ceremorphosis

From Telegraph.co.uk, a report that it’s not the meatheads that are metalheads.

Intelligent teenagers often listen to heavy metal music to cope with the pressures associated with being talented, according to research.

The results of a study of more than 1,000 of the brightest five per cent of young people will come as relief to parents whose offspring, usually long-haired, are devotees of Iron Maiden, AC/DC and their musical descendants.

Researchers found that, far from being a sign of delinquency and poor academic ability, many adolescent “metalheads” are extremely bright and often use the music to help them deal with the stresses and strains of being gifted social outsiders.

…”Participants said they appreciated the complex and sometimes political themes of heavy metal music more than perhaps the average pop song.

…The researchers surveyed 1,057 members of the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth – a body whose 120,000 student members are within the top five per cent academically in the 11-19 age range.

Asked for their favourite type of music, 39 per cent said rock, 18 per cent R&B and 14 per cent pop. Six per cent said heavy metal and a third rated it in their top five genres.

…You can’t really jump your anger into the floor and listen to your music at the same time with other types of music.”