes the first heavy metal album to reach No.1 in the Billboard United States music charts and is followed by albums by Van Halen and Mötley Crüe
Judas Priest's single You've Got Another Thing Comin' becomes the first heavy metal single to break into the Billboard U.S. Top 20 Singles.
Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist Randy Rhoads dies in an airplane accident on March 19.
Late that year Iron Maiden's drummer Clive Burr is fired from Maiden due to problems with alcohol and too heavy tour schedules and Nicko McBrain from Trust is hired to replace him. Maiden had now their most legendary line-up.
Ace Frehley, Space Ace and lead guitarist of Kiss, leaves the band. Vinnie Vincent takes his place.
Queen departs from their hard rock legacy with the ill-received funk/disco album Hot Space
Former Deep Purple vocalist Ian Gillan replaces Ronnie James Dio in Black Sabbath
The band Metallica moves to San Francisco and thus making "resistance" to the Glam Metal