Most Popular?

[raiderdeath1]

As far as worldwide popularity goes how would you rate these bands?
Not by who has the best vocals,guitarist,live show,coolest,nicest,tightest jeans,albums etc.etc. But who do think is the biggest and has the most fans. WORLDWIDE!

In no particular order
Gamma Ray
Angra
Stratovarius
Edguy
Sonata Arctica
Blind Guardian
Nightwish
Kamelot
Iced Earth
Symphony X
Rhapsody
Hammerfall
Helloween

A friendly poll. This is not the be all, end all poll so lets have fun with this and not start a holy war.

 

[raiderdeath1]

My thoughts are:
1 Stratovarius
2 Helloween
3 Blind Guardian
4 Nightwish
5 Iced Earth
6 Gamma Ray
7 Symphony X
8 Angra
9 Edguy
10 Rhapsody
11 Sonata Arctica
12 Hammerfall
13 Kamelot

 

[urinalcakemix]

Symphony X more popular than Edguy and Rhapsody? Edguy was on the charts w/ Hellfire club, I've never seen SX on any charts, and I thought Rhapsody was pretty popular over there.

Not trying to argue, just asking

 

[dtmetalfan69]

Why isn't Priest or Maiden on that list? Just curious.

Keep Rockin'!
saMetal

 

[Angrafan]

as of now?


1.Nightwish
2. All the rest...

 

[Bryan316]

The Bee Gees
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Devo

 

[booB]

Based on my experience with these bands since about 1997, and the little I know about their sales figures, I'd probably rate them as follows:

Helloween (#1 because of their relative popularity in the 80s)
Iced Earth (I'm picking them #2 because they got widespread distro long before the rest of this list)
Angra (I never realized it, but, for a metal band, these guys are HUGE in countries other than the US)
Hammerfall
Blind Guardian
Gamma Ray
Stratovarius
Nightwish
Symphony X
Rhapsody
Edguy
Kamelot
Sonata Arctica (they're almost nonexistent, compared to the rest of the list)

 

[Harvester]

Nightwish- Far above everyone else in terms of album sales
Blind Guardian (name another band that could pull off their own two day fest)
Helloween
Stratovarius
Gamma Ray
Angra (if this list excluded South America, they drop big time)
Rhapsody (sales alone)
Edguy
Symphony X
Kamelot
Sonata Arctica


I don't agree with this of course, but based on sales/tour draw, this is how it is.

Glenn H.

 

[Claus / Intromental]

Nightwish- Far above everyone else in terms of album sales
Blind Guardian (name another band that could pull off their own two day fest)
Helloween
Stratovarius
Gamma Ray
Angra (if this list excluded South America, they drop big time)
Rhapsody (sales alone)
Edguy
Symphony X
Kamelot
Sonata Arctica


I don't agree with this of course, but based on sales/tour draw, this is how it is.

Glenn H.

Yes and no Right now NIGHTWISH is headandshoulders above the rest, but if you look at total sales over the years, Helloween has done better than any of the others - much better.

And - Stratovarius has sold more than Blind Guardian!

As for Gamma Ray vs. Angra, I also believe Angra to have superiority over GR in sales, based on the fact that Angra has always been selling VERY well in Japan, where GR never got their foot down.

And - just for the sake of arguement, hehe - I believe Edguy has better sale than Rhapsody (because Edguy TOURS whereas Rhapsody doesn't really do much of that, and we all know touring increases sales). Especially if you also add the Avantasia project into the Edguy sales.

In other words - I disagree with you - and you know I'm always right

c.

 

[Harvester]

Yes and no Right now NIGHTWISH is headandshoulders above the rest, but if you look at total sales over the years, Helloween has done better than any of the others - much better.

And - Stratovarius has sold more than Blind Guardian!

As for Gamma Ray vs. Angra, I also believe Angra to have superiority over GR in sales, based on the fact that Angra has always been selling VERY well in Japan, where GR never got their foot down.

And - just for the sake of arguement, hehe - I believe Edguy has better sale than Rhapsody (because Edguy TOURS whereas Rhapsody doesn't really do much of that, and we all know touring increases sales). Especially if you also add the Avantasia project into the Edguy sales.

In other words - I disagree with you - and you know I'm always right

c.

Ah..but let me throw this in.

1. I was just counting the last year for Nightwish. You are absolutely right otherwise in regards to Helloween.

2. The Strat over BG numbers do surprise me considering the German sales of the last two BG albums alone. Once again, I was basing my post on the current status of the past few years.

