Heavy metal music fans are often referred to as metalheads or headbangers, and they are fiercely loyal to the culture and bands on an occult-like level. The music assaults the senses with screaming vocals and distorted guitar riffs. Some have described the music and concert experience as similar to a horror movie. 

The musicians are charismatic, aggressive, and forceful in their performances, and the stage is a display of grand theatrical settings that typically include pyro and elaborate props. 

Their lyrics have crossed the line of what is acceptable in the government’s eyes, and they have been accused of promoting witchcraft, Satan worship, suicide, and rape. Many musicians have found themselves in court defending their songs over titles like Suicide Solution by Ozzie Osbourne.

Heavy metal music is alive and well in the 21st century. A recent poll from GemTracks claims the bands Metallica and Venged Sevenfold nailed it as the top fan faves. According to Tune Core, a global music streaming platform, heavy metal music downloads have increased 154% worldwide. According to Spotify, heavy metal bands have a more loyal following than pop music- by a lot. The United States leads the globe with close to 18,000 bands.

The Fanbase Persona

The core value of the heavy metal follower is ‘authenticity.’ They walk the walk and live the life of a metalhead by looking and acting the part in their everyday lives. It’s a worldwide phenomenon and lifestyle that embraces the dark side, macabre, occult, devil worship, and underworld themes. 

They attend concerts to show solidarity and support the movement by spending money on concert tickets, logo-laden merchandise, print magazines, and vinyl, and cassette albums. They made mosh dancing a thing where they bang heads and body slam into the crowd.

Fans and musicians alike tend to dress in black clothing, denim or leather jackets, ripped jeans, long hair, tattoos, piercings, chains, clunky boots, studs, and T-shirts with images of heavy metal bands. The musicians favor leopard-skin prints, tight pants, makeup, and teased-out hair. 

Heavy metal fans tend to buck tradition and government rule and are anti-establishment all around.

The Psychology Behind The Music

Scientific American Magazine cites a report by psychologist William Forde Thompson on why people are drawn to such emotionally negative music.

Thompson says, “What we are finding is that they are not angry people. They’re not enjoying anger when they listen to the music, but they are experiencing a range of positive emotions.”

The article also states: “When I’m locked into it, it’s like there’s electricity flowing through me,” says the 50-year-old, who runs his own graphic design business. “I feel alive, like hyper-alive. And the people I know in Death Metal are smart, creative, and generally good-hearted souls.”

How Old Are The Fandoms?

White male middle-class adolescents were the primary demographic when heavy metal music emerged in the late ’60s-early ’70s. But, the fanbase aged with the rockers, and they still follow along well into their 30s-40s. The age range also depends on the subgenre; thrash, glam, death metal, black metal, and groove metal, to name a few. There are many, many more. For example, the diehard fans of decades-old bands like Metallica, Rush, and Ozzie Ozborne may not attend concerts as much. Still, they remain fans.

Cannabis and Metalheads

LoudWire magazine claims alcohol and marijuana are the most consumed substances at metal concerts, and alcohol leads by a large margin. A small poll from Drugabuse.com says 41% of concert-goers use alcohol and weed to relieve social anxiety.

The opportunity for cannabis brands to target this subculture by tapping into the various niche heavy metal subgenres is massive and worthy of consideration.

Article by Pam Chmiel.

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