Scandinavia is referred to as a peninsula that is home to a group of countries in the Northern region of Europe. It comprises of Denmark, Norway, Sweden and sometimes even Finland and Iceland. Apart from the geographical complexity of Scandinavia, one thing that comes to our mind as soon we hear the name of this peninsula is- ‘Heavy Metal’.
Even though there are a lot of countries that have had a valuable contribution towards the genre of heavy metal, Scandinavia has booked itself the prime spot. When it comes to Scandinavia, though the countries are not very densely populated, they have had a profound effect in the world of music. Sounds absurd right? Countries with much lesser populations with the U.S.A have far more contribution to heavy metal? Well, let the statistics guide you then! As of 2016, The United States had 72 metal bands per million citizens in the country. Sounds impressive? Now let us get to the countries in Scandinavia. Finland has 630 bands per million citizens, Sweden has 428, Iceland 341 and Norway 299. Each of them being much more than the USA despite having much lesser population and being considered as soft and gentle countries.
While there is no concrete theory as to why Scandinavian countries produce abundant heavy metal, there have been some assumptions regarding the same. One study done on the relation between Scandinavia and heavy metal concluded an inverse relationship between the happiness level of a country and the music that it produces. According to their theory, the happier a country is, the darker is the music that it produces. Which can explain the huge contribution of the happy Nordic countries towards heavy metal, and the contribution of the USA towards pop and dance music. Another theory suggests rather jokingly that since the Scandinavian countries are extremely cold, warm and soft music won’t appeal to them. They need something strong and cold to suit their taste. Some people believe that a higher IQ is needed to grasp the essence of heavy metal. The average IQ in Scandinavia is assumed to be fairly high. Heavy metal represents more hard work and genuine passion. Anything apart from heavy metal is thought of as too gentle and may be perceived as fake.
Though the exact reason behind this relation between heavy metal and Scandinavia is unknown, it is safe to say that heavy metal is a hit in those countries. Works well for all of us, doesn’t it? As they say, tough weather breeds tough people!
Also Check Out- Battle Of Forces I Have Heard, But Battle Of Oranges? Let’s Find Out
0 Comments