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The Internet is slowly killing Metal


LiakosVikernes666

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Re: The Internet is slowly killing Metal Yes and no, as in the 80's, many glammers were still rocking to Dio and Maiden in addition to Poison and Ratt, but not typically with stuff like Exodus or Bathory. Dio and Maiden are no less metal for this, but were both melodic enough to catch mainstream crossover. Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2

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the point I was going for relates more to the extreme sub-genres, when death and black metal were first starting out none of the bands would have even considered that their music could i any way ever become commercially appealing unlike today where bands will take death or black metal in it's simplest form, water it down and mass produce it for consumption by people simply wanting the diluted form of metal that so many hardcore fans detest but all 'm doing here is trying to be the devil's advocate so haf of it is bullshit :)

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On the contrary, it tends to be the most watered down commercial bands that receive the most notice. Pop accessibility sells, not originality, or Celtic Frost would be more popular than Whitesnake. Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2
That's always been the case, and you even pointed it out yourself. Glam/hair bands collectively dominated the mainstream in the '80s. There were exceptions, of course. But I wasn't explicitly referring to the mainstream, either.
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I think part of the problem is slick production. There's a difference between clarity and sterility. I feel sorry for the poorly informed kids who have these t-shirts for bands who are shallow, thrown-together pop, with a little bit of a scary face. There's more to metal than that. I hope the kids let their knowledge deepen over the years. I feel like a worried grandma when I see some of them. "Tired of songs about feeling bad? Here's a song about pagan marauders!" :)

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many of them are just scene kids Forge, they'll listen to slipknot or trivium for a while because it's "rebellious and cool" then the next trend comes along and it's hip hop or dubstep or whatever then they grow up and just listen to the latest commercial pop rubbish i.e. lady gaga, the few that don't abandon the trend are often mocked by their peers for it and don't expand their knowledge (generally speaking) maybe the odd scene kid here and there will turn into a fully fledged headbanger but it seems to be getting rarer

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Re: The Internet is slowly killing Metal

That's always been the case, and you even pointed it out yourself. Glam/hair bands collectively dominated the mainstream in the '80s. There were exceptions, of course. But I wasn't explicitly referring to the mainstream, either.
Okay, let's talk about another genre, death metal, for instance. I can guarantee that Amon Amarth sells more albums than not only the bands that inspired them, but also the more classic albums in the genre. They are accessible, and they have done practically nothing to change up or vary their sound since their debut album over 15 years ago. This doesn't make them bad, but if changing up your sound was necessary for success, Amon Amarth would not be successful. On the black metal side of the spectrum, Dark Funeral can be viewed the same way. More original and interesting bands like Nastrond or Arckanum from the same scene are often skipped over in favor of bands that don't change it up like Dark Funeral or Marduk. Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2
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  • 4 weeks later...

no its not the internet that is killing metal. to me it is two things. 1. ilegall dowloading. people seem to keep defending illegal dowloading and saying music should be free. this complete rubush how would you feel if you put all your time and effort into something and cost you money to do so then you are not making money back because someone is illegal dowloading it. ignorance is the root of this problem people not undestand how much it actually cost for an artist to record mix mater realise and promote his music. also the record labels are a falt for giving us such shity products. i will always pay for music and i will always buy physical copy to. OK second point reality tv shows. music has now become about who is popular and who rather than who is talented. reality TV is destroy music because it means an idiot that comes across as good and is popular can become an over night star. the internet isn't the problem it is how it is used and who it is used bye. because of the internet there has been a massive resurgence in live music to. if it seems metal is dieing it is because now any idiot can grow the hair and call them self metal. or what have you.

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  • 4 weeks later...

People made music long before the internet and bign record deals, and will in the future. If anything, the internet facilitates greater communication between musicians, allowing for greater experimentation. I will say that given the extreme number of bands and other musical artists promoting themselves on the net, you really have to work hard to stand out and be successful. This is where dedicated touring comes in.

