2015

In 2015 the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris drew more than a million people into the streets, two earthquakes struck Nepal within a few weeks of each other, and the Conservatives won a majority at the UK general election. Elsewhere, NASA's Dawn probe reached Ceres, and the BBC decided not to renew Jeremy Clarkson's contract on Top Gear.

In rock and metal, the veterans kept the schedule busy. Iron Maiden released The Book of Souls in September, and Slayer followed with Repentless that same month. Motörhead put out Bad Magic in August, and Faith No More returned in May with Sol Invictus. Foo Fighters offered Songs From the Laundry Room in April and the Saint Cecilia EP in November, while Def Leppard released a self-titled album at the end of October. Queensrÿche's Condition Hüman arrived in October, and the archive shelves filled with Pink Floyd's 1965: Their First Recordings, Queen's A Night at the Odeon and Nine Inch Nails' Halo I–IV. Reunions were everywhere: Disturbed ended their hiatus, Acid Reign reformed, and L7 and Savatage lined up festival returns. Megadeth added Kiko Loureiro on guitar.

It was also a hard year. Twisted Sister drummer A. J. Pero died in March, and the band decided on a final tour for 2016. Morbid Angel's line-up turned into a muddle of announcements and denials in June. In October a fire at a Goodbye to Gravity show in Romania killed at least 27 people, among them four of the band, and in November The Ghost Inside's tour bus collided with a lorry. Mötley Crüe and Motörhead were both listed among the bands that disbanded, and on 28 December Lemmy died at 70.