Heavy Metal Music Revenue Continues to Grow in 2014
Despite the ever-growing popularity of digital streaming services like Spotify and Pandora, heavy metal music revenue continues to grow. In 2014, the genre brought in $17.2 million, up from $16.4 million the previous year.
Introduction
It’s no secret that heavy metal music has been enjoying a resurgence in popularity in recent years. And it seems that this trend is reflected in the bottom line, as heavy metal music revenue continues to grow.
According to a recent report by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), heavy metal music was one of the few genres to see an increase in revenue in 2014. In fact, heavy metal music revenue grew by 3.9% last year, reaching a total of $417 million.
This is welcome news for a genre that has often been overshadowed by other genres in recent years. And it’s proof positive that there is still a strong demand for heavy metal music.
So if you’re a fan of heavy metal, rest assured that your favorite genre is still going strong. And if you’re not a fan, well, maybe it’s time to give it a try!
History of heavy metal music
It is said that heavy metal music first originated in the late 1960s and early 1970s. This style of music is typically characterized by aggressive, distorted guitars, double bass drumming, and powerful vocals. Heavy metal music is often associated with a rebellious image. The genre has evolved over the years and has spawned a number of subgenres.
Early heavy metal (1970s)
The early 1970s saw the development of what would come to be known as heavy metal music, with bands such as Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin creating a sound that was heavier and more guitar-driven than the music of the 1960s. This new sound quickly gained popularity, with heavy metal becoming the dominant form of rock music by the end of the 1970s.
During the 1980s, heavy metal music continued to evolve, with bands such as Metallica and Megadeth help to pioneer a more aggressive form of the genre known as thrash metal. Heavy metal also became increasingly popular in Europe during this time, with bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest achieving global success.
In the 1990s and 2000s, heavy metal music continued to evolve and grow in popularity, with bands such as Slipknot and System of a Down helping to pioneer a new subgenre known as nu-metal. Today, heavy metal is one of the most popular genres of music in the world, with fans all over the globe.
New wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) (late 1970s – early 1980s)
The new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) was a musical movement that started in the late 1970s and culminated in the rise of commercialised Harris0n-era metal bands in the early to mid-1980s. It was marked by faster rhythms, heavier guitar riffs, and edged vocals which have been contrasted with the melodic approach used by groups such as Thin Lizzy and UFO.
The DIY ethic of punk rock inspired some members of this generation of British heavy metal to self-produce and release independent singles and albums. A number of influential NWOBHM bands such as Iron Maiden, Motörhead, Venom and Diamond Head were given record deals by major labels EMI, CBS and RCA Records, which resulted in these bands achieving commercial success.
As a reaction to their Blitzkrieg-like rise, many critics wrote off the NWOBHM as an exercise in retro style riffing devoid of musical or lyrical depth. Nevertheless, it had a major influence on both mainstream metal music and extreme metal subgenres such as death metal and black metal.
American thrash metal (1980s)
Summer of 1982, metal music fans in California had started to become jaded with the current state of hard rock and heavy metal. Bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Motorhead had begun to incorporate elements of speed and sounds from the new wave of British heavy metal, but American bands were still largely playing a derivative form of 1970s-style hard rock. In the fall of 1982, a new generation of American metal bands began to emerge that would come to be known as thrash metal. These bands – including Metallica, Anthrax, Slayer and Megadeth – were inspired by the high-speed guitar work of British bands like Venom and Motörhead, as well as punk rock groups like the Sex Pistols and Discharge.
While thrash metal is often seen as a reaction against the synthesizer-driven sounds of new wave music, it is also indebted to the hard rock tradition. Thrash guitarists like Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman of Slayer and Dave Mustaine of Megadeth drew inspiration from the twin-guitar harmonies of bands like Thin Lizzy and Judas Priest. Vocalists like James Hetfield of Metallica and Chuck Billy of Testament borrowed from classic hard rock singers like Robert Plant and Ian Gillan. And drummers like Lars Ulrich of Metallica and Dave Lombardo of Slayer brought a level of speed and complexity to their playing that was inspired by progressive rock bands like Rush.
In the early 1980s, thrashmetal was very much a regional phenomenon, with its heaviest concentration in California. But by 1984, Metallica had released their debut album Kill ‘Em All, which would prove to be one of the most influential metal albums ever recorded. The following year, Slayer released their classic album Reign in Blood, which pushed the boundariesof speed and violence even further. These two albums would help propel thrash metal into the mainstream consciousnessand spark a major resurgence in popularity for heavy metal music.
