Metallica: "Why hasn't anyone dethroned us yet?"

[Liam]

I understand that metal fans are stuck in the past, and maybe that's part of the problem but when you look at the bands putting out the best metal nowadays, outside of bands like Clutch, Mastodon, and Opeth, nearly every one has been around for YEARS.

As have Opeth and Clutch, to be honest.

And since when is metal stuck in a rut?

[K]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Tide

^ they will "save" metal.

[Evil Chase K]

I understand that metal fans are stuck in the past, and maybe that's part of the problem but when you look at the bands putting out the best metal nowadays, outside of bands like Clutch, Mastodon, and Opeth, nearly every one has been around for YEARS.

As have Opeth and Clutch, to be honest.

And since when is metal stuck in a rut?

Maybe it's just me, but most current metal bands seem to continuously release uninspired shit that sounds like everything else I've heard lately.

As far as Opeth goes, I didn't realize they were around since 1990. But I was referring to bands like Metallica, Judas Priest, Testament, the truly great metal bands.

[Liam]

I understand that metal fans are stuck in the past, and maybe that's part of the problem but when you look at the bands putting out the best metal nowadays, outside of bands like Clutch, Mastodon, and Opeth, nearly every one has been around for YEARS.

As have Opeth and Clutch, to be honest.

And since when is metal stuck in a rut?

Maybe it's just me, but most current metal bands seem to continuously release uninspired shit that sounds like everything else I've heard lately.

As far as Opeth goes, I didn't realize they were around since 1990. But I was referring to bands like Metallica, Judas Priest, Testament, the truly great metal bands.

As much as people whinge about it, I think its worth people digging into the sub genres, as you do find some gold from time to time.

And yeah, I get what you meant on the more 'classic' bands.

[Evil Chase K]

Yeah you're right, I do find new metal bands I enjoy every now and then (mostly in the Southern/Stoner metal category) but it does appear that there are some interesting new bands out there.

[Cactus Drags]

Wait, people look to the greatest metal band of all time to release the best metal albums? Shocking.

Zero, I'm not a big fan of Nickelback either, but they do seem to be one of those bands that gets far more stick than they deserve. Maybe Chad Kroeger just rubs people the wrong way, I don't know. Silver Side Up wasn't a bad album, but they've not really done much of any worth since, just a couple of radio-friendly singles that have been quite catchy. And I'd still take them over the colossal amount of horrible, manufactured bubblegum pop and watered-down dance shite that only sells because of the sexy scantily-clad models in the video.

[Skummy]

Honestly, I think metal's in better shape now than it has ever been, I can't think of any other time when you can find so much genuinely exciting and innovative new metal with relative little effort.

The fact is, the majority of metal fans, and this is a horrible sweeping statement, seem to like what they like, and be prepared to settle for that, rather than going out of their way to look for new music - so obviously they're going to be more excited to buy albums from bands with a proven track record in the genre of their choosing, and obviously a lot of new metal bands that get the most attention are going to be derivative of those styles - hence why people still expect so much of the likes of Metallica, and why bands that sound like Metallica are more likely to get airplay.

I've got a soft spot for a fair few varieties of metal (doom, mostly), but wouldn't consider myself a "metalhead" or anything of the sort by any stretch of the imagination, yet I could probably list you dozens of bands around at the moment that are producing some fantastic, new and interesting music within that genre, it might not be as popular or as mainstream as Metallica, but surely metal was never "supposed" to be?

[JoeMimic]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Tide

^ they will "save" metal.

I love Black Tide, they're getting pretty big now. Imagine my surprise when I booted up the NHL 09 demo and I was greeted by Warriors Of Time.

[Cactus Drags]

I've only heard Shockwave, but it is good, hopefully they don't fuck up like Trivium did.

[apsham]

I'm not a metal guy so just let me get a few words in on the Nickelback debate.

They've had one good song, ever. And that was "Someday" and they'll never have another good one again. My fucking mother listens to Animals when she goes walking, and just ugh. Everything about them is ugh. It really has nothing to do with my mother, or how popular they are (because to me, quite frankly they're not really that popular.. with the people that I'm around daily, etc.) they're just shit. Their lead singer is an idiot and ugh, they set off an entire chain of annoying bands in the form of Default etc.

[TheRaySays]

Fuck Nickelback. Fucking whiner.

