...i wouldn't pick any song because i simply don't like the idea of converting pop listeners into metalheads.
BUT based on my non-metalheads friends...Within Temptation will do.
(if we take that as metal )
(i mean, besides the album "Enter")

Why? ....fuck 'em

Go with a nu metal, nu metal got me into metal. I can't listen to it anymore, but its the closest thing to shit metal has to offer, so pop fiends (who like shit) might like it.

Well.. my sister was (and sadly still is) a pop-listener, but I managed to make her to listen AND ENJOY some metal bands. She likes to listen good female vocals, so I introduced her to Nightwish, Epica and a few more bands.. but since she was already aware of Within Temptation it helped. Now she's really into those bands, and we're going to see Epica AND Metallica soon! I myself find it hard to believe xD

I guarantee that the majority of "pop listeners" have at least one metal song in their music collection. (Unless they are people who listen to the radio and don't HAVE a music collection)

In the student accommodation I used to live in you could snoop on people's shared itunes. Every one of these was "pop" orientated and every one of these bar none had at least a metallica song, or nightwish, Cradle of Filth, Dragonforce, Maiden etc. Over the course of the two years I lived there I must have done this 20 times. The really big bands in metal do already have a certain appeal to "pop fans". And the bands themselves are marketed in essentially the same way as pop bands, so I think this imagined binary opposition needs to be laid to rest.

Oh, and: Master of Puppets by Metallica. People WILL recognise parts of it unless they're living under a rock musically. Stereotypically (but truthfully, tbh), people who listen to popular music tend to place emphasis on it being catchy and recognisable.

You know..some maiden does the trick, prolly

I've always disliked Number 1 in your list. It's fine to get into metal with "questionable" bands but dropping things you apparently "like(d)" like a bag of potatoes as soon as you discover they aren't "the real thing LOL" is pathetic and shows that people listen to music based on image rather than actual enjoyment of the music.

I have way more respect for people who still listen to metalcore, nu-metal, whatever along with real metal due to an expansion in musical taste, compared with those who drop these gateway bands in X weeks/months because they decide they want a kvlt persona, the latter is surely the very definition of trend-hopping.

Anyways, I also agree that getting into a music genre can't be forced by someone else. A facade may be (honestly, who hasn't seen those people who magically get into music their partner likes, only to drop this when the relationship ends) but actually getting into the music is something which can't be forced by a second party IMO.

Why would you want to do that?

When I was a young kid, I loved pop. But that was probably because that was the only music I was exposed to, as I didnt know anyone who liked Metal. I got into the genre myself, which started with hearing songs by Maiden and Megadeth on the radio. I started liking rockier bands first, like Def Leppard and then onto glam bands and Guns N Roses. Metal was just a genre I was naturally drawn to. Something about it seemed to click instantly with me, and I quickly grew out of pop and became a metalhead. I remember hearing "Holy Wars" on the top 40 chart show and it terrified me! lol But I was also fascinated and drawn to it as well.

I find it funny when people talk about nu-metal or "metalcore" bands being "gateway bands". I was an established metal fan years before nu metal came into being. And I was able to find things in the genre that I enjoyed. I like the first 2 Korn albums, and Slipknot. I don't see why people feel such a strong need to abandon those types of bands if they were the ones that got them into metal. I think it's probably more to try and fit in with peers and to seem ''real'' within the metal scene, rather than any genuine dislike for the music.

To Attract a pop listener to metal, I'd probably say Edenbridge, Nightwish or Within Temptation or anything power metal even. Don't wanna start them with something too extreme such as Death or thrash metal etc because they probably wont appreciate it as much as melodic metal. Most people i know hate death metal haha.

Written by Angelic Storm on 23.02.2010 at 01:46
[...]I don't see why people feel such a strong need to abandon those types of bands if they were the ones that got them into metal. I think it's probably more to try and fit in with peers and to seem ''real'' within the metal scene, rather than any genuine dislike for the music.

Yeah, this was basically what I was getting at with my comment, only that part of your post is less long-winded D:.

It's odd because there are a myriad of things where it is acceptable (and in some cases, trendy) to embrace in a nostalgic way that links to your younger days. But doing this with music (especially among "metalheads") is apparently a massive no-no... Give it ten years and it may go full circle.

Musical nostalgia is fun in my book. Mine is more britpop/Beatles etc than Nu/Core and things, though!

I don't see a problem with listening to nu-metal, metalcore, etc. It just bugs me when people think it's the best stuff ever because they don't realize what else is out there. I've heard it called "gateway metal" before, but surely a crack addict wouldn't look down on a fellow crack addict for smoking a joint because marijuana is a "gateway" drug.

As far as attracting pop listeners, I would go with melodeath like Soilwork or something.

