A staple of late night MTV from 1987 to 1995, “Headbangers Ball” coincided with hair metal’s peak and presented a stark contrast to the channel’s daytime Top 40 videos. It kicked off April 18, 1987 as a mix of mainstream to obscure hard rock. Dubbed “The Ball”, it replaced Dee Snider’s “Heavy Metal Mania”, a monthly showcase launched in 1985. The format was expanded to incorporate more band interviews and went through a series of VJs before settling on its most identifiable host, Riki Rachtman. As Aqua Net and pyrotechnics were shoved aside for angst and flannel, the show added coverage of acts like Alice in Chains and Nirvana. Usually bands taped segments in the studio but some memorable episodes followed groups on location – notably Alice in Chain’s water park adventure and hanging with Van Hagar at Cabo Wabo. The show ended abruptly in January 1995. No official statement was made, but much of the show’s content became superfluous during alt-rock’s mid-90s boom. Fans were outraged, and no show has filled its void. A weak variation was revived for MTV2 in 2003.

Headbanger’s Blog on MTV.com
Headbanger’s Ball Compilations
Headbanger’s Ball Tribute Site