I just read this article and found it was kind of interesting. What do you all think of this study? Article. Are Metalheads really creative and gentle? Are there good examples of this? Or was this "study" based on bad research?

---

Moderator edit: As the link above has ceased working, you can read about it at here instead:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7598549.stm

Written by Dane Train on 07.09.2008 at 00:33

I just read this article and found it was kind of interesting. What do you all think of this study? Article. Are Metalheads really creative and gentle? Are there good examples of this? Or was this "study" based on bad research?

I believe it... some of the nicest people I have ever met were metalheads. But honestly I think any survey/questionnaire type studies are worthless, besides the sometimes interesting correlations. I mean, are people ever truly honest about themselves in those things?

I'm a gentle and somewhat creative person, and I'm arguably the biggest Metalhead my country has to offer lol.

That study is lying. Metalheads are evil, evil people, and they're coming to eat your children.[/sarcasm]

yup, another pansy here lol. took the survey too, anyway it's not a general rule, there are some people who are aggressive etc. and some who are gentle in every subculture. like my sister loves indie(though i hate that stuff) and she's not violent or something, like the study would suggest.

Fans of metal also enjoy toast with jam on it, sunshine, and video games. These "studies" are starting to get more and more ridiculous, I wish people would stop posting them.

Yeah.. these studies aren't always generally accurate. Most people (non-metalheads) think that we are bad and agressive individuals, but that's like everything else.. some are, some aren't. I am kind and usually a calm person, and I'm creative in various things. Many metalheads I know are kind too, some others are not so kind.

Hmmm... interesting.

I know some creative, gentle people who are really against anything metal... but for the few metalheads I actually know, the description seems pretty accurate: "at peace with themselves."

Varelse is an agreeable member.

Written by Replicant on 07.09.2008 at 12:55

Varelse is an agreeable member.

he seems at ease with himself too

I'm uncreative, completely reckless, and have the attention span of an 8 year old with ADHD. That study is gay. But then again, I'm more of a fan of -core and classical music than metal, so I probably don't fit.

That same study said metalheads are lazy, introverted, and have low self esteem. I definitely fall under the lazy and introverted category...hell, I have to set my alarm clock for 1 PM in order for me to wake up in time for work!

I really don't think one can make a generalization like that. There are all kinds of people in each music genre category.

the survey is quite inaccurate, there aren't enough variables to evaluate. Also, metal is a huge genre, Doomsters do not usually behave like blackers, nor like thrashers. Even beyond metal, in Electronic music for example, there are people who likes Trance (like me) but hate House (like me xD) and may have different personalities.

Although everyone is different, I think there is a pattern and more than a common element than metal, I don't know which.

My fav genres are melodic black and melodic death, and I consider myself creative and gentle.

.Its all the individual. The study is sudo correct. Metal listeners like us have a sorta kinda calming affect from the devotion, support and listening to of metal music and beliefs. But when fucked with, most metal fans turn into demons. Its all a nice gentle rage.

Written by selken on 07.09.2008 at 16:58

the survey is quite inaccurate, there aren't enough variables to evaluate. Also, metal is a huge genre, Doomsters do not usually behave like blackers, nor like thrashers. Even beyond metal, in Electronic music for example, there are people who likes Trance (like me) but hate House (like me xD) and may have different personalities.

Although everyone is different, I think there is a pattern and more than a common element than metal, I don't know which.

My fav genres are melodic black and melodic death, and I consider myself creative and gentle.

well, you have to remember that when someone presumably from the mainstream says "metal" they think metallica, judas priest, iron maiden, megadeth, slayer, etc. so that would mean the thrashers and the traditional metal fans. and of course a study on ALL the genres of the music world would be too huge to handle, and if you wanna include doom metal, then you gotta include speedcore and renaissance folk too...

It seems accurate to think heavy metal fans are gentle and creative but only generally because we know how you can't put a lable on a group, people are just different. I think you can say that heavy metal fans tend to like this and that, It makes sense that some of us are creative and "nice" let's put it that way. I guess some of us are more thoughtful because they view the world differently, quite the way it is, not so pink and rosy. But then again, some people who like punk or pop may share the same views on life as I do.

