Does Heavy Metal Corrupt Youth?
Does Heavy Metal Corrupt Youth?Musical preferences are as diverse as the people who listen to
it. Different types of music have different reputations. Heavy metal
music is often labeled as "negative." Yet others find it a harmless
form of music. The argument presented in this paper will show that
heavy metal music poses no threat to the well-being of its listeners.
Like other types of music, such as jazz, blues, and even rap. The
distinct style of heavy metal music can be grouped into three main
sections (Ratliff 1). One popular style of heavy metal is death metal.
Death metal has a more dark sound and eerie style than other forms of
heavy metal. The music itself is fast, heavy, and loud. The images
that death metal portrays are death, doom, destruction, suicide, sex,
and drugs. Some see these images as harmful or having a negative
effect on the listener (Halbersberg 1). Another form of heavy metal
music is speed metal. Speed metal has a more upbeat sound than death
metal and is not as depressing as death metal. It is fast paced and
has a hard impact The lead guitar follows a frenetic pace. This is in
contrast to death metal which emphasizes rhythm guitar (Graff 3). The
last type of heavy metal music is thrash metal. The name refers to
both the thrashing sound of the music and the flailing movement of its
listeners. The sound is very loud and has the same tone and style of
speed metal (Graff 3). These styles however, attract certain people.
The majority of people who listen to heavy metal music are
suburban white males. These males range in ages between 14-24. They
have a certain style of dress and way of life. They wear dark
clothing with morbid images of death and destruction. This clothing
can be seen to be a costume that advertises the teens' musical
preference. It is a way of getting attention. Surprisingly, even
though the crowds tend to be young, adults are also seen at these
concerts. One example of an adult and a parent is Dave Mullins. He
likes to take his sons to see death metal shows.(Graff 1) Mullins says
about death metal, "I did see one band that had a clear bag with a
fetus inside it. It looked gross, but it was just a gag. When I'm
watching the kids, they're just letting off steam. When I was a kid,
we used to beat people up after school. This seems better to me."
(Graff 1) Of course, not all parents agree with Mullins.
Parents want the best for their children, but sometimes their
efforts are not beneficial. When parents nag their children about what
they should and should not listen to, kids can become angry and
depressed. This possibly can lead to drinking and drug use, and
suicide. Parents can blame this behavior...
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