This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in the year 1971.
Bands formed
- Aquelarre
- Buffalo
- Camel
- Captain Beyond
- Cirith Ungol
- Color Humano
- Foghat
- The Flying Hat Band
- GoodThunder
- Hard Stuff
- Jo Jo Gunne
- Manfred Mann's Earth Band
- Molly Hatchet
- New York Dolls
- Pentagram
- Pescado Rabioso
- White Witch
Bands disbanded
- Blue Cheer (reformed in 1974)
- Derek and the Dominos
- Iron Butterfly (reformed in 1974)
- The Stooges
Deaths
- October 29 – Howard Duane Allman, founder and guitarist of The Allman Brothers Band, died from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident at the age of 24.
Albums
- Sir Lord Baltimore – Sir Lord Baltimore
January
February
March
April
May
July
August
September
October
November
December
References



