There are so many styles of music that there almost seems to be one for everyone. Music is an aspect of our lives we seldom think about, but which has a great affect on us. As people discuss music, the most controversial always seems to be Heavy Metal. Some people argue that Heavy Metal corrupts youth and instills the desire for death or to commit a crime. While I cannot argue that Heavy Metal has some dark lyrics, I do argue with the fact that it affects people in these types of ways. In this essay I will address the issues of teen suicide, negative moods, and damaged or broken homes, all of which have been attributed to Heavy Metal.
Many parents of teens that have committed suicide after listening to Heavy Metal music see the music as the one to blame. I believe that the parents are far more to blame than the music. Many parents do not enjoy Heavy Metal and either do not allow their children to listen to it, or constantly yell at them for listening to it. Looking at it from the other side, this yelling, if preempting the music may cause the child to start listening to this type of music to feel better. Heavy Metal is definitely not meant to be interpreted literally. If the person listening to it already has issues, then the music may compound them. While the general consensus is that there may be a link between music and suicide, there is no empirical link between the two. (Effects of Rap Online) .
Another issue many people have with Heavy Metal is the negative moods it brings on. While it is dark and gloomy, it is also firmly based in fantasy. (Effects of Heavy Online).
If a person's mood is changed dramatically from music based in fantasy, they probably already have issues. One study found that verbal or non-physical abuse was higher in the test that used Heavy Metal. However, I would like to point out that it was non-physical; they did not physically harm anyone. People have the freedom of speech and should be allowed to exercise it.
