What's the average education level for metal heads? (Updated - Poll Inside)

[Jan]

Hi, I have an M.A. in English (translation and teaching), I graduated form the oldest (and one of the best) universities in Poland. I'm actually considering strating a PhD in Phonetics next year ( I've found a supervisor but I haven't got the funds yet).

Anyway, my experience is that - at least in Poland - most people who enjoy metal are actually pretty well educated. At my university there were about 40-80 students in each year and there were at least 2-5 people in each year that considered themselves "metalheads" and perhaps another 5 or so who used to consider themselves metal, but then opened up to other genres and lost some of their devotion to metal.

Jazz musicians are usually educated (master's or bachelor's), but they have a degree in music - they're professional musicians. Same for classical musicians. Metal folk often go and get a master's in IT, physics, English, Polish literature, philosophy, etc. Now I'm 31 and I know a lot of people who stil love metal who work as highschool teachers, translators, tutors at university or a college (like me), IT experts. I hate to come across as condescending, but I don't really know any hardcore hip hop fans in such jobs.

Mind you, most of the "old" metalheads I know are not stereotypical drunken death or heavy metal barbarians, these are people who enjoy all kinds of metal as well as not-strictly metal music, sometimes artistic, usually quite independent in their thinking.

Just my two cents. I wonder what it's like in other countries.

 

[Kstring]

I find that if you tell people you like metal. They give you a look like your stupid, and i'm always like you.

But im still in high school (senior) and taking classes at Monco. I mostly get B+ - A. So yeah, im a Smertal Head.

 

[GalacticDeath]

If you mean metalhead as in someone that just listens to metal music, then the education level is all over the place because people from different educational backgrounds listen to metal. I've met a few doctors that liked metal.

If you mean metal musicians that make a living out of music, than that's a different story since a lot of musicians tend to drop out of school to pursue their musical dreams. It's not necessarily limited to metal musicians tho.

 

[GuitaristOfHell]

I'm a metal head, but my average overall is an 87. I also plan on going to college.

 

[rotebass]

In my experience the "proggy" metalheads tend to be way more intelligent/educated than the metalheads that only listen to t3h br00talz.

Actually, I took all advanced classes in highschool, and currently have a mechanical engineering technologist diploma under my belt but I listen to a lot of what I'm sure you would call t3h br00talz. I enjoy a lot of other stuff as well, but sometimes it's nice to throw on something like Suicide Silence and have a good time.

Edit: While we're discussing stereotypes, I think it should be noted that most "metalheads" I know are are more musically diverse than those who are not "metalheads", and that open-mindedness often extends into other areas that lend to being a well rounded, intelligent person.

 

[Varcolac]

In both the bands I'm in there are more degrees than members. In Prometheus I believe we've got four BAs, three MAs and an MPhil. In Carpathia, four BAs, one MA, and one of the guys has just started on an MA course with a view to completing a PhD. An old flatmate of mine, the old keyboard player for Talanas, is now doing a PhD in biology. Most of the metalheads I know are more educated than the average.

But that's just my anecdote. My social mileu for the last five years has been university, so most people that I know have at least one degree. I know plenty of well-educated folk and jazz musicians as well. Even a guy I know who loves hardcore punk has a first-class degree in philosophy. So my experience of peoples' relative educational levels is probably not even close to the average.

 

[thraxil]

Ivy League. Degrees in Physics and Computer Engineering. My roommate and fellow metalhead is in a PhD program at an Ivy. We are both loyal to metal, but diverse in our musical interests.

But, yeah, we're definitely a minority.

 

[Demiurge]

It's hard and usually unfair to try to draw some sort of correlation between intelligence/education and music taste. I'm sure there are brilliant people who are tonedeaf, and there are probably musically-gifted people who aren't particularly bright.

The prevalent assumption is that brighter people enjoy art with more complexity and sophistication. A lot of metal seems to satisfy a desire for complexity, but I think there's another factor at play. Metal is complex but it is also abrasive and subversive, and music with those qualities are going to have their own draw and attract listeners who want to go beyond the conventional.

I guess metal is just a place where "freaks" and "geeks" convene, and many times those descriptions can be used for the same person.

