Rock and roll and heavy metal are no strangers to controversy and censorship. Ever since Elvis Presley’s suggestive hip moves led to his being filmed from the waist up on his January 6th, 1957 appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, authority figures have tried to prevent young minds from being corrupted by rock stars and their music.
As the years have progressed, so has much of the world’s views of rock music, its themes and outrageous antics. But some bands still get hit with bans. From Russia banning Behemoth to Malaysia banning Lamb of God to the U.S.A. banning the Kinks(!), many of the best groups ever have found themselves not welcome in certain countries for years at a time.
Lyrical content is typically the focal point of bans, but in one country, simply being a male with long hair was all it took to be forced off the runway before anyone was afforded the opportunity to vacate the plane.
Scroll through the gallery below to examine 13 Rock + Metal Acts Who Were Banned From Countries.
