In the1980s, there were the purest neoclassical metals. But before that, neoclassical metals had existed in the music styles of many heavy metal musicians. Ricky Blackmore, Uli Jon Ross, Randy Rhodes and Brian May are famous musicians who were influenced by classical music in their early days. This style is dominated by guitarists, but there are also musicians of other instruments, such as Rick Wakeman, a keyboard player. Since the appearance of rock music, the playing skills of electric guitar have developed rapidly, but before 1970, the playing skills needed by neoclassical metals did not exist. In the 1980s, the guitar skills of rock music reached its peak. Neoclassical metal is well known, which comes from the superb skills and theories of western classical music. The popularity and growth of neoclassical metals are closely related to the rising trend of guitar fast playing. Many neoclassical metal guitarists are inspired by classical musicians, such as nicolo Paganini and frederic chopin.

Yngwie Malmsteen, a Swedish guitarist, is regarded by most people as the founder of the most primitive neoclassical metal form. As a teenager, he was influenced by two musical styles: rock and classical music. 1982, Mike Varney of Shrapnel Records Company introduced ingrid's music to the United States.

The golden age of neoclassical metals was in the late1980s, when many guitarists signed contracts with Shrapnel Records Company as their artists, including Yngwie Malmsteen, Tony MacAlpine, Fini Moore, Paul Gilbert, Greg Howe, Joey Tafrola, David Chastain, Jason Becker and Marty Feynman. Most of these musicians adopted Yngwie Malmsteen's playing form in the early and middle 1980s.

Today, many orchestras choose to be a whole, abandoning the solo form of musicians in the past. Some famous neoclassical metal musicians or orchestras include Michelangelo Baggio, Joe Stein, David Vandis, Symphony No.10, strato Warjus, Adagio, Apocalypse and Warman. Some mainstream metal bands are also slightly influenced by neoclassical metal, such as Death's Son, Between the Buried and Me, Human Abstraction and Protest Heroes.

Neoclassical metals often adapt classical music works and play them in orchestral form. Especially baroque music and classical music, their unique music and skills can be effectively integrated into rock and roll. Commonly used classical music techniques include counterpoint and sustained tone.