I don't care what the music is- it's not the intelligence or education of the person but rather if they're a free-thinker. One can live a hundred lifetimes without having to make a musical decision themselves and go off the beaten path of what radio and magazines tell you what is good music, so it means a lot if a person actual makes a choice as to what they listen to or like.

 

[Gamba]

+1 for the Bachelors team here. Will start my masters in March if everything works out the right way
and, I'm not really into prog/melodic metal stuff. I really dig more heavy/aggressive stuff.
I really dig the old prog rock thing though, like rush, pink floyd, genesis and stuff

 

[jymellis]

i quit high school to work and support my family.

 

[rippedflesh89]

i quit high school to work and support my family.

i have a lot of respect for you for doing this.... its a difficult thing to do, but any respectful person would do the same for their family

 

[Gamba]

i quit high school to work and support my family.

 

[Stealthdjentstic]

i quit high school to work and support my family.

Jym is just what you call a hardworking motherfucker

 

[Yaris]

Honestly, I just graduated high school back in 03, and now I help my cousin run her business.
If there is anyone in/around San Antonio that is willing to spend a decent amount to have an epic cake made and delivered, hit me up!
Company is called Cakes by Nisa, and 3/4's of our clientele are MILFS.

This made me rofl hard

But yeah, I can't say too much I guess, I'm still in high school.

 

[AvantGuardian]

If you mean metalhead as in someone that just listens to metal music, then the education level is all over the place because people from different educational backgrounds listen to metal. I've met a few doctors that liked metal.

If you mean metal musicians that make a living out of music, than that's a different story since a lot of musicians tend to drop out of school to pursue their musical dreams. It's not necessarily limited to metal musicians tho.

This is pretty much what I was going to say. Most of the guys I know that are in metal bands and really trying to "make it" didn't go to college. I'd say that definitely isn't exclusive to metal though.

On the other hand, I met a lot of people in college who are into metal, but most of these people aren't defined by being a "metalhead." I'd say I fit into that category. I gigged in a metal band during my college years, but I'm just playing for fun these days. I'd like to start gigging again soon and I'm still really into metal, but I'd say my career defines me a little more than my musical tastes at this point. I think that's true for a lot of the metal fans I went to college with.

 

[Concr3t3]

I attended Robert E. Lee High School of San Antonio, TX from 1988 - 1993. I choose the 5 year career because I...I was bored. During my 5th year, the janitors made me a time card and gave it to me saying "You might as well get paid for being here." Needless to say, I didn't get paid, but my 5th year was cool because I did whatever I wanted. The only class I got full marks was in Electronics and Physical Science. Everything else was a nice red "F+" because either the teachers sucked or the subjects sucked or both.

After high school, I joined the work force and had 3 bands at one time; I played bass in those days. Fast forward 3 bands, teleport to San Diego, CA, fast forward 3 more bands (lots of flakes in Sandy Eggo) to my current band, Under The Stone, and here I am....well actually about 3 years ago I finally got my GED and was given the opportunity to play guitar. NOW this where I am. And I have a pretty sweet job considering I didn't go to college.

PS- I <3 Metal. \m/(>.<)\m/

 

[ittoa666]

Let's not forget Nergal and the fact that he could be a museum curator.

 

[budda]

Finishing Social Service Worker Diploma this winter term (college), then later on getting my BA - music - guitar, then teacher's college, then more worky work.

 

[ZEBOV]

It seems most metal heads major in something unrelated to music.
My aunt works for the Phildelphia Symphony Orchestra, and according to her, most everyone that plays for the orchestra either has a college degree in music, or they have been playing since they were in a single digit age.
As for me, I was homeschooled from 9th to 12th grade after having to deal with the bullshit anti-violence policies American schools have. I thought I graduated, but what I did is not accredited by the state I live in, so I'm working on a GED while studying recording engineering with Auidio Institute of America. Someday in the future, I want to go to some kind of jazz school to make an extreme advancement of skills on drums and bass.

 

[Koshchei]

My wife is nearing completion on her Ph.D. in Psychology. I have a B.A. in History and am verging on applying to Grad School. Just not sure if we can swing it financially, as I work full-time and we have a monstrous mortgage to pay down.