So, I always see that as suspicious but right in a way,

Heh, I saw this study mentioned on Channel 4 News. It's kinda hard to take it seriously when they keep referring to Linkin Park as heavy metal.

Written by Dangerboner on 07.09.2008 at 14:53

I'm uncreative, completely reckless, and have the attention span of an 8 year old with ADHD. That study is gay. But then again, I'm more of a fan of -core and classical music than metal, so I probably don't fit.

That same study said metalheads are lazy, introverted, and have low self esteem. I definitely fall under the lazy and introverted category...hell, I have to set my alarm clock for 1 PM in order for me to wake up in time for work!

Nah, the -core thing doesn't really matter. I'm more of an old school heavy metal type guy and I'm still a sarcastic prick who finds pleasure in other peoples misfortunes. So this study is just really a coincidence, that the people they studied all happened to be pushovers who like to paint.

well every metalhead I knwo is "gentle and creative" and mostly respectful about other people's music taste...
I can0't say the same about ravers, pop listeners and jazz fans..

Most metalheads I know are the exact opposite of what this study suggests.

i read a similar article last year.
we are all geniuses!!

Survey seems broad, vague and meaningless, surely suffering from some severe self-selection bias. And obviously what "metal" is for the purpose of this study vs. what "metal" means "on the street" if you will probably differs massively.

Written by AiwiAstwihad on 10.09.2008 at 21:11

i read a similar article last year.
we are all geniuses!!

I think the conclusion of that survey was more that metalheads are ill-adjusted social outcasts who listen go home and listen to Lamb Of God after being picked on in school.

Did anyone actually take the survey though? It's on the Hariot Watt uni. website, as far as the questions being asked, I cannot gather how one can come to the conclusion that 'metalheads are gentile, rap listeners are outgoing...' etc. based on the questions being asked. Most of the questions are asking about what your parents are like and how they relate to music.

Written by AiwiAstwihad on 10.09.2008 at 21:11

i read a similar article last year.
we are all geniuses!!

i bet Sigmund Freud could write 10 books about Manowar and the repressed homosexuality they ooze

Written by Valentin B on 11.09.2008 at 23:04

Written by AiwiAstwihad on 10.09.2008 at 21:11

i read a similar article last year.
we are all geniuses!!

i bet Sigmund Freud could write 10 books about Manowar and the repressed homosexuality they ooze

hahah...and Linkin Park's fucked up childhood

Written by BloodTears on 10.09.2008 at 14:07

It seems accurate to think heavy metal fans are gentle and creative but only generally because we know how you can't put a lable on a group, people are just different.

Word!

You easily can find many assholes through metal fans, as well as smart people who listen to other musics...
Buy of course creativity in Metal music is much more than other genres...

I've always thought the metal community, more than any other community of music fans, holds the most extreme examples of intelligence and creativity as well as the most unintelligent people around.

Written by Valentin B on 11.09.2008 at 23:04

Written by AiwiAstwihad on 10.09.2008 at 21:11

i read a similar article last year.
we are all geniuses!!

i bet Sigmund Freud could write 10 books about Manowar and the repressed homosexuality they ooze

hum, is it really repressed?
I think Rammstein is the best subject ever, perhaps too evident though, but still a school case!

Well, it's quite an insult, isn't it? that "gentle" fuck! hahaha
seriously, take this forum for instance: the language level is good, and (in most of the cases ^^) courteous and polite. I heard that a study had been done about IQ and musical tastes and that young people with the higher IQ were most likely to hear classic and metal (I'm not writing this because I hear the both ^^), did you hear anything like that?

well its half true because most metalheads are friendly some of the nicest friends of my mine are metalheads. and as far as creativity goes metal is probley the most creative genre of music there is.

Written by Dane Train on 07.09.2008 at 00:33

I just read this article and found it was kind of interesting. What do you all think of this study? Article. Are Metalheads really creative and gentle? Are there good examples of this? Or was this "study" based on bad research?

This link doesn't work any more. I would like to see if it is worth any attention or is just another classic "some scientist have took a survey.." with no references to who, when and where you can find and read the orriginal arcticle with metodology used . Is there a way to read it? But it sound like something that could make sense.