Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in Birmingham in 1969. They have sold over 50 million albums and are frequently ranked as one of the greatest metal bands of all time. They have been referred to as one of the pioneers of the new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) movement, and cited as a formative influence on metal subgenres, including speed metal, thrash metal, and power metal, as well as the hard rock and glam metal scene of the 1980s. The band struggled without significant commercial success until 1980, when their sixth studio album British Steel brought mainstream attention.