They're like emo without the Japanese-inspired fashion trappings. It's "working class emo" and that's the worst. No one gives a shit about your poor relationship with your daddy or the poverty that's now long behind you, you limp dick Mellencamp wannabe.

There. Glad that's out of my system.

[Hobo]

Last time I looked at it. Music like any other art form isn't like a sport their isn't a league table, you can't say "dethrone" The Beatles because they're The Beatles. You can't "dethrone" Dylan because he's Dylan. It's the same with any art you can't dethrone Da Vinci, Worhol etc etc. In wrestling you can't "dethrone" Hogan or Flair or Rock or Austin.

That isn't how it works. What's done is done, and it's always going to be there and everyone else who comes along contributes and some contribute more than others and some get better than others. Every artist is different even if they're working in the same genre. After that it's all just opinion.

Though I'll end with saying I don't listen to anything near whats being discussed here. My only experience of Metallica is getting kept up by St. Anger at 3am when my brother fell asleep with the TV on whilst drunk. As for Nickleback... All I can ever think is the lead guy looks like Jerry Lynn and they had that one song years ago that I liked but I don't really care that much.

[Vendetta]

Last time I checked..All the right Reasons was released 3 years ago and they still have hits coming off that album.

[Iain76er]

So they're good because they're too lazy to write new stuff and despite releasing 7 singles off one album, that still isn't enough to get people to buy the album?

Yeah, they're fucking brilliant. >_>

Edited September 10, 2008 by Iain76er

[Vendetta]

Yes,. but how many albums can you name that have come out that has 7 top 40 singles off one album?

There are only a few I can think off. Meatloaf's Bat Out of Hell being the main one and he has only released three albums ever.

Bat out of Hell, the debut album which had been four years in the making, has sold over 37 million copies. After almost 30 years, it still sells an estimated 200,000 copies annually, and stayed on the charts for over 9 years. Each of the seven tracks on the album eventually charted as a hit single.

All I'm saying is it doesn't matter what you think of Nickelback..all that matters is the charts and the charts don't lie...

[K]

Depends what question you ask them.

Q: Have Nickleback sold a buttload of albums

A: Yes

Q: Are they boring as fuck

A: Yes

[GA!]

Depends what question you ask them.

Q: Have Nickleback sold a buttload of albums

A: Yes

Q: Are they boring as fuck

A: Yes

Do an origami representation of Nickelback.

Sorry Keith, but you've been typecast!

[Gazz]

Depends what question you ask them.

Q: Have Nickleback sold a buttload of albums

A: Yes

Q: Are they boring as fuck

A: Yes

Do an origami representation of Nickelback.

Sorry Keith, but you've been typecast!

A plain piece of A4 should do it (Y)

[GA!]

Depends what question you ask them.

Q: Have Nickleback sold a buttload of albums

A: Yes

Q: Are they boring as fuck

A: Yes

Do an origami representation of Nickelback.

Sorry Keith, but you've been typecast!

A plain piece of A4 should do it (Y)

Woah.

Watch out Keith, a new origami master has risen!

[Iain76er]

Yes,. but how many albums can you name that have come out that has 7 top 40 singles off one album?

There are only a few I can think off. Meatloaf's Bat Out of Hell being the main one and he has only released three albums ever.

Bat out of Hell, the debut album which had been four years in the making, has sold over 37 million copies. After almost 30 years, it still sells an estimated 200,000 copies annually, and stayed on the charts for over 9 years. Each of the seven tracks on the album eventually charted as a hit single.

All I'm saying is it doesn't matter what you think of Nickelback..all that matters is the charts and the charts don't lie...

OK, to start with Meat Loaf has released a boat-load of albums. 10 studio albums & 5 live albums.

Also to say that only the charts matter in a thread about Metallica, whose reputation is based on their first 4 albums, which didn't start bothering the charts in the least bit until 'Master Of Puppets' is frankly astonishing.

Also the charts don't lie? Try telling that to Slipknot or The Sex Pistols.

Nickleback are never going to considered a leading band, because they're music is boring and shite. At best they'll be remembered for having a couple of soft rock songs that for a few weeks people enjoyed, before they saw through the fact that it's just a fucking chorus and rightly resigned it to DFS adverts.

Edit: Also the last album to stay in the charts as long as the current Nickleback one is Shania Twain's Come On Over. Brilliant.

Edited September 10, 2008 by Iain76er