Is Iron Maiden the biggest metal band in the world right now?

RLonger said:
And the biggest metal band is Metallica (sine 30 years!). Iron Maiden is on the same level as Ozzy Osbourne/Black Sabbath - sometimes less or more but way behind the Metallica and even Rammstein. These two bands' fan base is still growing with hosts of young fans - we can't say the same about Maiden, particulary in US.
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Well, I don't care. For me, Metallica and Rammstein are now more like "entry level" metal band for people that are figuring out their musical taste. So yeah - commercially speaking - Metallica is possibly the biggest one.
 
If we're taking in account record sales, casual listener and media exposure the logical answer is Metallica.
Now if you pay more atention to factors like: how solid their last albums have been, how they renewd their fanbase over the last 2 generations (and perhaps even increased it) and growing public and media recognition (something they lacked some years ago)... YOU BET YOUR ASS IT IS MAIDEN!
 
Refering to thses factors - Maiden is an obvious choice. More we could tell after publishing 2019 tour results. I hope for strong ones.
 
RLonger said:
What about Rammstein, many people call them "metal" could you agree with them? To me they're more into just industrial hard rock with metallic sound.
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I happen to know Rammstein since the beggining and believe me: they're not a metal band. They're a band with METAL GUITARS, allright. In their first two albums if you isolate the guitars it seems like Clawfinger's guitar equalizing. But the vocals are totally influenced (perhaps tooooo much) by Laibach's Milan Fras, the synths and samples are a mix of Kraftwerk, early synthpop (mainly Depeche Mode) and NDH bands like DAF, the keys wave between the punch of Wagner and the progressions of Ravel and the drums are quite Ministry like to give the whole package that mechanical pace.

At least that's what they were until Reise Reise... after that I heard a handful of songs that made me avoid new releases from the band at any cost.
 
And then it varies from country to country. I can only speak about the few countries I have friends but if you ask metalheads (not casual listeners) from Spain, Germany, UK, Brasilian, Scandinavia or South America who'd they pick from Metallica or Maiden I think the majority would go with the later.
 
RLonger said:
I suppose more real metalheads are more into Maiden than Metallica.
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Yeah true... but I'm also talking about the more casual hard rock/ metal/perhaps a bit of thrash listener. If we include these folks things are a bit more even.
 
I think Metallica's gigs are full of people who kind of like them, while Iron Maiden's gigs are full of diehards. That's a difference.
Metallica is much more famous among general public, but Maiden is definitely more beloved and respected by rock and metal fans.
I don't think there is the same love there for Metallica as it's a case with Maiden , just a lot of like.
 
RLonger said:
And the biggest metal band is Metallica (sine 30 years!). Iron Maiden is on the same level as Ozzy Osbourne/Black Sabbath - sometimes less or more but way behind the Metallica and even Rammstein. These two bands' fan base is still growing with hosts of young fans - we can't say the same about Maiden, particulary in US.
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I do not think Rammstein are bigger than Maiden in most countries.
 
You, as all the rest of us, will know in eight months' time.
 
RLonger said:
And the biggest metal band is Metallica (sine 30 years!). Iron Maiden is on the same level as Ozzy Osbourne/Black Sabbath - sometimes less or more but way behind the Metallica and even Rammstein. These two bands' fan base is still growing with hosts of young fans - we can't say the same about Maiden, particulary in US.
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Discalimer, I'm not an American, and have never been to the USA.

But USA appears prominently in tv coverage and music charts etc. It's such a big economic market that it heavily influences global sales etc.
My perception is that USA is quite different to other "Western" markets.
USA have a massive patriotic and nationalist thing going on. So a USA band such as Five Finger Death Punch will out chart Iron Maiden in the US, but not in the other global markets. A degree of nationalism occurs in other Western countries too, but no way near to the degree of what happens in USA.
My theory is that since USA originated thrash, then there is a strong bias in USA towards thrash and the heavier more extreme styles rather than NWOBHM.

But when I look to see how "popular" a band is, I kinda ignore the USA market, because I want to gain a less patriotically influenced position.
I think, abroad, Metallica have lost a lot of their appeal, although they are still very popular. But at least abroad FFDP don't out chart IM.
 
MindlessPieces said:
My theory is that since USA originated thrash, then there is a strong bias in USA towards thrash and the heavier more extreme styles rather than NWOBHM.
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That is because of the B, surely. ;)
Besides, it is funny how the same musician can be involved in bands that fare totally differently in Europe and the USA: Shannon Larkin (drums) gave Ugly Kid Joe a miss to play with some band called Godsmack (of which I have hardly heard a note without having to research their music)... and it so appears that it is much better to play for Godsmack than for UKJ in terms of mainstream success in the former colonies. :D
 
I'm curious which metal bands could be considered household names in the USA?
I would say Black Sabbath and Metallica. Maybe Priest and Maiden?
 
PieceofMind89 said:
I'm curious which metal bands could be considered household names in the USA?
I would say Black Sabbath and Metallica. Maybe Priest and Maiden?
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If I had to guess which metal bands most Americans would know, in no particular order:

Metallica
Megadeth
Black Sabbath
Slayer
Anthrax
Pantera
Iron Maiden
Judas Priest
Ozzy Osbourne

Also some very popular hard rock acts:

Guns ‘n’ Roses
AC/DC
Van Halen
Journey
Def Leppard
Poison
Mötley Crüe
 
What is this, the '80s? There's no way Anthrax would be a household name among non-metal fans. Metallica and Sabbath are probably the only two that really fit that idea from your list. Priest and Ozzy are popular on radio too, but the hard rock acts you mentioned (aside from Poison) have a better sticking power in the minds of non-metal fans because they're only... hard rock.

Rammstein, Slipknot, Ghost, and Korn are bigger household names than Megadeth and Anthrax. Where've you been for the last 30 years? :P
 
Diesel 11 said:
Rammstein, Slipknot, Ghost, and Korn are bigger household names than Megadeth and Anthrax. Where've you been for the last 30 years? :p
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In the United States. Rammstein is a one-hit wonder in the US (“Du Hast”) that most people have forgotten. Ghost is well known, but do they even count as metal? No one’s cared about Korn since the 90s, and only a few cared back then. You’re right about Slipknot, though.

Yes. Megadeth is well known here. Everyone knows “Symphony Of Destruction” if they’ve even casually paid attention to metal. Megadeth still headlines arena shows. They just won a Grammy. They’re in the public consciousness.

Anthrax I never cared for, but they’ve always been treated as one of the “Big 4” thrash bands in the U.S., and that crossover song with Public Enemy back in the day made a broader impression, I guess. I’ll still see people randomly wearing Anthrax shirts in public sometimes.
 
Oh that's right, you're from Minnesota. That explains it. I don't see any of what you seem to be seeing over here. Rammstein, A7X, Slipknot, Metallica... they're big bands in VA.
 
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