The state of METAL today !!!

[guitarguru777]

I was insipred by some comments i saw about nevermore not making as much money touring their asses off as Axl Rose who sits on his ass....

I have been doing alot of thinking about METAL and Rock music in general today, and wondering why bands like nevermore, opeth, fear factory, and the like dont do headlining arena tours, and dont have albums on the billboard chart.

In past years ive noticed a trend in the music industry as far as whats popular. It seems to me that the record cmapnies are paying out the nose to radio stations MTV VH1 and whatever other musci outlets are there to get what they want played on the radio. (duh we all know this im just stating it for the porpose of this thread)

Im wondering if we as fans of rack and metal can actually make a difference in the way these bands are percieved and if we can actually get them out on the billboard charts and touring arenas.

Billboard uses a system of album sales to set an albums position in the chart. So why arent bands like nevermore, opeth and feaf factory on these charts. It all comes down to album sales. The lables they happen to be on are alot smaller than say capital or sony. So they get less promotion, less money for advances and so forth. Is it Cetury Medias fault these bands arent playing bigger arenas ? Or are these bands busting their asses and doing the best they can. Would being on a MAJOR lable effect the popularity of the band?

As most of us know Cradle of Filth just signed with Sony. Has it made an impact on album sales ? Has it had an impact on their popularity. Personally im not sure. Im asking because i honestly dont know.

Give me your feedback.

Let me know what things WE as a group can do to improve on the status of these bands in the grand scheme of things.

Should we call local stations and request this stuff ?
How can we increase the fan base?
Should we increase the fanbase ?

Are we happy with the current state of metal?

Let me know. Cause not having headlining tours in BIG ARENAS like in the old days. Really sucks. Im tired of going to dingy clubs and seeing 5 bands that i dont like just for one i do.

Let me know your thoughts

Da Fukn Guru

 

[Det Som Engang Var]

Sadly we live in a country filled with sheep who would rather listen to a catchy 3 minute pop tune by half a buck or paul wall then actual music.

I hate to say it, but I dont think good music "although theres some here and there" has any chance of getting on MTV or the radio.

 

[Will Bozarth]

distorted mind, mo fugga!

 

[Valerie]

I'd rather have my favorite metal bands touring in smaller venues than arenas. Lots of metal is played on Fuse; Uranium, Metal Asylum, Slave to the Metal(not sure if that one is still on though). And even MTV2 has Headbangers Ball... but we all know that sucks teh major cock now. There's been fewer and fewer good metal bands since Black Sabbath first released their first album, especially with the past nu-metal bands, and the current wave of metalcore. I think metal is getting diluted, with the mixture of it and other genres. You also have to notice, it's not the pure death, black, gothic, etc metal bands that are getting played on Fuse or MTV2 shows, or on hard rock/metal radio stations; it's the metalcore, nu-metal and other alternative metal bands that are getting played. Though I do think it's pretty cool that Nevermore's and Opeth's new videos are On Demand on Comcast

(wow, paragraph!) I don't think the only reason certain poppy bands are getting played on TV/radio are because their record labels are kissing ass, it's just what's "in" these days. When you walk around you don't see a lot(if any)metalheads, you see preppy/scene/emo kids, listening to their Ashlee Simpson, Coheed and Cambria and what not. I think I'm done now.

P.S. Opeth's last album was 64 I believe on one of Billboard's 200 charts. Not bad for a little (not-so-)underground prog-death band from Sweden

 

[cplater]

Even the PTB (powers that be) at rock radio stations feel this way. I just took part in a focus group at the only "heavy" rock station here in Detroit, and from what they can see is that the younger audiences like to listen to rock music, but they buy fity cent, etc.
What kills me is that I was looking for Nevermore for years before I found them. One of my favorite albums of all time is Refuge Denied, and I always wondered what had happened to Sanctuary. I'm very happy that I've found them, and I just waiting to see a full headlining show from them.

 

[alphacorvus]

Opeth have been charting on Billboard for years.

 

[bball_1523]

I think everything rests in the hands of the people. America is supposed to be "we the people" right? There's your answer! If we, the people of America, or the world, stop buying into pop culture, we can make a difference, but so far that hasn't been the case.

