Photo: Stefan Bollmann [Attribution], from Wikimedia Commons
 The band would release a steady stream of albums in the 1970s including the records Sad Wings of Destiny
in 1976, Sin After Sin
in 1977, Stained Glass
in 1978 and Killing Machine 
in 1978. With every album release, Judas Priest grew its audience with incredible heavy metal records that put it on an even playing field with bands like Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, and The Scorpions.
In 1980, the band quadrupled its audience with the release of the British Steel album. The album’s explosive hits, “Breaking The Law” and “Living After Midnight,” would serve as inspiration for many of the metal bands that would rise to fame in the hair band 1980s.
Since their debut album in 1974, Judas Priest has mostly kept releasing new music for over forty years. They have released eighteen studio albums, the last of which, Firepower, was released in 2018. In a period in which many legendary bands are no longer releasing new music because very few people buy new albums, it’s refreshing that a band like Judas Priest has not given up on the record business.
In the live music department, Judas Priest has released sixteen live albums, with their latest being Battle Cry, released in 2016. 
Like all great bands that came of age in the 1970s, many compilation albums have been released.
# 10 – Breaking The Law
We open up our top 10 Judas Priest songs list with one of the band’s biggest commercial hits. This was one of the rare Judas Priest songs that actually got airplay on MTV. The Judas Priest song “Breaking The Law” was released on the album British Steel, which was released in 1980. It is one of the band’s most widely covered songs. We love the Motorhead version. This video is pretty hysterical, but it’s also very cool. The way the three of them break into the bank, singing the chorus, is timeless. When the guard picks up the guitar and starts playing I just couldn’t stop laughing. They all look so young in this video.
# 9 – You’ve Got Another Thing Coming
The Judas Priest song “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin'” was released on the album Screaming for Vengeance
, which was released in 1982. The song was put into heavy rotation on MTV in the music channel’s early days. The guitar riff at the song’s intro is very similar to Heart’s “How Can I Refuse?” Both songs came out around the same time, although Judas Priest released theirs first.
# 8 – Living After Midnight
Along with “Breaking The Law,” the Judas Priest song “Living After Midnight” was another huge hit from their famous 1980 album British Steel. It was released as the first single from the album. “Living After Midnight” hit number twelve on the UK Music Charts. This was party time, Judas Priest. Listen to that excellent snare sound at the song’s start. Even though this was the start of the 1980s, the hook, the drum groove, and the production are still bathed in 1970s style. 
# 7 – Heading Out To The Highway
How can you not love those 1980s Judas Priest videos? “Heading Out To The Highway” was released on the Point Of Entry album, the follow-up to British Steel, in 1981. The song’s opening guitar riff was simply to die for. This song would become one of the band’s concert staples.
# 6 – Hell Bent For Leather
The excellent title track to the US release Hell Bent For Leather
album was the perfect Judas Priest song title. The album was known outside of the United States as Killing Machine. The song opens with a heavy intensity that morphs into a fast-paced lick that makes you start to feel a little nervous but in a good way. I like the way Rob pronounces the word leather. 
# 5 – Take These Chains
The amazing Judas Priest song “Take These Chains” was released on the Screaming For Vengeance 
album. The smoking album was released in 1982. Three Judas Priest songs from this incredible album have been listed on this top 10 Judas Priest Songs list. Take These Chains starts out with a mysterious synthesizer line met by some laid-back Rob Halford vocals that all explode instantly into that heavy-duty Judas Priest sound we all love. The song has a memorable chorus that stays with you long after the record stopped spinning,
# 4 -The Sentinel
Listen to this incredible track and try to tell us that you don’t love this band. The Sentinel was released in 1984 on the Defenders of the Faith
album. Something was going on in the universe between 1983 and 1984 because so many bands released the albums of their careers in 1984. It was a spectacular year for music.
# 3 – Ram It Down
No cover depicts the power of Heavy Metal like the Ram It Down
Cover. The album’s title track has always been one of our favorite Judas Priest songs. The album was released in 1988. There is nothing like opening up a Judas Priest song with a loud acapella Rob Halford scream. Now talk about ramming it down; this one explodes big time out of the gate with screaming guitar riffs and mind-blowing solos all in the first 30 seconds; that’s what I am talking about, baby!
# 2 – Electric Eye
Just off the number one spot on our top 10 Judas Priest songs list is the grand track “Electric Eye.” There is a good reason why this dynamic metal song has usually served as the show opener at Judas Priest concerts. Just take a listen, and it will become instantly clear. Another great track from the Screaming for Vengeance
album.
# 1 – PainKiller
We close out our top 10 Judas Priest songs with the smoking Judas Priest tune “PainKiller.” Listen to those double bass drums light it up from the opening beat. Everything about this one bleeds metal perfection. “Painkiller” was the heaviest Judas Priest ever got. The song “Painkiller” was released on the 1990 album Painkiller.
 The album would be the last record for a while to feature their brilliant lead singer, Rob Halford. However, Rob returned fifteen years later to front the band again.
Top 10 Judas Priest Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2024
