This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in the year 1986.

Newly formed bands

Albums & EPs

Events

• Living Colour's line-up is solidified to a quartet, consisting of Corey Glover (vocals), Vernon Reid (guitar), Muzz Skillings (bass), and Will Calhoun (drums).
• Phil Lynott, the former frontman of Thin Lizzy, dies at the age of 36 on January 4 from drug-related health problems.
• Metallica's third album Master of Puppets peaks at #29 on the Billboard 200, spending 72 weeks on the charts with minor radio airplay. Unfortunately, bassist Cliff Burton dies aged 24 on September 27 in a bus accident in Sweden. Jason Newsted from Phoenix band Flotsam and Jetsam is hired after auditions are held.
• Metal Hammer magazine is first published.
• Slayer's third album Reign in Blood peaks at 94 on the Billboard 200 with no radio airplay. The album also reached number 47 on the UK Album Chart,[14] and on November 20, 1992, it was certified gold in the United States. Kerrang! magazine described it as the "heaviest album of all time,"[16] while Metal Hammer magazine named it "the best metal album of the last 20 years."[17]
• Jeff "Mantas" Dunn leaves British band Venom to pursue a solo career.