1996

Britain spent 1996 in shock after the Dunblane massacre in March, while the IRA ended its ceasefire with the Docklands bombing in February. Elsewhere, Pokémon arrived on the Game Boy in Japan, Disney completed its $19 billion takeover of ABC's parent company, and Comet Hyakutake swung close to Earth.

Metal spent the year sorting out what it wanted to be. Metallica cut their hair and released Load in June, with the Hero of the Day EP following in October. Sepultura's Roots in February went heavier and more tribal, while Tool's Ænima and Korn's Life Is Peachy pushed the alternative end of the genre into stranger, noisier places. Rage Against the Machine delivered Evil Empire, and Pantera's The Great Southern Trendkill kept the old aggression firmly switched on. Grunge was winding down: Pearl Jam's No Code and Soundgarden's Down on the Upside both sounded like bands loosening their grip, while Alice in Chains' MTV Unplugged and Nirvana's From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah looked backwards. Weezer's Pinkerton and Manic Street Preachers' Everything Must Go rounded out a very good year for guitar records with feelings. The first Ozzfest set off, headlined by Ozzy Osbourne, Slayer and Danzig.

The year was also crowded with departures. Alice in Chains played their last concert with Layne Staley in July. Slash left Guns N' Roses, and Sammy Hagar left Van Halen after a feud with Eddie; David Lee Roth turned up at the MTV Video Music Awards and was dropped soon afterwards. Skid Row, Tesla, Extreme and Prong all split, while the original Kiss line-up came back together in full makeup.