The whole ‘metal’ look is pretty much set in stone. You know the drill. Black band t-shirt with a black band hoody. A pair of jeans, converse and most likely long hair. Attaching yourself to a particular type or scene of music by wearing what other listeners of that music wear is commonplace. It’s a way of expressing who you are and I guess in some respects a way of feeling like you belong to something or fitting in.

The traditional metal look

But, what if, despite listening to similar music, you don’t want to look like they do? Maybe you don’t like what they are wearing and you want to be different? Does this make you any less of a fan of a particular music type then those who express it in how they dress? Of course it doesn’t. Unfortunately, some people don’t see it that way. Certain individuals will scrutinise and then attack you if you don’t fit in with their image of how a fan of a particular music type should look. They might call you a poser, scoff at what you’re wearing or just not associate with you.

What you listen to is also judged by some in exactly the same way. In metal for example, some people will have a real issue if you listen to anything other than metal even only occasionally. It’s the genre’s such as electronic/dance and hip-hop that really seem to rile this type of person, probably because they sound completely different to metal. They scoff for exactly the same reason as before, it doesn’t fit in with their narrow view of what a listener of a particular type of music should listen to.

It’s quite sad really that these people have got a particular package in their head and won’t accept anything else. If you want to just listen to metal and have no desire to explore other genre’s then fair enough. If you want to look metal part as well, then go for it. But, if you do want to explore other genre’s as well as metal or don’t fancy looking like they do then don’t let some elitist douchebag put you off. You can be a metal fan without wearing black t-shirts all the time or having long hair. You don’t have to live an “extreme” lifestyle. You can listen to other genre’s of music and you will still remain a metal fan.

I don’t wear black t-shirts that often. I don’t have long hair. I don’t just listen to metal. Yet I am a metal fan. If you so wish, you can do that too.