The International Society for Metal Music Studies

Although the below call is about popular music in general, the conference team encourage proposals on metal related topics.   University of Oldenburg (Germany), 07–09 April 2022 Organisation: Mario Dunkel, Reinhard Kopanski, Simon Wehber (University of Oldenburg; Faculty III; Department of Music). Deadline for submitting proposals: 15th November 2021 It is undisputed that the recent […]

Check out this podcast featuring metal scholar Holly Royle along with her PR colleagues and fellow musicians: Curtis Dewar, Gaia Guarda, and Sarah Lindsey from Book of Wyrms. Holly is a PhD student researching masculinities in heavy metal at the University of Chester. Her research brings in her experience as a musician, journalist, and music […]

On behalf of IASPM-US, please check out the call for the 2022 conference, and consider sending in a proposal. Horns up!   IASPM-US 2022 Conference: Grooves and Movements May 26-May 28, 2022 Ann Arbor/Detroit Michigan Dates and Place: The International Association for the Study of Popular Music-United States chapter (IASPM-US) invites proposals for its annual […]

Glocal metal   Didier Goossens    Not long after the first metal music studies, attention arose for its ways of production, distribution and consumption across the globe, with significant attention for non-Anglo American/European contexts. This became theorized as the global metal scene. But that utopic idea steals the thunder of many unique contexts of local metal scenes by depicting a global industry of artists, labels, platforms and fans – while some artists might not even aim for global audiences. This explains the need for a new critical framework, one that attends to the specific contexts of metal music […]

Multilingual Metal   Riitta-Liisa Valijärvi  Heavy metal is often sung in English. This is a global language, the use of which can increase sales and reach wider audiences. Yet, many bands choose to write lyrics and sing in other languages. We explored this choice in an edited volume titled Multilingual Metal Music: Sociocultural, Linguistic and Literary Perspectives on Heavy Metal Lyrics (edited by myself, Charlotte Doesburg and Amanda DiGoia).  Bands may choose to write their […]