Prog metal in the States

Yesterday I watched an episode of Criminal Minds ... and what do I hear? Opeth! It was really cool ... and it matched the scene totally (Death Whispered a Lullaby ... a woman getting home from work and trying to sleep, and the vocals going "Sleep my child" ...).

pogoowner wrote: FragileDT wrote: Prog metal is MUCH more popular than symphonic or avant prog. Look at how many people listen to Tool, Dream Theater, and Opeth in the United States. In fact, I would go as far to say that most people know a Tool song since they do get radio play on local stations. Most people know Dream Theater too. No one knows the Flower Kings, Spock's Beard, few know Porcupine Tree (comparing the prog metal bands since it is a new genre with newer symph prog bands.) Even people that are really into music hardly know these non prog metal groups. Most people know Dream Theater?  I don't think I've met more than 5 people outside of something such as a DT concert that have heard of them.

I've met like 3 or 4 people who know who they are.  Tool is a lot more popular and actually does get air time on the "hard rock" station here (It's actually horrible and plays sh*t like Green day)  but I've never head DT on the radio.  There is a Classic rock station here though and they play quite a lot of Prog rock

I live in one of the 10 largest towns in America. I once tried to request a Dream Theater song on the radio. I was told they MIGHT be able to play Pull Me Under but refused to play my request....on a 2-hour long metal show.

The internet keeps prog alive in the States. I am so envious of the European countries that have "Progfests" every couple of months or so. I think America has 1 a year....if we're lucky. America is still ruled by the same 6 CEO's sitting at their desks deciding what's best for us to listen to.

What they don't realize is the majority of Americans don't like what we're spoon fed in terms of music. If I want a Pink Floyd CD I have to special order it. Gosh my hometown has 1 million people...and I have to special order a Pink Floyd CD??? Arrghh.

polyrythmic wrote: What about Tool, their huge in the States?

Lateralus and 10000 days debuted at no.1 on the Billboard charts, right?  So that tells how popular they are in the States.

Edited by r-u-n - March 14 2007 at 16:20

Yontar wrote: Xalita wrote: One of the things that intrigues me most is why isn't prog metal very popular in the United States. More strange it becomes when we know that the Big Three, DT Fates and Symphony are all from there. It makes me think a lot   i would say musically we are ahead of many other countries in the musical cycle. I think the rebirth of prog into the american household will be in about 10 years. Right now people just want simple music but as the world advances in technology things will becom more complex, like peoples taste in music. Pop and Rap will eventually die, just give it time.

I was actually suprised to lean that Godspeed You! Black Emperor is quite popular here, at least among certain crowds.

You mean in person, right?  I"m sure there are plenty on this site.

Drakk wrote: While I don't see much Prog Metal becoming popular here, I thought one band would have been brought up... Tool is fairly popular, and I'd say they're prog metal. :D

Definitely, they're probably the only modern prog band I've heard on the radio (granted, I don't listen to the radio often).  They're definitely popular, I've seen several people at my college with Tool shirts, including my brother and my friend. 

maybe that's not totally true... i mean, we're talking about portion here.. and the US music market is by far a lot bigger than any other european market so a 5% of the US market is bigger than a 15% than the eg greek market..

so, maybe, things aren't as bad as we think in the US...

I don't like to hear prog on radio,i want it to be only mine hahah

Edited by DarioIndjic - March 13 2007 at 23:56