Big 4 of Traditional Metal?

Who would you list as the big 4 of traditional metal? Obviously Priest and Maiden are in there, but then things get weirder. Do you include Sabbath, and if so, would that also entail Ozzy and Dio? Would Rainbow fit? Even Twisted Sister could make a claim as being part of this big 4.

Priest 
Maiden
Scorpions?
Dunno

Sabbath
Priest
Maiden
Scorpions

Some bands didn’t like to identity as metal, but they were! (like Motörhead). I think the four bands I chose are some of the oldest and biggest names (at least in their respective heydays).

Priest
Maiden
Saxon
Sabbath

Maybe...

Black Sabbath
Judas Priest
Iron Maiden
Motorhead

Actually let me revise mine:

Black Sabbath
Judas Priest
Iron Maiden
Ozzy Osbourne

Motorhead, Dio and Accept are also major contenders though.

Iron Maiden
Saxon
Dio
Black Sabbath (Dio era)

Ozzy? Manowar?

I cringe to include Sabbath because I'm all about the Ozzy era which I properly classify as Doom Metal. Perhaps I could add them on the basis of the Dio era. Ozzy's solo work is really a mixed bag to me with a lot of it not being particularly heavy. I have a few Manowar albums but I'm not all that familiar with their discography. I've actually never listened to Judas Priest (mostly due to Halford's sexuality) but I might some day.

I feel like Black Sabbath has doom elements but weren't locked into that sound, even with Ozzy. There's not a metal band going that doesn't borrow something from Iommi.

Yeah, it's mostly the first three albums and then they started to experiment more. But those are my favorites.

Sabbath, Priest, Maiden, 

but that fourth is tough...

First I was going to go with Queensryche, but they just didn't stick with trad metal enough and are the fathers of prog metal. 

Then I thought Metal Church, but they really fit that American Power Metal mold so well.

I also liked the suggestions of Quiet Riot and Twisted Sister, but they just didn't survive and petered out too early.

So I came up with a solution.  Just asking myself: who started out in the 80's and just mastered the genre with great releases?  And I came up with...

<duh duh duh duuuuuuuuuuuh>

Chastain

Rainbow was more prototype and deep purple was the seed.

Maiden and Priest (even if I don't like them "Priest" due to Rob's terrrrrible thin and high vocals) it can't be denied are the two big legit traditional metal bands no question. After that as mentioned things get strange as far as picking four consistent bands in this genre.

Superjuice wrote:Sabbath, Priest, Maiden, 

but that fourth is tough...

IKR

The fourth one is difficult because the bands I want to choose are not straight up trad heavy metal or are less popular

4) non thrashy Metallica songs
or
4) Saint, Barren Cross, Bride

Unfortunatrly I think the #4 slot is Ozzy just based on record sales alone, which is really all the Big 4 of thrash metal is.