As metalheads, is it compulsory that we must hate?

[.Ricks.]

I love Metal.
Right now that that's out of the way, I love all genres of music some more than others obviously, but, I don't think one should prevail over the other. OP said he thought Indie should die, well I think Indie is one of the best genres, at least they are bands doing something they like and not a band doing something for a paycheck.

 

[sheogoraththemad]

I'm a metalhead but my desire to give kesha an oophorectomy with a rusty chainsaw so she's unable to produce any more vapid rich white girl skanks stems not from my love of metal but my disgust for kesha.

well said my fellow brother,

 

[Socius]

I aprove the destruction of pop-music!
Let there be no rest for the wicked.

 

[Ulquiorra4sama]

Personally i've taken most note of all the hate people on this site seems to have towards Nickelback. I have been a fan of heavy metal, speed metal, black metal and so on for a long time as well as classic rock, but i have no objection to listening to stuff like this

 

[MasterChief892039]

I think being a metalhead causes the exact opposite of music snobbery - no one ever plays your music at parties or clubs, so you have to learn to like (or at least tolerate) what everyone else enjoys.

Eg, yesterday I said 'I'm in a band, our influences are metallica, lamb of god, slipknot and avenged sevenfold."So someone says avenged sevenfold are supposedly 'the metal equivalent of a boy band' and then somebody said that reading that made them laugh like a retard.

At the risk of completely contradicting what I just said and being a hypocrite - these bands are indeed the "boy bands" of the metal world. They are the bands that teenagers in high school start listening to and dressing in the merchandise of when they begin to go through their rebellious stage. This music has all the noise and anger of metal without any of the poetry or depth. They are empty metal husks.

Metallica however, despite having gained unfathomable popularity and completely changing their sound, still has albums that withstand the test of time (though admittedly aren't really my taste. My liking of Metallica has more to do with respect than any actual enjoyment I get from their music.)

Slipknot's just a joke.

 

[ohellynot]

Well I couldn't tell you for sure, because it just so happens that mainstream media right now sucks anyways. Remember that "Soulja Boy" asspie from a while back who released possibly the worst song of all time and made a platinum record out of it? Notice how noone fucking likes that song anymore. This leads me to believe that this music is popular due to trends and nothing more. With metal, there are songs from the 70s and even the 60s that people still listen to.

I would say I'm a bit elitist when it comes to music, but that's WHY I like metal. I also like orchestral scores, classic rock, ska, flamenco, and blues, none of which are even remotely close to what's now "mainstream." It's about composition. It has nothing to do with the popularity, I just legitimately haven't listened to mainstream band and gone "that sounds good" since Avenged Sevenfold.

wow, it actualy sounds like you're onto something here. Lets apply for a grant and develop this thoery.

 

[MeggaManDan89]

In my opinion, yes most music out side of metal aand rock is just crap, and yes i do hate some of it. But without it metal wouldnt be the underdog of music, it wouldnt be a subculture or anything like that. in all honesty with out indy and pop music metal would then become the mainstream. which i know wouldnt change the way it sounds but for those who enjoy metal for not being all over the TV and rammed in your face by pretty much every kind of media possible, it would just kill the who heart and soul of what is metal music. So as awsum as it would be to see justin bieber and all his little mainstream fucktard friends burn in a huge pool of fire and acid...we need them on this planet to keep all the screaming girls and wannabe assholes that you get on things like x-factor away from our beloved music.

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

Sometimes the best thing to do is just smile.....

[http://verydemotivational.com/2010/06/14/demotivational-posters-happy-goth/]

Seriously though, most people are guilty (to a greater or lesser degree) of music snobbery towards genres other than their own. I like to think I have a broad taste in music, from Status Quo to Pantera, The Levellers to Pendulum, Oasis to Metallica. But I still find myself 'looking down' on other genres (Rap and Garage to name two) - and have no doubt that they look on my taste in music as being worse than theirs. It's just different strokes for different folks I guess.

 

[Ruffythepirate]

Young people especially, often use music as a way of defining themselves. Pop music often stands for the people that listen to the radio and just like what is given to them, and so naturally it becomes a target. It's really a form of elitism, however it also occurs among other genres. Bottom line I think it's about insecurity.