3. I'm standing my ground on the Gamma Ray vs Angra thing regardless of Japan. Of course, I have no idea how sales were during the Andre era over there so I could be dead wrong.

4. The Rhapsody vs Edguy was a toss-up for me (not counting Avantasia). I sure hope to hell that Edguy sell more than they do.

 

[AngraRULES]

Blind Guardian
Nightwish
Angra
Helloween
Stratovarius
Blind Guardian
Gamma Ray
Edguy
Kamelot
Rhapsody
Sonata Arctica
Iced Earth
Symphony X
Hammerfall

 

[Harvester]

Blind Guardian

Nightwish
Angra
Helloween
Stratovarius
Blind Guardian
Gamma Ray
Edguy
Kamelot
Rhapsody
Sonata Arctica
Iced Earth
Symphony X
Hammerfall

I would assume your list is based on personal preference and not an actual measure of sales/tours correct?

Glenn H.

 

[Barking Pumpkin]

Most popular at this moment? Easily Nightwish. Not that I care, but apparently they're too popular to even bother touring in the US.

 

[AngraRULES]

I would assume your list is based on personal preference and not an actual measure of sales/tours correct?

Glenn H.

Not exactly Glenn. If I were to pick based on my preference Angra would easily be #1 way above Nightwish. I won't say that I picked them as far as sales measurement goes either, because to be honest I haven't followed sales very close in the last few years. i did this list based on how popular bands are among people that I know and what me and they find more popular. At least among us. If I were to pick that based on the sales and tours, it would have been rather different. =)

 

[LuCinda]

As for Gamma Ray vs. Angra, I also believe Angra to have superiority over GR in sales, based on the fact that Angra has always been selling VERY well in Japan, where GR never got their foot down.

It seems like most groups sell very well in Japan. Sonata Arctica and Kamelot have had overwhelming success there.
About Angra vs Gamma Ray...Did not know much about Gamma Ray and only had a couple of Angra cd's. Then, I heard the Angra cd called Temple of Shadows in which the singer from GR does the vocals. I am now interested in hearing much more Gamma Ray as the vocalist has an awesome voice. Hopefully others will feel the same way after they hear T of S.
Cindy

 

[glasscastle]

I would say Helloween first Angra a close second

 

[AngraRULES]

If we're counting on having real fans, I would exclude Nightwish given the fact that many of their millions of fans are also fans of whatever's cool at the time... or popular... or mtv based... like nightwish in Brazil now... Dude, if you guys knew how pathetic Nightwish's fanbase in Brazil is now... 90% of them are just 13 year old girls that see them on MTV everyday and think they're the greatest thing in the world... and they dream Nightwish would tour with Avril Lavigne, Evanescence and Linkin Park.... It's fucking ridiculous...

I like the band and all, but I have a feeling the next Nightwish album will disappoint us big time...

 

[Angrafan]

Blind Guardian
Nightwish
Angra
Helloween
Stratovarius
Blind Guardian
Gamma Ray
Edguy
Kamelot
Rhapsody
Sonata Arctica
Iced Earth
Symphony X
Hammerfall

Milton, I think you are a littble biased towards Angra because you know how big they are in Brazil...
But other than South American and Japan, the only places they have a somewhat decente crowd is France and Italy.. They are rather small in the rest of Europe.. Not even in Germany they were able to hit it big time, where power metal bands usually do...

 

[AngraRULES]

I think I have already explained why I had my list the way I had...
Now, since it seems to be a big deal to have an official list, based on sales and popularity around the world, I guess I'm gonna have to go with a new one, different this time...

Helloween (I think if we count their sales around the world since their early days the beat Nightwish)
Nightwish (Nowadays they should get number one... Of course, Helloween didn't have to sell cell phone covers or other "pop" memorabilia)
Blind Guardian (Glenn said it all)
Stratovarius
Angra
Helloween
Gamma Ray
Edguy
Iced Earth
Rhapsody
Kamelot
Sonata Arctica
Symphony X
Hammerfall

I hope this one is better... I will repeat though, the criteria was different for choosing the two lists I've posted.

And angrafan, as much as you think I'm biased, I do know that Angra is only such a major hit in those countries you've mentioned. You have to remember that Angra didn't go that well in Germany because most what they care is about the straight power metal, not the more proggish bands (Yes, Angra and Symphony X are included in this "prog-power genre").

 

[WingsofTragedy]

Blind Guardian (name another band that could pull off their own two day fest)

Alive In Athens? Iced Earth