Editing Judas Priest (section)

=== Musical style and influences ===
Judas Priest's style has always been rooted in heavy metal, and many of their albums reflect diverse aspects of the genre; for example, their debut album, ''[[Rocka Rolla]]'' (1974), is primarily rooted in heavy [[blues rock]]. From ''[[Sad Wings of Destiny]]'' (1976) through ''[[Stained Class]]'' (1978), the band's style was somewhat progressive, with complex guitar passages and poetic lyrics. Songs would often shift in dynamics and tempo, and the music was some of the heaviest of its day. This would later have a major influence on [[progressive metal]] and [[stoner rock]] bands.{{citation needed|date=October 2017}} ''[[Sin After Sin]]'' (1977) used a combination of [[double bass drum]] (or "double kick") and rapid 16th-note bass rhythms combined with rapid 16th-note guitar rhythms used by [[Black Sabbath]], [[Venom (band)|Venom]], and [[Motörhead]] that came to define the genre.<ref name=Cope>{{cite book|author=Andrew Laurence Cope|title=Black Sabbath and the Rise of Heavy Metal Music|date=28 January 2013|publisher=[[Ashgate Publishing]]|isbn=978-1-4094-9398-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ft-hAgAAQBAJ&q=Dissident%20Aggressor&pg=PT139}}</ref> While the double-bass rhythms used by Judas Priest are generally measured and technical, the song "[[Dissident Aggressor]]" (from ''Sin After Sin'') pushed an increase in "tempo and aggression", which was later adopted by other bands with a much harder-edged approach.<ref name=Cope />

Starting with their fifth album, ''[[Killing Machine]]'' (1978), the band began to incorporate a more commercial, radio-friendly style to their music. ''[[British Steel (album)|British Steel]]'' has been referred to as the "record that, more than any other, codified what we mean by heavy metal".<ref>{{cite web|last=Wilkinson |first=Roy |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/may/20/judas-priest-rob-halford-british-steel |title=How Judas Priest invented heavy metal |work=The Guardian |date=20 May 2010 |access-date=10 August 2014}}</ref> The lyrics and music were simplified, and this style prevailed up to their seventh album, ''[[Point of Entry]]'' (1981). With their eighth album, ''[[Screaming for Vengeance]]'' (1982), the band incorporated a balance of these two styles. This continued on ''[[Defenders of the Faith]]'' (1984). With the follow-up album, ''[[Turbo (Judas Priest album)|Turbo]]'' (1986), the band incorporated guitar synthesizers into its signature heavy metal sound. On 1988's ''[[Ram It Down]]'', the band retained some of the more commercial qualities of ''Turbo'' but also returned to some of the fast tempo heavy metal found on their earlier works. This fast-tempo style continued with 1990's ''[[Painkiller (Judas Priest album)|Painkiller]]''. ''[[Jugulator]]'' (1997) tried to incorporate some of the 1990s contemporary [[groove metal]] styles. ''[[Demolition (Judas Priest album)|Demolition]]'' (2001) has a more traditional heavy metal sound with [[nu metal]] elements. Following the return of Halford for ''[[Angel of Retribution]]'' and ''[[Nostradamus (album)|Nostradamus]]'', the band returned to the style of its early albums.<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|title=Judas Priest {{!}} Biography & History|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/judas-priest-mn0000246611/biography|publisher=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref>

The band's popularity and status as one of the exemplary and influential heavy metal bands has earned them the nickname "Metal Gods" from their [[Metal Gods|song of the same name]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Berelian |first=Essi |title=The Rough Guide to Heavy Metal |year=2005 |publisher=Rough Guides |isbn= 1-84353-415-0 |page=172}}</ref>

Halford listened to and was influenced by [[Little Richard]], [[Elvis Presley]], [[Janis Joplin]], and [[Robert Plant]] as a vocalist. He learned to push to the limits of his vocal abilities by their vocal demonstrations on record.<ref name="mastropolo">{{cite web|url=http://www.rockcellarmagazine.com/2014/08/05/judas-priest-interview-redeemer-of-souls-rob-halford-tipton-faulkner-spinal-tap/#sthash.l0w4o4nf.YhqbnrCM.dpbs|title=Four Decades of Hellfire with Judas Priest (Interview) – Rock Cellar Magazine|date=5 August 2014|website=Rockcellarmagazine.com|first=Frank|last=Mastropolo|access-date=22 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160221154255/http://www.rockcellarmagazine.com/2014/08/05/judas-priest-interview-redeemer-of-souls-rob-halford-tipton-faulkner-spinal-tap/#sthash.l0w4o4nf.YhqbnrCM.dpbs|archive-date=21 February 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> He developed a powerful, operatic vocal style with an impressive range from lower throaty growls to ear-piercing high screams with strong [[vibrato]]. He was also a fan of [[Freddie Mercury]], referring to him as his ultimate hero.<ref name="theguardian.com">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/may/20/judas-priest-rob-halford-british-steel|title=How Judas Priest invented heavy metal|first=Roy|last=Wilkinson|date=20 May 2010|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=22 January 2018}}</ref>