I've had different types of success with getting non-metal or pop fans to listen to a few bands and enjoy them, and have found that it really depends on a person's current tastes and interests for the bands I should introduce them to.

A few people I work with are fans of things like pop punk and female pop stars, and after a couple of plays of bands like Lullacry, Edenbridge, and Nemesea, I started getting requests for some CD-Rs so they could listen on their own I also recall a woman I really had a thing for awhile back who had plenty of interests in darker types of music and classical music who was sold instantly on Tristania's "Beyond The Veil", but who also was disgusted by anything remotely melodeath.

There's also those (usually guys) who gave up on any new music years ago, unaware that it's still out there and has just as many bands as ever, but that are all underground to the fulltime, busy parent type. I still get random quotes from Hail Of Bullets's songs when I see a guy I rekindled his metal interest last year

My point would be that anyone curious about new music will at least give a chance to metal, but that just like a devoted metal fan, many people will just hate some forms of metal no matter what, so there's no sure method to getting non-metal fans to like metal. It's a lot easier though when I have an idea of a person's current music tastes to go on. Metal is quite diverse so there is usually something a music lover will enjoy.

I find the hardest thing to do is to break down the stereotypes established about "metal" since the 80s, since that is the number one roadblock I have with people who across the board hate metal, even though they don't know much more than radio hits from Metallica. It took me well over a year to convince a hip hop/pop fan that metal is not all that the masses teach us it is. So far I've succeeded in getting her to like Darkseed's "Diving Into Darkness," which I'm thrilled by.

Written by Inlé on 23.02.2010 at 14:42
Yeah, this was basically what I was getting at with my comment, only that part of your post is less long-winded D:.

It's odd because there are a myriad of things where it is acceptable (and in some cases, trendy) to embrace in a nostalgic way that links to your younger days. But doing this with music (especially among "metalheads") is apparently a massive no-no... Give it ten years and it may go full circle.

Musical nostalgia is fun in my book. Mine is more britpop/Beatles etc than Nu/Core and things, though!

Long winded is my middle name! lol Well it's not really, but you know what I mean.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with musical nostalgia. Most of the music I listened to before I became a metalhead, I generally don't listen to now. I don't dance about and sing into my hairbrush along to Bananarama like I did while I was still primary school. But if I hear that sort of stuff now, I can smile, and acknowledge the times when I did like it. Same sort of thing with glam bands. I largely dont listen to that stuff anymore, although I still like a bit of the Crue!

I think once metalheads today become part of the ''scene", especially guy metalheads, they feel the need to shun everything seen as "false" metal. Which does include ''nu'' and ''metalcore'' bands. I think it is mainly done purely so they can be ''accepted" by peers in the scene. Me myself, I never cared for the metal "scene", it's just always been about the music. If I like it, I like it. I couldnt care less what label it has attatched to it. lol

Written by Angelic Storm on 23.02.2010 at 21:28

I don't dance about and sing into my hairbrush along to Bananarama like I did while I was still primary school.

Oh, but I do. Especially during the... *ahem*... Cruel Summer. XD

Oh, and about all this abandonment of "untr00" music, I'd have to say it's usually an acceptance issue that immature and under-confident people have. Luckily, I've never put myself under the label of "metalhead" or any other label that could have caused me insecurities like that when I was younger.

Written by Fat & Sassy! on 23.02.2010 at 21:51
Oh, but I do. Especially during the... *ahem*... Cruel Summer. XD

Oh, and about all this abandonment of "untr00" music, I'd have to say it's usually an acceptance issue that immature and under-confident people have. Luckily, I've never put myself under the label of "metalhead" or any other label that could have caused me insecurities like that when I was younger.

Haha! Id love to see that! Keren was the one I always pretended to be....okay, now I really am digressing too much! Ahem...

Ive never had insecurities about that sort of thing, but then Ive never tried to fit in anywhere. The term ''untr00 music" is ludicrous and very childish if you ask me! There's only good music, and bad music to me. lol And that is entirely subjective.

Written by Angelic Storm on 23.02.2010 at 21:58

Haha! Id love to see that! Keren was the one I always pretended to be....okay, now I really am digressing too much! Ahem...

The term ''untr00 music" is ludicrous and very childish if you ask me!

Yeah, I don't know enough about them to name band members, but that's... uh... interesting?

Yup, and that's why I put quotation marks around the word, because it really shouldn't exist. Mostly because it's... dumb.

Written by Fat & Sassy! on 23.02.2010 at 22:06
Yeah, I don't know enough about them to name band members, but that's... uh... interesting?

Yup, and that's why I put quotation marks around the word, because it really shouldn't exist. Mostly because it's... dumb.

Yeah well, some things I just dont forget. Does that mean I have a great memory, or just that Im a bit sad? Who knows? lol Interesting? That's not the word I'd use, but anyway...

