The State of the Union is where I take a look at where metal came from this year, and what genres are getting the biggest push as that paints a bigger picture of what metal looks like. It is taking a more prominent place on festival stages. Granted this comes from a filter of albums that I actually reviewed. Still, when it comes to bands getting a buzz, I will be inclined to review them even if it's not something I would normally listen to, because let's be real those bands will draw new readers, and I am not just talking into a void here. I got 523,000 new readers this year. I appreciate every one of you, old and new. Thank you for every minute of your life you have given my words, I hope I've offered you perspectives that do not just toe the line of the media's current narrative. Thank you once again for spending time with me here to analyze these stats and perhaps give you a glance at Metal's state this year which might give a glimpse into its future.
I'm breaking things down by each genre, looking at the total albums of each genre I reviewed and the countries those bands were from. Then for American bands, I will break it down into a glance at the states churning out the most metal as a whole, though I am not breaking it down by genre when I get to the states.
63 albums
1- Norway- 11
2-USA-10
3-Finland- 7
4-Germany-6
5-France-5
6-Sweden-4
7-England-3
8-Greece-3
9-Canada -2
10-Russia-2
Additional albums from Bulgaria, Switzerland, Austria, Portugal, Hungary, Chile, Brazil, Columbia, Italy, Czech Republic
America is right behind Norway as the top exporter of black metal with three other Scandinavian countries in the top 5 which is no surprise. In terms of quality, Norway won, as 3 of the top 10 black metal albums of the year were Norweigan, with Finland, America, Columbia, Canada, France, Hungary, and Austria. all being represented.
https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/12/the-top-10-black-metal-albums-of-2024.html
Death Metal
67 Albums
1-USA- 38
2-Sweden- 5
3-Italy- 4
4-Germany - 3
5-United Kingdom- 2
6-Japan-2
7-Spain- 2
8-Belgium- 2
No other country is coming close when it comes to the amount of death metal being pumped out and a great deal of it is coming from the West Coast. It is not a surprise Sweden is in a distant second place.
1 album from Portugal, Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland, Canada, Norway, Poland, New Zealand, Czech Republic, and America dominated the top 10 death metal albums of the year with 8 albums, and the other two came from Northern Europe.
https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2024/12/the-top-10-death-metal-albums-of-2024.html
Thrash
15 Albums
USA 13 albums - albums from Germany and Canada
This Genre does stick to it's Bay area roots, with some interest bubbling up from Texas.
Metal Core
13 Albums
1-USA -7
2- Australia-3,
3-Germany-2
4- Canada
Despite not covering a ton of bands that fall into this sub-genre as they all tend to sound the same this is enough data to provide what feels to be an accurate assessment of the global breakdown as it's more of a Tik Tok marketed genre.
Prog Metal
9 Albums
1- Sweden- 2
2-USA-2
Additional albums from, Hungary, England, Canada, Scottland, and Germany
Another genre where not have a ton of coverage, but Anglo-leaning demographics for this type of nerdy metal seem obvious.
Hardcore
29 Albums
1-USA -19
2-Denmark -3
3-Finland- 2
Additional albums from Greece, Sweden, Australia Norway, and England
Eight of the top 10 hardcore albums came from America, the other two being Australia and Denmark. There has been a rising tide for European hard core so listening for more of that in the year to come.
SLUDGE
28 Albums
1-USA-14
2-England-3
3-Denmark-2
4-Canada-2
Additional albums from France, Sweden, New Zealand, Poland, Italy, Scottland and Spain
Seven of the top ten sludge bands this year are from America, with Itlay, England and Spain being numbered alongside them.
Grindcore
12 Albums
USA-7
Additional albums from Norway, Iceland, Canada, Sweden and France
This is another sub-genre that I have warmed up to more, but still has not gotten as much coverage as other genres, and I tend to only like bands who take this and temper it with darker more atmospheric elements. Three of the top 10 extreme metal bands were grind-core, so that is a step in the right direction.
Doom
35 Albums
1-USA - 17
2-England - 4
3-Finland- 3
4-Denmark-2
5-Germany-2
6- Italy 2
Additional albums from Portugal, Norway, New Zealand, Greece and France
This genre is all over the place in terms of where it's coming from. Hoping to find more great doom albums in 2025, than I did in 2024, it seems digger deeper into the European underground this year I might find them.
Nu-Metal
15 Albums
l-USA - 7
2-Germany- 3
3-England-3
Additional albums from Canada and Italy
This genre is more of a nostalgia thing for younger Americans who missed out on it the first time, which is why System of a Down is now playing stadiums.
Industrial
13 Albums
1-USA -5
2-Finland - 2
2-Germany- 2
Additional albums from Italy, France, Norway and Portugal
New industrial bands are exciting to me, hoping to hear this grow.
Crust
Sweden - 2
Additional albums from England, USA, Spain, and Germany
Another sub-genre gaining more ground with me , it seems to be gaining traction in the world as well.
Power-Metal
10 Albums
USA - 5
Norway - 2
Additional albums from Canada, Sweden, and Finland
It's not a growing genre, nor one that I cover a great deal as it is too happy for me.
Hair Metal is gaining ground in Germany both of the albums I checked out were German. Traditional Metal, , tends to fall under power metal but the albums that took a heavier more leather-clad approach of the four albums I heard two were from England the others from Germany and America.
How it breaks down in America By State,
The top 10 States with the most metal bands pumping out albums
1-California - 28
2- New York- 9
3- Florida - 8
4-Illinois - 8
5-Arizona -8
6- New Jersey- 6
7-Pennsylvania - 6
8-Ohio- 6
9-Texas- 5
10- Virginia -5
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