The State of Heavy Metal Music in 2016

A comprehensive guide to the state of heavy metal music in 2016, including its subgenres, key players, and recent trends.

The History of Heavy Metal

Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Though the genre is often associated with hard rock music, the term “heavy metal” has been used to describe a wide variety of styles from different subgenres. The history of heavy metal is long and complex, with the genre’s roots often traced back to the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Where it all began

The history of heavy metal is long and complex, with the genre taking root in a number of different places across the globe. While some argue that its origins can be traced back to the early days of rock ‘n’ roll, others believe it didn’t truly come into its own until the 1970s. Regardless of where it began, there’s no denying that heavy metal has had a profound impact on popular culture, and its legacy continues to this day.

In 2016, heavy metal is as strong as ever, with new bands popping up all the time and existing acts still selling out arenas and stadiums around the world. While some argue that the genre has lost its edge in recent years, there’s no doubt that heavy metal remains one of the most popular genres of music today.

The golden years

The golden years of heavy metal ran from the late 1970s through to the mid-1980s. This was a time when bands like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple were at the height of their powers, and when new bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Metallica were emerging onto the scene. This was also a time when metal music was starting to branch out into different subgenres, such as thrash metal and power metal.

The golden years of heavy metal were followed by a period of decline in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This was partly due to the grunge movement, which pushed metal music out of the mainstream. However, there were still some great metal bands around during this period, such as Pantera, Sepultura and Machine Head.

The mid-1990s saw a resurgence in heavy metal, with bands like Korn, Slipknot and Linkin Park taking the genre back into the mainstream. This revival continued throughout the 2000s, with metal music becoming more popular than ever before. Today, there are hundreds of active metal bands all over the world, catering to different subgenres and niches within the genre. And while some people say that heavy metal is in decline, the truth is that it is still as popular as ever before.

The decline

Since the late 1990s, heavy metal has been in decline in both popularity and sales. A number of factors have been cited as contributing to this decline, including the increasing popularity of alternative rock, Nu metal and rap metal, the proliferation of boy bands and other pop groups, and the declining interest among young people in guitar-based music.

In 2016, only two metal albums – Metallica’s Hardwired… to Self-Destruct and Avenged Sevenfold’s The Stage – reached the top 10 of the Billboard 200 chart, and both were released by veteran bands who had achieved their commercial peak in the 1990s. Heavy metal’s share of album sales has dwindled from 7% in 2006 to just 1.1% in 2016. As a result of heavy metal’s declining popularity, many metal festivals have been canceled or scaled back in recent years.

The Present State of Heavy Metal

After years and years of being one of the most popular genres in music, heavy metal is finally starting to see a bit of a decline in 2016. This isn’t to say that there aren’t still plenty of fans out there, because there are, but the genre has been slowly losing its grip on the mainstream music world.

The metalcore explosion

Over the past few years, there has been a huge resurgence in popularity for metalcore, with bands like Bring Me the Horizon and Parkway Drive leading the charge. This has resulted in a flood of new bands trying to break into the scene, and while some have been able to achieve success, many have fallen by the wayside. The metalcore explosion has also led to a renewed interest in older bands like Killswitch Engage and As I Lay Dying, who are now enjoying a second wave of popularity.

The rise of djent

In recent years, there has been a rise in the popularity of a style of metal known as djent. Djent is characterized by its use of palm-muted, heavily detuned guitars, and polyrhythmic patterns. The style began to gain popularity in the early 2010s, with bands such as Meshuggah and Animals as Leaders leading the charge.

Since then, djent has only grown in popularity, with more and more bands popping up all over the world playing this style of metal. Djent has even begun to branch out into other genres, with bands like Periphery and Monuments incorporating elements of djent into their music.

There is no doubt that djent is here to stay, and it will be interesting to see how this style of metal evolves in the years to come.

The state of black metal

Over the past few years, black metal has undergone something of a renaissance, with a new generation of bands taking influence from the genre’s legends and innovators. This has led to a wealth of new black metal bands, each with their own take on the style.

This resurgence has been most apparent in Scandinavia, where a number of new bands have emerged to carry on the black metal tradition. In Norway, groups like Tsjuder, 1349, and Vreid have been at the forefront of this new wave of black metal. In Sweden, bands like Watain and Shining have been making headlines with their own brand of extreme metal.

Despite this resurgence, black metal remains a relatively niche genre. However, its influence can be seen in a number of other genres, including death metal and atmospheric post-metal.

The Future of Heavy Metal

The state of heavy metal music is strong. 2016 has seen a resurgence in the popularity of the genre with bands such as Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth touring the world and selling out arenas. Furthermore, the new generation of heavy metal bands such as Avenged Sevenfold and Trivium are carrying the torch for the genre and keeping it alive. The future of heavy metal looks bright and the genre is only going to get bigger in the years to come.

The next big thing

With the rise of metalcore and deathcore in the early 2000s, the popularity of heavy metal music has been on the decline. However, there are still a dedicated group of metalheads who are keeping the genre alive. In 2016, heavy metal is seeing a bit of a resurgence, with new bands and albums receiving critical acclaim. Here are some of the most anticipated metal releases of 2016:

Necrophagist – Epitaph
After a seven-year hiatus, German technical death metal band Necrophagist is finally set to release their long-awaited third album, Epitaph. The album is scheduled for release on July 29 and fans are eagerly awaiting its release.

Gojira – Magma
French metallers Gojira are also set to release their sixth album, Magma, in 2016. The album is scheduled for release on June 17 and it is sure to be a heavy hitting record.

Slayer – Repentless
Slayer will be releasing their first album without founding member Jeff Hanneman in 2015. This will be their first album in six years and fans are curious to see how the band will sound without Hanneman’s signature guitar work.

The death of metal?

Despite reports of its death for years, metal music is still very much alive. In fact, it’s enjoying something of a renaissance, with a new generation of fans discovering the genre and older fans rediscovering their love for it.

That being said, there are some challenges that metal faces. One is that, due to its niche appeal, it’s not always easy to find metal shows or festivals. Another is that, while there are many great metal bands out there, they often don’t get the same mainstream exposure as other genres of music.

But overall, things are looking good for metal. There’s a strong and passionate community of fans, and the future looks bright for the genre.

The legacy of metal

Metal music has been around for decades, and it shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, the genre has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years, with a new generation of fans discovering the joys of head-banging and moshing.

But what does the future hold for metal? Will it continue to grow in popularity, or will it start to decline?

There are a few factors that point to metal continuing to be a force in the music world. For one, metal is more popular than ever before. In 2015, metal bands sold more records than they had in any year since 2009. This trend seems likely to continue, as younger fans discover metal and older fans continue to support the genre.

Furthermore, metal is no longer confined to a small niche audience; it has crossed over into the mainstream in recent years. More and more people are exposed to metal through TV shows, movies, and video games that feature heavy metal music. This increased exposure can only lead to more people becoming fans of the genre.

On the other hand, there are some factors that could point to a decline in metal’s popularity. One is that many of the genre’s biggest stars are getting older, and may soon retire from making music. Additionally, some have argued thatmetal has become too commercialized in recent years, with many bands selling out to achieve mainstream success. This could turn off some longtime fans who prefer underground music.

Only time will tell what the future holds for heavy metal music. But one thing is certain:metal is here to stay, and will continue to rock our world for years to come.