I find it funny and ironic that for a genre thats meant to have no rules, and is anti image, that so many metalheads think that to be a ''real'' metal fan, you need to look a certain way and not listen to bands deemed ''untr00". Now, that to me is the ultimate definition of a poser. Yet they dont even realise it! Ah well...*shrugs*

Written by Angelic Storm on 23.02.2010 at 22:14

I find it funny and ironic that for a genre thats meant to have no rules, and is anti image, that so many metalheads think that to be a ''real'' metal fan, you need to look a certain way and not listen to bands deemed ''untr00". Now, that to me is the ultimate definition of a poser. Yet they dont even realise it! Ah well...*shrugs*

Eh, it's just this "elite" douche attitude that some ignorant people can't help but be like, I suppose. It's the same way for a lot of "hipsters" that listen to "indie" music (if you know anything about that). I guess these conceded personalities plague many genres...

Written by Fat & Sassy! on 23.02.2010 at 22:48
Eh, it's just this "elite" douche attitude that some ignorant people can't help but be like, I suppose. It's the same way for a lot of "hipsters" that listen to "indie" music (if you know anything about that). I guess these conceded personalities plague many genres...

You're right, you do get conceited elitists in most genres. I just think it's very ironic to have people like that in metal, because metal is meant to be anti-rules, and anti-image. People imposing those things on metal are going completely against what Ive always believed metal is truly about.

To butt in in the little discussion above...

Since when was metal supposed to be anti-image? Metal has always been about image 99% of the times. And anti-rules? The music played adhers to certain rules or else it won't be metal.

But dissing stuff you used to like cause it is so-called untr00 is totally stupid.
You won't see me dis Kiss or Scorpions or UFO or any such stuff. Yes they're all soft compared to what I listen to now most of the times. But I still listen to those bands as well.
Okay 99% of Nu-metal I hate, but always have hated. Never did a thing for me.

This so-called gateway metal concept I find ludicrous as well cause I know loads of people that got into metal through brutal death metal and totally underground underproduced black metal. So that would mean that that's agetway metal to those people, so where should they go from there according to the tr00 kvlt morons?

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 24.02.2010 at 02:42

To butt in in the little discussion above...

Since when was metal supposed to be anti-image? Metal has always been about image 99% of the times. And anti-rules? The music played adhers to certain rules or else it won't be metal.

I was about to comment on the same thing. *I* have really never known what metal is "all about". The closest thing I know about metal in general compared to other genres as a whole is that is seems to be all about the music. No bullshit. The musicians just do what they wanna do, and no one is gonna stop them (like good ol' fashioned rock 'n' roll). You *could* say this about any musician, but I think this attitude shows more in metal than a lot of other stuff. But really... It just doesn't matter to me. Music is music. It is what it is... and that's THE BEST thing ever.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 24.02.2010 at 02:42

To butt in in the little discussion above...

Since when was metal supposed to be anti-image? Metal has always been about image 99% of the times. And anti-rules? The music played adhers to certain rules or else it won't be metal.

I purely meant success based on image. Or image being of more, or equal importance to the music. Metal to me has always been against that type of attitude. Bruce Dickinson has talked about that sort of thing before, and apparently the thrash bands of the 80's were in contrast to the hair metal bands who seemingly were more about image than music. Im not saying metal doesn't have an image, just that a lot of metal bands I know of, especially growing up, expressed dislike for the importance of image in regards to music. I meant anti-rules within metal itself. Not that a metal band could start making teenybopper pop and still be metal. It's like people who say that Slipknot ''arent metal''. That is pretty preposterous to me.

Quote:
But dissing stuff you used to like cause it is so-called untr00 is totally stupid.
You won't see me dis Kiss or Scorpions or UFO or any such stuff. Yes they're all soft compared to what I listen to now most of the times. But I still listen to those bands as well.
Okay 99% of Nu-metal I hate, but always have hated. Never did a thing for me.

This so-called gateway metal concept I find ludicrous as well cause I know loads of people that got into metal through brutal death metal and totally underground underproduced black metal. So that would mean that that's agetway metal to those people, so where should they go from there according to the tr00 kvlt morons?

A lot of the bands I liked initially, like Def Leppard, Gn'R, Scorpions etc, I still like. I do think it's stupid to abandon elements of rock/metal because it's deemed ''untr00'' or whatever. I did start off with liking softer bands, and progressively got into more aggressive stuff gradually. I think this is common for a lot of metal fans. But when I started getting into heavier stuff, that never ''replaced'' the stuff I liked before, I just saw it as broadening my musical tastes, and giving me more variety to choose from. Most of the bands that initially got me into metal are still among my favourite bands.

I think this is pretty obvious... If you look around you once in a while you will most likely see people who don't know shit about metal with Maiden or Metallica t-shirts. If they're a little more extreme its almost certainly Children Of Bodom, Slipknot and some shity nu-metal bands.