 

[bluefiresword]

*snip* sorry wrong thread

 

[Jack_Uzi]

I think the predjudism can also be seen from the perspective of people who like popmusic. Saying that metal tends to violence and sounds like sh!t, so, there will always be criticism about music genres.
As for me, haven't been following what's popular in the world of music a long time ago. I just listen to whatever I like and that can go from metal, punk, classical to jazz and blues and lots of old rock music. Only thing I don't like is that hardcore music and all what is now called R&B (but isn't imo) and most mainstream music. Sometimes I hear a new song and think: that sounds catchy. But that's about it.

 

[jamesworkshop]

Everyone hates. It is human nature. It wouldn't matter what you enjoyed doing or listening to, you would still instinctively assume your preference is the superior one and all else is rubbish. Of course, it is then your hoice whether or not to examine that notion and act on it or not, but that's really up to you. It's got nothing to do with your musical tastes.

I enjoy a LOT of varied music, and I like metal too. I can't see that liking metal had done anything for me as a person except perhaps give me another topic of conversation and entertainment with friends.

The only thing I find odd is: why all the divisions of genre in metal music? That is, symphonic, drone, death, industrial etc. And why the insistance upon them? I can enjoy everything from Nile to Nightwish to Rammstein to Amon Amarth; why are there so many genres? As far as I can see, metal is a genre typically defined by a loud, consistent volume and beat. It is typically dominated by electric guitars, played with a singular level of skill, and bands within the genre often pride themselves on their unique vocal abilities. I'm generalising, but you get my gist. So why the divisions?

we have different genres because their are different styles of music it's no more confusing than why we make a distinction between Jazz and Funk
Its not a division to use lables we use lables because without them language cannot function.

 

[YouShouldDeleteThisAccount]

Yes, a large majority of mainstream music is awful. However. This is true of all music. Blues, Rock, Metal, Jazz, everything.

Some people just have a certain genre that will almost always appeal to them regardless of how much talent (Or lack there of)they have, and will ignore the overused cliches and common flaws of their favourite genre. I'm okay with that as long as people make the distinction between taste and talent.

I'm generally a closet Metalhead because whenever I say I like Metal everyone immediately thinks of stuff like Metallica, Slayer, Panterra and what not. Groups I think aren't particularly talented at all, but rather people enjoy the volume, energy and uhh intensity( for lack of a better word). All this blanket thinking and pushing things into giant groups isn't helping music, you'd do better to be a little more open.

Speaking of which, try out some Blues-Rock, it's a nice contrast to Metal.

EDIT:

Oh, and to call Metal underground would be an exaggeration. It's just not THAT popular anymore, that's like saying Blues is alternative.

 

[joedix88]

JUSTIN BIEBER TO KOREA!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Nazulu]

Everyone bloody hates some sort of music, there are very very few that don't, but if you think it's only metal and classic fans then your provably wrong. I think there are mostly metal and classic fans on the Escapist right now so it might only seem like that.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Everyone bloody hates some sort of music, there are very very few that don't, but if you think it's only metal and classic fans then your provably wrong.

Fans of any genre of music (or even just a sub-genre or two) can be right cunts about it.

I take the piss out of young punks in the boozer by telling them my fave punk performer is Avril Lavigne or however you spell the silly *****'s name. Works like a charm.

 

[UtopiaV1]

It's quite simple. I hate things, so i become a metalhead. Not the other way round.

 

[Shycte]

I listen to alot of music where Metal is one of many so I wouldn't really know, but I guess that it is just because we don't understand eachother.

I can get confused and even angry because someone would LIKE Lady Gaga, but that is only because I do not understand I guess.

 

[Trivun]

The fact is that fans of any music try to promote that genre, in the hopes of encouraging talented artists to join that genre. One method of promoting something is to insulting its enemies.

This is true, yet it's completely stupid. Apart from when it comes to industry awards and the charts, music is not a competition. If it was, you wouldn't see artists collaborate, like Dizzee Rascal and Florence & The Machine, or Jay-Z and everyone under the sun. And music would be pretty crap if it was nothing but a big competition and race between artists. Which is why I hate snobbery in music, and hate it when my brother turns around and says he hates someone's music for pretty silly reasons.

Hell, I consider myself 'indie', precisely because in my entire life I do and enjoy whatever I want and I don't let anybody tell me what to like or not like. That makes me both individual, and independent, which are both different definitions of what 'indie' actually means. It helps that I like a lot of indie bands mainly, but my brother says that I can't be 'indie' because I also like some rock and alternative, folk, jazz, some hip-hop, and more mainstream pop. He also dismisses me out of hand when I explain to him that it's precisely that which makes me indie, because I like all that without giving a damn what anyone else thinks. If I do things my own way, individually and independently, surely that makes me indie, right?