http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/03/21/nmetal21.xml

Once again metal gets all of the attention for something negative, while people turn a blind eye to more popular and just as “dangerous” forms of music. My point here isn’t that hip hop and bluegrass are bad for you, just that whenever someone gets an opportunity to find something wrong with metal, they do so with malice.

I think you are on to something Dr J. Most “radio” music generally has one simple, easy to hear melody that they sing over and over and is basically the entire song, the rest is just filler until they can get back to that catchy melody, usually in the chorus.

Metal often has many different things going on. So it’s hard to pick just one main melody or catchy chorus to follow because the songs are often enjoyed as a whole, progressive, experience, not just waiting for the chorus.

So when people who don’t understand metal listen to a song, they are waiting for that one catchy part that isn’t always present. Also, a lot of metal doesn’t fit into the 3 minute song format that the general public seem to love so much.

Basically, the test doesn’t take into account personal taste. Some people might be soothed by listening to Jack Johnson while it makes me want to break my fucking stereo.

Quote of Note: “One of the most surprising things is the similarities between fans of classical music and heavy metal. They’re both creative and at ease but not outgoing.”