So yeah, I'm guessing that these bands pretty much have a good appeal on the general folk.

If I had to choose something I'd defenitely choose Metallica's Black Album and you go from then on. The soft progressive stuff to more hardcore... You almost can't fail.

Written by BloodTears on 14.10.2009 at 17:11



I for one like The Cure, everybody knows they were commercial at some point even if they had their dark days. They are a peculiar band but they still have songs I consider pop, pop rock, etc.

Even The Cure is pop, I can play The Cure over and over and over again, ewmotions, good lyrics, good music all put together and its wounderfull, its friday Im on love maybe best song , thats how I feel(even Im not in love) wright now, simply wounderfull band, one of fiew mon metal bands from what I never be bored and band has own style, not all pop bands has it , many follow time n style, but singer hasnt changed much from 80's

Written by Bad English on 28.08.2010 at 15:31

Written by BloodTears on 14.10.2009 at 17:11



I for one like The Cure, everybody knows they were commercial at some point even if they had their dark days. They are a peculiar band but they still have songs I consider pop, pop rock, etc.

Even The Cure is pop, I can play The Cure over and over and over again, ewmotions, good lyrics, good music all put together and its wounderfull, its friday Im on love maybe best song , thats how I feel(even Im not in love) wright now, simply wounderfull band, one of fiew mon metal bands from what I never be bored and band has own style, not all pop bands has it , many follow time n style, but singer hasnt changed much from 80's

I agree, the reason why The Cure are probably so special to me (and a lot of other people I might imagine) is because they have their own style, the The Cure sound is very recognizable and it's a stamp of quality, as far as I'm concerned.

Written by BloodTears on 28.08.2010 at 18:37

Written by Bad English on 28.08.2010 at 15:31

Written by BloodTears on 14.10.2009 at 17:11



I for one like The Cure, everybody knows they were commercial at some point even if they had their dark days. They are a peculiar band but they still have songs I consider pop, pop rock, etc.

Even The Cure is pop, I can play The Cure over and over and over again, ewmotions, good lyrics, good music all put together and its wounderfull, its friday Im on love maybe best song , thats how I feel(even Im not in love) wright now, simply wounderfull band, one of fiew mon metal bands from what I never be bored and band has own style, not all pop bands has it , many follow time n style, but singer hasnt changed much from 80's

I agree, the reason why The Cure are probably so special to me (and a lot of other people I might imagine) is because they have their own style, the The Cure sound is very recognizable and it's a stamp of quality, as far as I'm concerned.

Tue , also I like band didnt change, many metal bands who changing is not good, same way Ac/Dc thay play same, saometime sprimitive, but thay be same all the time, other who chnaging, I dont like it
I have been huge The Cure fan some many years old days i was happy when there was tune from ban din radio or tv , it makes world better specely suck pop world, I doubt pop fans ever bought any CD's stupid hit radio is enought

I think for most non-metal listeners used to listen to pop music, the easiest way to get into metal would be through Euroflowermetal because lots of it sounds close to pop music anyway.

Personally, I got into metal many years ago through traditional Heavy Metal and Powermetal (melodic Speed Metal and not the flower cheesemetal of today). Throughout the years, my tastes evolved and got more extreme. I believe most people's tastes soften with age but the opposite happened to me. It seems the older I get, the more extreme my tastes are.
I never dissed the stuff I listened to earlier for the sake of doing it. What happened is one day I realized that traditional Heavy Metal and Powermetal could in no way fit my tastes anymore. Each time I tried listening to Powermetal, it bored me to no end. I stopped listening to this genre completely, apart from some very specific stuff, not by principle but because I don't like the music anymore.
If I hadn't switched to Black Metal and Thrash, I would have abandoned metal altogether.

Written by RavenKing on 29.08.2010 at 14:56

I think for most non-metal listeners used to listen to pop music, the easiest way to get into metal would be through Euroflowermetal because lots of it sounds close to pop music anyway.

The sad thing is some people don't move on beyond flower, folk and Gothenburg. Shame, really.

Written by vezzy on 29.08.2010 at 15:24

Written by RavenKing on 29.08.2010 at 14:56

I think for most non-metal listeners used to listen to pop music, the easiest way to get into metal would be through Euroflowermetal because lots of it sounds close to pop music anyway.

The sad thing is some people don't move on beyond flower, folk and Gothenburg. Shame, really.

If they're happy with it, it's fine as far as I'm concerned. They have to listen to what they like. But I obviously don't follow the same path as them.

I'm pretty sure pop fans will like Euroflower, but if needing impression for going furthermore maybe, tactically, should be by famous bands or at least popular bands, e.g Metallica, Stratovarius, Rhapsody of Fire, Iron Maiden...adding with attitude of metalheads scene then pop fans would be into of digging more metal.