How to Tell if You Are a Metal Poser

Evaluating Your Music Tastes

Look at what you listen to daily. Make sure you actually listen to metal on a daily basis. Listening to a few metal songs at a friend's house or on a game doesn't make you a metalhead. If you use a software to play music, you can easily check what you’ve listened to by date and how many times you've listened to a song. You should have at least a couple of tracks from a metal band in your recently played playlist.

Know classic metal. There are “godfathers” of metal that you should know, if you consider yourself a metalhead. There are also several bands that fall on the line of metal and classic rock. The reality of the situation is that genres are malleable and shouldn’t be taken as a strict label. Some of the classic rock/metal bands are Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Van Halen, and Iron Maiden. Other classic metal bands are: Metallica Megadeth Slayer Death Judas Priest Pantera

Understand the sub-genres. Make sure you know a few bands of every subgenre of metal. Just a few major metal subgenres are thrash metal, death metal, black metal, power metal, and speed metal. Some metalheads consider people who listen to metalcore and claim to be metalheads are posers. Metalcore is a fusion genre of extreme metal and hardcore punk; with the latter genre being what stirs away many metal purists from engaging with metalcore. Metalcore includes bands like Trivium, Parkway Drive, Killswitch Engage, Bullet For My Valentine, Poison The Well, and Motionless In White. A list of a few bands and their respective subgenres are in the tips section.

Learn some metal facts. Know random trivia about bands like Motorhead, Metallica, Pantera, Death, Iron Maiden, Children of Bodom, and any other band you like. Statements like "Slipknot Sucks!" or "Metallica is the only good metal band" are typical statements from a metalhead poser. If you only like one band, you don't like metal thus you're not qualified to be a "Metalhead" but rather, you are a "Bandhead". However, there is one exception to this rule. If a person likes Metallica and has only listened to Metallica, then he or she can still be considered a genuine metalhead, but an adolescent metalhead to say the least. There are ways to learn metal information, for example, by watching episodes of “That Metal Show” There is great information about metal music in various guitar player magazines and a select number of music/rock magazines.

Welcome other tastes in music. Being a metalhead does not mean you reject every other genre of music. A metalhead (as well as everyone else) should exercise an open mind and be reasonable. Metal, in general, may be considered good music, but not all good music is metal. Being a metalhead is a matter of personal expression. If you are open to showing your passion, don’t make fun of others who wish to share what they love. There is also a growing community of electronic and experimental musicians that are inspired heavily by metal. Noise as a genre of music isn’t a genre of metal, but the music and musicians doing this are metal.

Enacting a Metalhead Lifestyle

Be around fellow metalheads. Make sure you have friends that love metal. The biggest reason to surround yourself with fellow metalheads is to share your thoughts on metal and learn from them but don’t exclude any of your friends who don’t appreciate or like metal. If they are your friends, you should be able to get along regardless of music preference.

Practice kindness. Be sure to not be a jerk. Metal is aggressive, but this doesn't mean you have to act aggressively. Metal music is an expression of human emotions. Metal became so popular because it is an outlet for fans and musicians to channel the darker emotions of life. All good art channels universal human emotions in a way that reacts with you. Metal certainly can have a moving effect on you, but don’t let that alter the way you treat others.

Respect the metalhead title. Claiming to be a metalhead does not make you one. You should also realize that metal has almost nothing to do with fashion. It is okay to wear a t-shirt of your favorite band or a leather jacket, but you certainly don’t have to. Metal is completely about being yourself; there is no model to follow. Be a metalhead out of your love for this music, not for the fame or the attention. Remember: being a metalhead does not mean making all of your conversations based around music.

Wear metal clothing. While style doesn’t dictate a metalhead, you can still look good while rocking out. Check online to see if your favorite band has merchandise that you like. The classic metalhead will have a handful of metal band t-shirts. It is similar to the punk aesthetic in this sense. Wear guitar pick necklaces, or other instrument-related things if you can play the instrument.

Avoid poser trends. There are several aspiring metalheads who get wrapped up in trending dress styles. Stores like Hot Topic can have plenty of gear, but a lot of their merchandise is for fading trends. If you find a t-shirt from a band you like that you think is cool, go ahead and buy it. Avoid spending all your money at a store like this. Being a metalhead is all about authenticity. You cannot buy your way into a lifestyle. At the end of the day, being a metalhead is about the music and your devotion as a fan.

Improving Your Credit as a Metalhead

Play an instrument. Choose an instrument from the classic arrangement of metal. You have the guitar, drums, bass, or keyboard. The keyboard isn’t as popular of an instrument for metal, but it does have its place. Pick what you love the most from the genre. If you catch yourself playing air guitar during a Van Halen song, pick up the guitar. If you notice yourself tapping out rhythms while listening to Motorhead on the bus, start playing the drums.

Learn classic metal songs. Once you start playing an instrument and learn the basics, attempt to play a song you know well. It is easier to learn songs that you already know by heart. This way when you are reading tabs online, you won’t need to listen to the song repeatedly. You can get far by learning classic metal songs like “Master of Puppets,” “Thunderstruck,” or “Iron Man.”

Start a metal band with your metalhead friends. The best way to start a band with your friends is by assigning instruments in the beginning. That way each person can pick out an instrument to learn and dedicate time to practice. Once you all become decent at your instruments, try to write a song together. It especially helps if you have this conversation before Christmas. It is easier to write a song as a band if the guitar player creates a riff before practice. That way she can show it to the group and the band will waste less time. It is also good for a band to become comfortable together by learning metal songs. Have a decent space to practice music.

Go to good metal shows. Look at local venues in your area that host metal shows. A lot of venues host shows that have age restrictions like “18+” or “21+”. Look on the venue’s website before showing up to the venue. If you follow a specific metal band, check to see if they have an upcoming tour.

Keep your metal roots as you grow up. Many people start out as metalheads in middle school but start to lose their roots as they grow up. Be true to your metalhead roots if you want to be a true metalhead. Even if you take a break from listening to metal for a month or a year, you can still enjoy metal.