Is the media discriminatory to metal music and its fanbase?

On some other boards I post at, some people say that the media is degrading to metal music and its fans and culture. They often try to skewer things to make it look worse (it already has a bad image according to a lot of people, including many here, I imagine). It seems like they have an agenda against us, and try to focus on the bad things and only the bad things.

This seems true in many cases. Do you find the media's perception of metal music and its fanbase to be discriminating?

probably, but i don't really care. i don't consider myself apart of any "scene", so i don't care who says what. i just listen to music that 90% of the world doesn't like. so i expect the general population not to understand it.

I think so,but like mc said I really dont care what other people think.I listen to what I like.They should do the same.

I think for the most part, the media really doesn't give a shat about metal, and mostly ignores it.

ack

I agree with AchrisK. Mostly metal is ignord by media and that for many, many years now. But it doesn't matter. Because there is such a large fan base and most of the fans don't care about media, just ignore media as well.

Yeah. I've known enough critics and trendy musicians to learn to ignore them. If I let them tell me what was cool to listen to I'd be missing out on almost everything that I actually groove to. Life is too short for that.

Lets see..., I'm a metalhead, I ride motorcycles, I'm a right wing christian conservative gun owning anti-abortion pro death penalty, so according to todays media I am 1 step better than the anti-christ.

I think the only "metal" that the media ever comments on (other than possibly special reports on things like church burning or suicide/murder) is trendy metal or nu-metal.

But check this out:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/connected/main.jhtml?xml=/connected/2007/03/21/nmetal21.xml

Still, the bands mentioned are mostly trendy.

ack

Media is preoccupied with what is hot and in, metal seldom fits in that category. So they stay away from it. In the 80's metal was very big, thus the media had to recognize some of the bands. But that also led to bands softening up their image to become media friendly. In the 90's metal was "dead" to the media's eyes, as it was not so popular any longer. I think it's on it's way back though, as some channeøs (like MTV) are once again airing metal videos.

Do we really want the media to be Metal friendly?
I think many of us Metalheads think it is cool to be a little spesial, to not like what everyone else likes.
Isn`t it a good feeling to be part of a scene that not everyone understands?
Would we really like if Metal got very trendy again, and every trend follower walked around wearing Overkill T-shirts just because it was the latest fashion??
I don`t think so!

Olafsto wrote:

Do we really want the media to be Metal friendly?
I think many of us Metalheads think it is cool to be a little spesial, to not like what everyone else likes.
Isn`t it a good feeling to be part of a scene that not everyone understands?
Would we really like if Metal got very trendy again, and every trend follower walked around wearing Overkill T-shirts just because it was the latest fashion??
I don`t think so!

Well, they are selling Iron Maiden and Motörhead t-shirts at H&M. Then you have the Slayer t-shirt in the ICA commercial, not to mention Hammerfall being used for various sports events! Metal is on it's way back!!

Ok Kmorg, are you ready for the eighties all over again??
I guess the kids will think us "oldies" loocks pretty pathetic
in the hottest fashion clothing:lol:
But of course these things always come and go, also Metal.

The media doesn't matter to me one way or the other....

As far as metal being popular or not that doesn't matter, either. I don't care if I meet 3 people who like - lets say - Brainstorm, for instance, or if 17 million people end up buying the next Brainstorm album. So long as it rocks, I'm gonna listen to it!!

Good thread!!!

Olafsto wrote:

Ok Kmorg, are you ready for the eighties all over again??
I guess the kids will think us "oldies" loocks pretty pathetic
in the hottest fashion clothing

Didn't you look good in pastel?

Hamer12 wrote:
Lets see..., I'm a metalhead, I ride motorcycles, I'm a right wing christian conservative gun owning anti-abortion pro death penalty, so according to todays media I am 1 step better than the anti-christ.

Good? Ha!
I looked fantastic in my pink BALL sweather and POCO LOCO trousers.
Even had the right hair!!!

I think society as a whole views metal and its subculture as full of degenerates. Some of the smartest people I have met are metalheads as well as some of the biggest idiots I have ever met. In many ways, Metal is an easy target for the media because, let's face it, it's not hard to find a complete moron metalhead. How many truly articulate metal fans have you EVER seen interviewed? I have seen very few.

As to whether or not I care about the media perception, I really don't. I enjoy the music and to hell with someone else's opinion. I pursue many unpopular activities so I guess I am just used to it. Ha!

mc666 wrote:

probably, but i don't really care. i don't consider myself apart of any "scene", so i don't care who says what. i just listen to music that 90% of the world doesn't like. so i expect the general population not to understand it.

Yeah, I pretty much agree with him.

I think for the most part the true media is clueless as to what real metal is! To most metal is what is popular and trendy.

I mean how many times have the media mentioned bands we all like? You hear what is popular or what might have made someone commit suicide or go on rampage because they were listening to the devils music.

I could care less how the media portrays metal they are clueless IMO.

They should focus on the hip hoppers and rappers and what there lyrics are like. They are worse!

Wargod48

Witchfinder wrote:

I think society as a whole views metal and its subculture as full of degenerates. Some of the smartest people I have met are metalheads as well as some of the biggest idiots I have ever met. In many ways, Metal is an easy target for the media because, let's face it, it's not hard to find a complete moron metalhead. How many truly articulate metal fans have you EVER seen interviewed? I have seen very few.

As to whether or not I care about the media perception, I really don't. I enjoy the music and to hell with someone else's opinion. I pursue many unpopular activities so I guess I am just used to it. Ha!

Well said.

i dont care what any media say they probably know nothing about rock and metal music. as long as i can still buy it and can enjoy it i am happy

although i cant stand people who say it is just noise when they have never listened to it. i always tell them to bog off and listen ta fall out boy