I personally find tons of great bands, in just about all genres of music, but they aren't really mainstream, and I personally don't care if they make billboards or tour in arenas, if they feel satisfied being where they are at, then I am too. If however, they want to make it bigger, then I think I'd feel more supportive, as long as they aren't selling out.

 

[EVERLOSTINDEADETERNITY]

Ive been emailing radio stations down here for quite some time now about why they dont play Jag Panzer, Iced Earth , or Nevermore and have never gotten a response. Cradle Of FIlth have been floating around for years now on different labels seems like they do one album on a label and then leave???? I actaully thought Nymphetamine was quite better than Midian and Damnation and A Day. Hell I got the new Dragonlord today and hadnt heard a damn word about it coming out. It came out Tuesday and was not even on the new albums rack. I happen to find it right behind Dragon Land Starfall which by the way kicks ass as well.

 

[rebirthhd]

the cd shops wil not exist as such, itunes are moving at a faster rate

 

[Brooks]

Metal will always be underground. You'll never walk through a Walgreens and hear metal playing. And is that what you really want?

 

[Guru @ Work]

Opeth have been charting on Billboard for years.

But the top 50 is still dominated by shit music. In the late 80s early 90s there were GOOD bands charting in the top 50. Im not talking number 1 album here. Im talking to 50 atleast. Mabe 500,000 album sales. nevermore has got to have atleast that many fans and if they arent buying the CD;s then they arent supporting the bands

 

[derek]

The rockbands of the 60's and 70's were the pop-bands of the time.

Sometimes i wish kickass bands would be made aware to us sooner, but i normally find any band truly worth listening to with a little effort, which is fine by me.

I don't give a fuck about radio, if folks wanna be indoctrinated by that balls, its up to them. Modern music is mainly all about money: see Pop-Idol. And i don't mind the state metal is in these days, tbh.

Random slur of thoughts.

 

[Supravital Knight]

There is a Starbucks IN the Forbidden City of Beijing and a KFC at the base of the Great Wall...is THIS porgress???

 

[REBIRTTH]

You fucken asshole

what about pereal jam they sold 15million bullshit records inteh 90's

 

[nckissfan]

I like the way the industry is now. I, like LadyValerie, would rather see the bands in smaller venues. The music industry has always been driven by simple, easy money making music. So, you get the crap that is on the charts now, just as in the 80's we had to endure fucking Hall and Oates, and crap like that. I want my bands to make a good living. I don't think Warrel wants to be on MTV Cribs or anything. I would hope not.

 

[YersiniaPestis]

I agree with nckissfan and LadyValerie. I much more prefer the intimacy of a club like the Medley here in MTL or a big bar like Fouf's than a huge arena where you have to pay 60$ to see a band the size of ants. I was inches away from Jeff Loomis a couple of nights ago, the girl infront of me got to touch him, you never get that kind of contact in arenas.

As for metal on MTV and the radio and that shit, well, I don't watch MTV or Muchmusic or listen to the radio cause it's ALL CRAP! most of the time. And even if they did start playing good metal, you'd still have to go through hours of crap to see one kick ass metal video.

Another point is that metal CAN NOT be mainstream. Us metalheads have an image of being the exact opposite of that. To convert a big part of the population into metal would be blasphemous. I as a metalhead, am proud to be different and be part of a small group. I like scaring people when I walk down the street. If there were more metalheads around, people would get used to it and then the whole shock value would be gone. Metal would get boring and fade away just like anything else that has been mainstream.

What I'm trying to say is...I like metal the way it is and think it should stay that way. We are a rare breed and we should embrace that.

 

[cplater]

I think it's safe to say that most of us don't want to see Nevermore take Metallica's path to fame and misfortune, but it would be nice to know that they can make a comfortable living.

 

[REBIRTTH]

first nevermore is not a product, they are not marketable, just look at them...
also I want to point out most of the small venues are health hazards...looking scary its all in your head, do you think metal killers look like you, no they look normal, you are a poser and remember it!!!

 

[Valerie]

first nevermore is not a product, they are not marketable, just look at them...

Ooooohhhh!!! So that's why they sell CD's and other forms of merchandise with their name and logo on it!!!!

 

[derek]