As many fans can attest to, the general public has a difficult time defining heavy metal as a genre.
Most are familiar with the image and a handful of bands, however that’s the full extent of the definition for some people. Even those who grew up with it like millennials and Generation Z fall into the same clichés that boomers claim about the genre.
“It’s all the same,” some profess. “It’s the least innovative genre in music.”
This can sound frustrating to the fans who found all the subgenres and that’s the key.
The 1990’s was an era of experimentation. After the rise of grunge and alternative, many bands accepted that was the new direction in the music industry. Some recovered their original sound, while others continue to work within the formula that the 90’s garnered.
The 2000’s didn’t make this any better. The emergence of nu metal created another strand that drove bands into a box. This has influenced the production, playing style, and even songwriting of bands today. Many wonder what caused all the bands from the 80’s to never return to that classic tone.
The answer is post-90’s changes in music trends.
This has controlled the perception of what metal is today. Generation Z will only discover the nuances of American Power Metal and the New Wave Of British Metal if they are interested in finding it. As of now, the default recommendations for entry level metal fans are what consumed the industry after the 80’s. Check Spotify if you’re skeptical about what average fans are predisposed to.
The current climate has a lot to offer from the New Wave Of Traditional Metal to melodic rock. If only the masses had an easier time finding these genres to know that all metal is not “the same.”
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