The Culture of Heavy Metal Music Listeners Around the World free essay sample

The crowd will usually sing along word for word with the band in a language they dont even speak (in some cases even drowning out the band); it is an incredible example of music transcending cultural barriers. A great example can be found in the video recording of the and Judas Priest playing Japan to a crowd of over 1 9,000 fans; when the camera focuses on the crowd you can see them all singing along with the music and can see that they are all very emotionally moved by the experience (through facial expressions, crying, cheering, etc). English also comes into play when fans and listeners turn to the Internet to discuss and rate bands, and to discover new music. Somewhere around 87. 5% of all Internet forums and news sites devoted to heavy metal music are presented in English, despite there being an obvious presence of participants from predominantly on-English speaking countries (a large majority seem to come from Japan, Finland, and Switzerland). We will write a custom essay sample on The Culture of Heavy Metal Music Listeners Around the World: or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Some fans will learn English both in order to understand the song material and to communicate with the bands and other likened fans; others will use translating programs to communicate.Another cultural phenomenon is that metal fans tend to have a much higher rate of smoking tobacco (usually cigarettes Which has the most research reported on it) than others. The reasons and hypotheses for why this occurs seem to differ across different nations. In both the United States and Great Britain there is a strong correlation relationship between heavy metal music and high risk taking/ delinquent behavior (keep in mind that correlation does not imply causation His definitely does not mean that heavy metal music causes or influences adolescents to adapt delinquent behavior). Due to smoking being considered a delinquent behavior in the popular culture in these nations, there is an obvious correlation between smoking and metal music in English speaking Europe and the United States. In most non-English speaking European nations tobacco use is almost considered a national pastime. In countries like France and Italy smokers are a majority of the population in general, so the metal fans do not really stand apart from the cultural norm.In Asian countries smoking is more socially acceptable than in English speaking countries, but there is a slightly higher rate of smokers who are metal fans over smokers in the general population. The surveys that have been done in Asian countries point to a higher rate of hero worship and idealization; being that many heavy metal musicians smoke and are heroes to their fans this hypothesis makes a lot of sense. Most cultures also have a manner of dress that is recognizable (although his is becoming rare due to the current globalization trend Tit the 4 different cultural groups that this paper is focusing on the fashion trends are almost identical). Most heavy metal listeners tend to wear darker clothes (usually blacks and reds), but due to the culture stressing individuality and truth, the actual manner of dress can vary quite a bit from metadata to metadata. Ata concert (no matter which cultural area ifs in) the most common attire for a fan is a black band t-shirt or hooded sweatshirt and jeans. Heavy metal fans also tend to have more piercing and tattoos then on-metal fans (many long time fans will actually incorporate bands and/or metal imagery into their skin art).There are several pictures included at the end of the paper to give a better visual example, but there is no way to possibly include the looks for every metal fan. The article Heavy Metal Carnival and Desalination was based on four years of concert fieldwork and extensive music media analysis (including bands such as Cradle of Filth, GEAR, Insane Clown pos se, Marilyn Manson, and Slipknot), this article shows how he. Y metal music and its carnival culture express a disc-alienating politics of resistance. Applying Bakings multifaceted conceptualization of the carnival-grotesque, the author explains how grotesque realism in metal music and performances constitutes a proto- utopian lamina alternative to the impersonal, conformist, superficial, unequal, and numbing realities of commercialism and, more abstractly, a resistance to a society of spectacle and nothingness. The article really showcases how the metal community tends to be a counter culture even across different popular culture norms in multiple nations. Heavy metal fans had less strong reasons for living (especially male fans) ND had more thoughts of suicide (especially female fans).For a large majority, listening to music (all types) had a positive effect on mood. Overall, the results indicate that preference for heavy metal music among adolescents may be a red flag for increased suicidal vulnerability, but also suggest that the source of the problem may lie more in personal and familial characteristics than in any direct effe cts of the music. To put it simply, fans of heavy metal music may be in a higher risk group for suicide; but it is more likely that they are drawn to the music due to prior conditions and that the sic has a soothing and therapeutic effect.In several studies across different nations (including Britain, Japan, and the United States) it was seen that heavy metal listeners were much more likely to attempt to play a musical instrument. Over 1 3rd of adolescent heavy metal listeners saw themselves in a music related career 10 years down the line. The most popular reason heavy metal fans said that they for enjoyed the music was that the performers had a lot of skill and talent. The next reason was that they related to the social issues expressed in the music.In American ND British studies, heavy metal listeners had higher rated intelligence then those that did not listen to heavy metal music. A great example of heavy metal culture crossing national boundaries is the Annual Weaken Open Air Festival that is held every year in Germany. It is a 3 day long festival that devoted to heavy metal music. Several bands travel from all over the world (such as All That Remains from the United States, Guitarists from Japan, Children of Body from Finland, Iron Maiden from Great Britain, and 3 Inches of Blood from Canada), the bands will play music for all 3 days from noon till midnight.