A new survey has found that metalheads are more athletic, socially successfully and musically literate than fans of other genres.
According to The Australian, one of the largest surveys of Britain’s metalheads discovered that metal is considered “an overwhelmingly positive force in the lives of those who love it.”
The article categorizes metal as “escapist,” meaning that it helps its fans through hard times. Nearly three quarters of the respondents to the survey said metal had helped them through a tough period in their lives, and 79% said they felt “energized” after listening to metal.
Its most interesting factoid came from Spinefarm managing director Dante Bonutto, who counterpointed the idea of metal as escapism with a note on its practicality. “[Heavy Metal] defines itself against the mainstream, the ‘short-term’ music fans that don’t play or think too much about music…Metal defines you against that shallow form of music,” said Bonutto.
Conducted by the British Phonographic industry, the survey asked 3,600 visitors of participating metal labels, metal magazines, and music industry sites about their listening habits.
“[Heavy Metal] defines itself against the mainstream, the ‘short-term’ music fans that don’t play or think too much about music…Metal defines you against that shallow form of music,”
This is what I tell friends all the time, to the result of blank stares or knee-jerk reactionism, because of their own insecurities/underconfidence outside of socialisation and normalcy. My classical musician friends are usually sceptical too, but, not surprisingly, unreactive. Jazz players are mostly the pits, and have very small penises, so I tolerate them accordingly.
Mostly true from my observations. But there are also some extreme examples of mainstream idiocy dressed up as metal. It would be interesting to see a study on how the developing person comes to embrace metal, ‘true metal’ anyway. I suspect there is some inbuilt courage in being able to avoid socialization into other genres and mainstream thought in general.