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Saturday, July 11, 2015

The Metalhead Kids Are All Right

A new study finds 1980s heavy metal fans have matured into responsible adults.

Among Americans' periodic periods of panic over the corrosiveness of pop culture, the 1980s campaign to vilify heavy metal music stands out for the decibel level of both the music and the protests.

With dramatic testimony in courtrooms and at Congressional hearings, concerned parents and even government officials warned that groups like Iron Maiden and Metallica were enticing our teenagers into moral and spiritual darkness—up to and including devil worship.

So now that three decades have passed since this alleged attempt by Satan to infiltrate young brains via eardrum-shattering sounds, how are those headbangers doing? Did their punishingly loud and intense music send them spiraling into lives of despair?

Not so, according to a newly published study. In fact, researchers find that former metal fans "were significantly happier in their youth, and better adjusted currently" compared to their peers who preferred other musical genres, and to a parallel group of current college students.

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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

A lot of them overdosed as I recall,but that type always seemed to be really smart when they wanted to be.

Anonymous said...

Far more 70s musicians died via OD than metal heads. And even more grunge artists from the 90s of heroin. Most metal heads I know from the 89s and 90s are now really successful and family oriented.