Heavy metal and its direct, necessary ties to traditional and evolving masculinity

Abstract

Heavy metal is a polarizing genre of music that began in the 1970's and has continued evolving with each passing decade. As heavy metal has evolved, so has the concept of masculinity. From the sexual objectification of women, to dominance and anger, to combating the stigma surrounding men and mental health, heavy metal has served as both a creative and interpretive outlet for men to express their emotions towards the world they are living in. Different techniques utilized by heavy metal artists, such as power chords, palm muting, distortion, screaming, and tremolo/sweep picking directly coincide with traditional masculine traits, like the suppression of "weak" emotions, anger, and violence. This paper allows for an interpretation of how the genre of heavy metal grew and evolved to fit men's emotional and psychological needs.