Too much metal?

[MasterOLightning]

I'm going to write a column on the subject, so I've compiled some stats, and I am looking for some feedback.

Full length metal releases per year, worldwide, according to metal-archives.
1981: 81
1982: 120
1983: 162
1984: 260
1985: 349
1986: 382
1987: 366
1988: 423
1989: 460
1990: 474
1991: 492
1992: 600
1993: 694
1994: 824
1995: 983
1996: 1146
1997: 1231
1998: 1397
1999: 1712
2000: 1815
2001: 2121
2002: 2516
2003: 2822
2004: 3286
2005: 3507
2006: 2558
(Still one quarter of the year left in 2006, so should end up being ~3200.)

That's just full lengths. One flaw is the inclusion of bands that have left metal, and side projects in M-A, but this can't make a huge difference.

I should do demos as well; those are certain to have exploded over just the past three or four years with home recording being so easy. I'm also going to do percentage increases later on.

What are your thoughts on this? Is there too much metal? Looking at the small list from '81, a rather high percentage of those names are familiar, even though I don't listen to much from that era at all. Looking through the tons of bands in the past decade, a much smaller portion is familiar. Is quality going down? How does one possibly keep up with 3000+ plus releases? How can we expect magazines/other news sources to? Who decides which bands are relevant? How do you? When does the number flatten out?

Other thoughts?

 

[cookiecutter]

I think this is due to the genres continually branching out and the fact that there are more metalheads!

I think that it is not too much metal, and it allows for more of what you want.

 

[Slayed Necros]

I agree, there's so much new metal nowadays that I barely check out anything other than new albums released by bands whom I already enjoy. I've literally heard about three albums released this year, and I enjoyed none. Not even the new Peste Noire is exempt, which is highly disappointing. I'll stick to the glory days of the early-mid 90's, and newer bands I'm already well-acquainted with.

 

[Slayed Necros]

Erik's post sums up my thoughts better than I could.

 

[MasterOLightning]

I've heard less than 10 albums from 2006, and none are from new bands (exception: Ihsahn.) I find myself totally lost when it comes to what to look in to out of new bands, and with so many bands that already have a good reputation on the list of things to get, I'm thinking that basically no one hears 95% of the albums of 2006.

 

[V.V.V.V.V.]

I've heard around 80 albums from 06, maybe more. Mainly downloaded and I can certainly tell you I disliked plenty of them. But I also found some fucking GEMS...perhaps it's because I'm rather new to metal (2003 basically) that I enjoy the modern metal scene more than a lot of people do, but I don't find the genre of metal to be very stagnant at all; the people that say this are just too lazy to go find new stuff.

 

[metal_wrath]

I don't think the qaulity is lower, especially regarding production. Although the metal scene has been on a higher level of quality than most other scenes, as well as having some of the most impressive amount of quality music.

 

[Seance]

Is quality going down?

nah

How does one possibly keep up with 3000+ plus releases?

well, you can't. odds are 2990 of those 3000 releases aren't worth checking out in the first place anyway

How can we expect magazines/other news sources to?

hmm... they do, in ways... I bet you could find 1 review on even the most obscure album somewhere on the net

Who decides which bands are relevant?

the bands themselves - they're the ones who choose to make worthwhile music

in the overall view, metal isn't exactly the bottom of the barrel in terms of quality music - but it's close ... that's the best way I can put that thought

 

[LivingCadaver]

interesting stats. I've particularly enjoyed a couple of the releases (Unexpect, Mastodon, Fuck the Facts) this year but a lot were good/ok (Suffocation, Deicide, Into Eternity, Agalloch, Amorphis, Guttural Secrete, Frightmare, Ghoul, Wolves in the throne room, Slayer, Enslaved, etc.) which isn't bad in itself.

 

[Fury of the Storm]

if they have a myspace site they're out

Nile has a myspace. Are they out now?

 

[dEaThToFaLsEmEtAl34]

They're not that great to begin with.

 

[Kreator/Destroyer]

new metal bands is good because there are new sounds, bad because a lot of those bands sound like shit

 

[Fury of the Storm]

They're not that great to begin with.

errmm. Sure.

 

[Blue_Jay]

They're not that great to begin with

Nile is awesome. I mean an egyptian theme inside of metal? Coundn't get much more awesome than that. Atfer 4 months of not liking them due to the vocals I finally grew on them.

But anyways I have to agree. Too much metal albums are coming out this year and I coundn't care less about probably 1 out of 30 of it. Slayer came out with a good album if you ignore the lyrics (which I am good at thank God). Deicide's new album is my pick for the best album of the year. Blind Guardian's new album is pretty good. Lamb Of God (I'm a fan) released a disapointing album to some but it was good for me. And In Flames my favorite band was good but not as good as Soundtrack To Your Escape. They steped down on their heavyness but still it's good (to me). A lot also found it disapointing. Demiricous came out with a good thrash metal album and thanks to MTV2 (yaaay I'm glad) they are becoming well known even on their first album. I'm sure I missed some. But anyways. As for the other metal bands that are unknown. They need to wait in line until some bands come out with bad albums. That way those bands can become popular and the next big thing.

 

[OldScratch]

yes


you dont


if they have a myspace site they're out

Not sure about the Myspace part as I don't bother with the site one way or the other...but just the same, this sounds about right.

 

[unknown]

the people that say this are just too lazy to go find new stuff.

or too closeminded

I think this has a lot of similarities with the Future of Metal thread in that there will continue to be the group of people who say nothing good has been made since 1995 er whatever, and then there will be the small minority of us who are finding the bands that are continually pushing the envelopes.

A lot of those numbers are due in part because the bands we have today were kids/teenagers in the 80s and early 90s. So you get twenty billion kids that listen to the same five bands, and of course there's going to be an explosion of bands.

Plus I think a lot of it has to do with availability. Back in the 80s you had magazines, the radio, compilation tapes and vinyl. Now we have the internet, mp3s and all sorts of other means of communication. Some bands haven't even met their other members. Goes to show that with the advent of new technologies the possibilities for collaboration are extended.

 

[Impudent]

This thread is depressing.

 

[Blue_Jay]

I think so also

 

[Phoenix5]

3200 METAL albums, but how many rap albums? how many hip-hop albums? how many country albums? how many contemporary albums?

i think it is just progression. metal still doesnt come close to the mainstream. personally, nothing could be worse for the metal community than to hit the mainstream.

 

[Saparmurat_Niyazov]

I definitely think the scene is oversaturated and its to the point where it's almost industrialized. It's all about raising production. And I'll put a different spin on this, being as I am poor. I don't know how many people on this forum (who don't still live with their parents) makes <$25,000, but that's me. I have a family with 2 children, and with all the bills I pay, there's no way I can keep up with a scene that is so bloated. I do take solace in the fact that I'm not missing much (because at least 3000 of the 3200 - 3500 releases that hit the shelves this year will suck), but I know I'm missing some of the good shit.