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Yea i'd have to agree with you a little bit.It's hard to sell your albums if they're all on the internet.But remember that it's illegal in some countries and they cant download them there..not like here that u can get away with anything.Plus i know i say that but if i wanna be honest i really cant say i wish it was any other way.I'm a huge metalhead but i live in Greece and im under 18.So i cant get a credit card and there's really no way for me to get any metal music because that stuff arent famous here at all and noone sells them.If it wasnt for the internet i wouldnt be able to even know about half the stuff that i listen to today.

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The whole point, which some people appear to be missing, is that an illegal download does not equal a lost sale. I would argue that most people use downloading to sample tracks, much in the same way as borrowing a CD / vinyl / cassette from their mate for example. Then if they decide they enjoy it, they'll buy their own copy, go to a gig or buy a tshirt. Of course I'm generalising, and there must be people out there who don't ever buy something to support the bands, but my point is that those people are few and far between.

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Ok, I've just had a quick read of this thread and I feel ready to throw in my two cents... Firstly... This...

The whole point' date=' which some people appear to be missing, is that an illegal download does not equal a lost sale. I would argue that most people use downloading to sample tracks, much in the same way as borrowing a CD / vinyl / cassette from their mate for example. Then if they decide they enjoy it, they'll buy their own copy, go to a gig or buy a tshirt. Of course I'm generalising, and there must be people out there who don't ever buy something to support the bands, but my point is that those people are few and far between.[/quote'] I agree, it does seem like quite a lot of fans who initially illegally download then go onto to buy the album or merch/gig ticket, etc. Also, I still stand by the thought that a 'true fan' would not rip off their favourite bands by not buying the album. So, let's say an album was only available on CD (through some fluke!) - the true fan would buy it and the equivalent of the illegal downloader wouldn't. It's not a lost sale if that person was never going to even entertain the thought of buying it anyway. However, to a degree, it is still theft. A bit of a contradiction there, but I think there is a difference. Is the internet killing metal? No, I don't think so. The internet brings it's own set of challenges, but it also brings about a whole set of good points. Although bands may not be able to make a full living through their music alone, by being able to manage their own sales (to a degree) and deal with fans directly, they're able to get back some of their costs and not have to pay out to half a dozen middlemen in the process. I think direct sales through sites like bigcartel and Bandcamp are terrific. Even though both do take a cut (they are businesses afterall), it's not a massive amount. Also, if it wasn't for Bandcamp, I wouldn't have found out about a shedload of amazing bands (Erebus Enthroned, FrostSeele and Ethernal instantly spring to mind - check them out :D ). I think in order for bands to make some money these days, they need to try something a little bit different. Although music should (and always should) be the main focus for any band, they also need to look into what they're offering fans. These days people need more of an incentive to part with their cash (times are hard, folks!) - so merch deals (someone mentioned beanies and t-shirts earlier), limited edition vinyl pressings - even cassette tapes are all worth looking into. Hell, in the last couple of months I've bought 3 cassette tapes. I never thought I'd be saying that in 2013. I also think vinyl is making a bit of a comeback - especially through sites like Bandcamp (I don't work for them, I swear - I'm just really impressed with the idea!) - when the buyer also gets an instant digital copy of the album with their purchase. To me, that really is the best of both worlds. Another good thing about the internet is forums/sites like this one. I'll stop sucking up now.... ;)
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On a more serious note: I really don't think so. If the bands tried to be more original, had a some kind of incentive to buy the album. Or if they atleast would take more time to aknowledge their fanbase. Then their sales would be better. Too many bands with elitist attitudes these days!