Death metal and black metal (1980s – early 1990s)
The early 1980s saw the formation of the first death metal and black metal bands. Venom, from Newcastle, England, is credited with creating black metal with their 1982 album Black Metal. Black Metal was highly influential on future bands; Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich cites it as the record that “realized for me that you could use double bass drums on fast songs.” In May 1984, Hellhammer founded Swiss death metal band Celtic Frost. Although their 1984 debut EP Apollyon’s Sun was not well received, they signed to Noise Records and released To Mega Therion in 1985, which is regarded as a landmark achievement in the development of death metal. Voivod, from Jonquiere, Quebec, Canada, followed suit later that year with their Rrrooaaarrr. Death metal began to achieve underground popularity in the late 1980s. Possessed, a death/thrash band from the San Francisco Bay Area who formed in 1983 is often credited as being one of the first pure death metal bands; their 1986 EP Seven Churches is often cited as influental to the genre’s development. In 1988 Sepultura released Schizo Powwow via Roadrunner Records, which was one of the earliest examples of extreme metal vocals with growling instead of traditional singing techniques.. Death created what is considered to be thrash metal’s first concept album with Scream Bloody Gore featuring medical terminology and horror-inspired song titles and lyrics; Possessed also released a concept album that year entitled Beyond The Gates. In 1990 Sodom, from Gelsenkirchen say my name
Nu metal (mid-1990s – early 2000s)
Nu metal was a commercial success in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with bands such as Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park and Deftones becoming some of the most successful rock bands of all time. However, by the early 2010s, the popularity of nu metal had begun to wane, with many nu metal bands disbanding or shifting to other genres.
Metalcore and post-hardcore (2000s – present)
By the early 2000s, heavy metal music enjoyed a resurgence in popularity. New subgenres like metalcore and post-hardcore combined elements of hardcore punk and extreme metal to create sounds that were heavier and more aggressive than ever before.
As the popularity of metalcore and post-hardcore grew, so did the number of bands that were signed to major labels. In 2009, Avenged Sevenfold became the first heavy metal band to top the Billboard 200 album chart in over a decade with their release “Nightmare”.
Today, heavy metal music is more popular than ever before. In 2014, the genre generated $1.65 billion in revenue, which was up from $1.59 billion in 2013. With its mix of extreme aggression and melodic hooks, it’s easy to see why heavy metal music continues to be one of the most popular genres in the world.
Economic impact of heavy metal music
Despite the downturn in the economy, heavy metal music sales have continued to grow in recent years. In fact, heavy metal music sales have grown by double digits in each of the past three years. This trend is likely to continue in the years to come.
Record sales
Heavy metal music sales have continued to grow in 2014, with revenues increasing by 5% compared to 2013. This growth is being driven by increased sales of digital music and vinyl records, as well as strong demand for live concerts.
Heavy metal music has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years, thanks in part to the success of bands like Metallica and Iron Maiden. This has helped to boost sales of both CDs and vinyl records, as well as tickets to live concerts.
The growth in heavy metal music sales is good news for the economy, as it provides jobs for musicians, engineers, and other workers involved in the industry. It also generates tax revenue for governments, which can be used to fund public services such as education and healthcare.
With heavy metal music continuing to grow in popularity, it is likely that sales will continue to rise in the future. This will provide a boost to the economy and help to create jobs and generate tax revenue.
Merchandise
Merchandise and music sales are one of the biggest revenue sources for metal bands. In fact, in 2012 merchandise and music made up 66% of all metal music revenues. According to a report by Music Consumer Insight, the global metal music merchandise market was worth $800 million in 2014, and is expected to grow to $1 billion by 2019.
Heavy metal band t-shirts are particularly popular, with some bands selling millions of dollars worth of shirts each year. Metallica, for example, sold $17 million worth of merch in 2012. Other popular items include CDs, DVDs, posters, and stickers.
Concerts and festivals
While digital music revenues have been on the decline in recent years, heavy metal music continues to grow in popularity, especially among live concertgoers. In 2014, Metallica’s “WorldWired” tour grossed $152 million, making it the second highest-grossing tour of the year behind only One Direction. Other popular metal acts such as Slipknot, Avenged Sevenfold, and Megadeth also had successful tours in 2014, grossing tens of millions of dollars each.
Metal bands are also increasingly popular at music festivals. In 2014, Coachella featured headlining sets from Slayer and Motörhead, while Download Festival featured sets from Metallica, Iron Maiden, and Linkin Park. These festivals attract tens of thousands of fans each year and generate millions of dollars in revenue.
Heavy metal music is clearly still a thriving industry despite the decline of digital sales. With massive tours and popular festival appearances, metal bands are still able to generate a lot of revenue and keep their music careers alive.
Conclusion
Overall, heavy metal music revenue continues to grow in 2014. This is due to a number of factors, including the continued popularity of live concerts, the release of new albums, and the success of merchandise sales. The future looks bright for the heavy metal genre, and it seems likely that this growth will continue in the coming years.
