You might wonder what causes more metal bands to appear in certain countries than others. We all know where certain bands from certain genres hail from, but did you ever think of what factors contribute to this? Apparently, money and wealth. Rolling Stone cites a new study from City Lab that’s based on a map that was released back in 2012 tracking the number of heavy metal bands per 100,000 residents, showing great spikes in Northern Europe (Scandinavia, duh) and lower numbers in Africa. Author Richard Florida has observed these numbers:
“The number of heavy metal bands per capita is positively associated with economic output per capita (.71); level of creativity (.71) and entrepreneurship (.66); share of adults that hold college degrees (.68); as well as overall levels of human development (.79), well-being, and satisfaction with life (.60).”
It definitely makes sense when you think about it. Bands need gear, and bands need to use that gear in a studio, and what comes out of the studio needs to be promoted through a record label, radio, and so on. And the better a country is doing, the easier it is to obtain these things. That’s why areas like Germany, Scandinavia, and Canada seem to have larger numbers. So, I guess the takeaway here is: don’t doubt Canada’s heaviness. Sure, they gave us Justin Bieber, but they also gave us Rush, Protest The Hero, Kataklysm…well, you get the picture.