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It's not a lost sale if that person was never going to even entertain the thought of buying it anyway. However' date=' to a degree, it is still theft. [/quote'] Perhaps it's just semantics, but is theft really the right word? To my mind, theft / stealing is taking something which doesn't lawfully belong to you, away from someone else, leaving them without said item. Making a copy of something (which is what you're doing by downloading a song) isn't quite the same thing. Not to mention that it's an inferior quality copy and you don't get the packaging and the artwork, which is one my favourite things about buying the actual CD or vinyl. For example, would you call photocopying some pages from a book theft? Because I wouldn't! Don't get me wrong, before people in bands start getting on my case, I'm not exactly condoning music piracy, it's just interesting to have both sides to the debate! :-P
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Perhaps it's just semantics, but is theft really the right word? To my mind, theft / stealing is taking something which doesn't lawfully belong to you, away from someone else, leaving them without said item. Making a copy of something (which is what you're doing by downloading a song) isn't quite the same thing. Not to mention that it's an inferior quality copy and you don't get the packaging and the artwork, which is one my favourite things about buying the actual CD or vinyl. For example, would you call photocopying some pages from a book theft? Because I wouldn't! Don't get me wrong, before people in bands start getting on my case, I'm not exactly condoning music piracy, it's just interesting to have both sides to the debate!
I get what you're saying, but I'd still say it was theft to a degree. I think we need to rethink these terms when discussing digital media, as they no longer refer physical products. On a personal note, if I created an album and someone illegally downloaded it, I'd feel like it was theft. What about you? Alternatively, we could use the 'piracy' word. Although it does make me think of actual pirates...
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I agree with you in as much as I'd be somewhat pissed off if I knew people were getting stuff that I had slaved over without paying for it.However the other side of the coin is that the more people obtain your music, be that legally or not, that's more exposure and you're more likely to gow your fanbase. So it's potentially not all bad news. You're absolutely right about the terminology being out of date - as are copyright laws in a lot of ways. Apply something which was designed for physical products to digital content just doesn't work. Agreed on the the word 'piracy' matey. Shiver me timbers.

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There are definitely positives and negatives to it, my biggest issue is the mentality of our society, believing that they're entitled to have whatever they can download without paying for it. Some people have good reasons, like if an album is out of print and there's not a copy for them to buy that will support the artist anyway, or if it's a cassette or vinyl only release and you don't have a player for it, whatever. The problem though is that making music costs money and takes time, and if you truly are a fan of it, you shouldn't have a problem supporting it. As many of you have said, many download to preview and end up buying, even if it's not the CD they sometimes buy shirts or concert tickets, and while I don't agree completely I can't stop it and can see where it can be beneficial. The entitlement mentality is everywhere in our society though, and it pisses me off not just with music, but with everything people feel that they should have and can't live without, but don't want to pay anything for it.

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I think the Internet has done more good than bad for the music we love. The internet, for the most part has hurt the majors and bands that used to sell millions of records. Life was easy for big names before the advent of the internet. All they had to do was release an album with a few good songs which became singles and a bunch of fillers. The only way for people to know about new albums was through singles on radio or Mtv, so they had no way of hearing how crappy the rest of the album was. The majors had total control of how, when, and where music was listened to. Honestly, how many bands that you listen to now you would have never heard of if it wasn't for the internet? Emerging bands have a chance to make their music heard to a global audience at practically no cost. I agree that a band nowadays doesn't make money from selling records anymore. Most bands make money from concerts and merchandising. Big names are making less money and worthy underground bands are gaining the popularity they deserve(as well as a few extra bucks). The internet has made metal more "democratic". Personally, if I like a band, I don't have any problems buying the album. Also, a lot of people who download albums wouldn't buy music in any case. If anything else, the internet has made metal music "healthier". Just my 2 cents. The Metal Guppy http://themetalguppy.blogspot.it/

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  • 2 weeks later...

YEAH i agree wth out sites like you tube and other sites we wouldn;t be able to find new metal bands to like or dislike the internet has help it get it more popular in way but harm it in the other by illgeal downloading on the flipside bands are getting paid by purchasing downloads off i tunes also it helps unsigned bands get notice too

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  • 2 months later...
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