Music Lyrics Article

Heavy Metal Music

Heavy metal's roots can be traced back to the early 1960s. Obviously, it evolved in the two or three decades afterward, the 1960s and 1970s metal turned into "hair" metal in the 1980s, marked by the long and large haired band members of that time period. In the mid 1990s, metal started leaning toward the grunge period, most of the long hair was cut short and the music was tamed somewhat, at least as far as the mainstream was concerned.

The mid-nineties appeared to have become consumed with boy-bands and pop music, and metal was no longer in the forefront. Bands that were one wildly popular in many countries seemed to wither up and die.

But what exactly is (or was) heavy metal, anyway? Heavy metal in and of itself is a broad categorization for a number of different genres of music that encorporates large vocals, deep electric guitar riffs, and intricate drums sets.

Heavy metal existed in a time when there was more emphasis on actual musical instruments being used, such as guitars - both electric and accoustic, bass and lead - and drums. There was far less digitalization of the music played. Very few keyboards and synthesizers. It was a much more natural talent than we see in today popular music.

Heavy metal in general was surrounded by alot of controversy back in the day when it was in the forefront. Many people assumed that it was satanic or "dark". It was heavily criticized due to the way the band members looked and behaved. Some didn't like the hair styles or the fact that many of the male band members of the '80s wore makeup.

The fact of the matter is, heavy metal was probably way ahead of its time. The type of music that was popular before it was more wholesome and was performed more by the all-american looking men and women than the ones you wouldn't want dating your daughter. So I suppose it's understandable that those who preferred singers and bands from the 1950s would be turned off a bit by heavy metal sounds and looks.

At the end of the day, heavy metal was a very important and prominent player in musical history. People like me who grew up in the 1980s and were interested in the popular music of the time most likely were very much influenced by metal. Just like baby-boomers can turn on their favorite radio station and remember each and every word to pretty much every song, we Generation X'ers can pop in a CD from our favorite '80s band and belt one out with the best of them.