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I would also argue metal was never mainstream. The mainstream was always further takes on pop, which to an increasing degree draws from all the others innovatin
by kochthesecond 9y ago
I would also argue metal was never mainstream. The mainstream was always further takes on pop, which to an increasing degree draws from all the others innovating, if in a moderately expressed way. Listen to mainstream popular music now and you can often find some of the intensity extreme metal explored.
- larrydag 9y agoI have to agree that metal was never mainstream. I always looked at metal as an evolution of punk.
- jghn 9y agoBy many measures metal predates punk
- CuriouslyC 9y agoMetal shares with punk (unless you're talking about crossover genres like crust) a rejection of the established order and affirmation of the individual against the collective. They both also tend to be angry responses to alienation. The aesthetic of the two is radically different though. Metal is about creating a fantastic, otherworldly soundscape, while punk focuses on capturing the raw quality of life. I think industrial music was the true successors to punk. They took the raw grit of punk and made it modern and danceable.
- jghn 9y agoOriginal industrial was far from danceable. It wasn't until the post-industrial in the early 80s w/ groups like Skinny Puppy that what you describe started to happen. However the first part of your point holds, acts like Throbbing Gristle (who coined the "industrial" term) definitely came out of the British punk community.
- alexilliamson 9y agoI would argue that KISS and Van Halen were incredibly main stream and are usually considered metal... at least van Halen
- ams6110 9y agoVan Halen and KISS were not really metal in my book -- glam rock/pop, along with most of the other 80s "hair" groups. Guitar-heavy to be sure, but not really metal.
- camus2 9y ago> I would also argue metal was never mainstream. Come on, it is/was, at least in Europe. Plenty of famous metal bands in the late 90's early 2000. Even death metal had a few commercial successes.
- kochthesecond 9y agoFamous, maybe, but not mainstream. Pretty much the closest thing to ever touch prime time radio are Nothing Else Matters or maybe something by Linkin Park, both of which barely graze into metal.