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Heavy Metal Fans Spend More on Band Shirts Than Any Other Fan Group

Author Erica Banas // Rock Music Reporter

Heavy metal fans are always among music’s most passionate fans, and a new study offers up some statistics supporting that.

According to a data study and survey from Custom Ink, heavy metal fans spend more on band shirts than any other fan genre. On average, heavy metal fans spend about $500 on band shirts in their lifetime. The average metal fan owns 10 band shirts. Of course, there’s a good chance anyone reading this has spent way more on band shirts and owns much more than 10 band shirts.

There was an unfortunate finding from Custom Ink’s study/survey: “Over 30% of Americans think you don’t need to know the artist’s music to wear their merch.”

Now, we’re not saying you have to be an expert in an artist in order to wear their merch, but you shouldn’t be totally clueless either. Either way, this whole statistic feels like a debate for another day.

Metallica fans during the Big Day Out Music Festival at the Sydney Olympic Park January 24, 2003 in Sydney, Australia.

Metallica fans during the Big Day Out Music Festival at the Sydney Olympic Park January 24, 2003 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images)

Why Heavy Metal Music Reduces Stress

This business about heavy metal fans and band shirts reminds us of a viral TikTok from June 2023 that touted the medical benefits of the genre.

Licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Nicole Andreoli, PhD explains via TikTok, “Listening to any type of music can be therapeutic and can allow for an emotional release. Heavy metal is no exception.”

She continues, “In fact, heavy metal has been found to lessen negative emotions by reducing cortisol levels, which helps to lessen stress. Research has found that people who listen to heavy metal tend to think more logically and in more complex terms than those who don’t listen to heavy metal. Heavy metal has been found to help the most with focus”

Dr. Andreoli added, “Now, lyrics in heavy metal do tend to focus on rage, but there’s no research linking listening to heavy metal with a desensitization to violence. In fact, listening to heavy metal has been found to be a positive way to process anger safely.”

Heavy metal music fans hold aloft a fellow fan during a performance by thrash band Frei.Wild on the first day of the Wacken Open Air heavy metal music fest on August 4, 2011 in Wacken, Germany. Approximately 75,000 heavy metal fans from all over the world have descended on the north German village of 1,800 residents for the annual three-day fest.

Heavy metal music fans hold aloft a fellow fan during a performance by thrash band Frei.Wild on the first day of the Wacken Open Air heavy metal music fest on August 4, 2011 in Wacken, Germany. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

 

Jason Momoa: 5 Times He Was Hollywood's Best Metalhead

  • Being spotted in the mosh pit at a Metallica show

    Momoa was one of a handful of celebrities spotted at Metallica’s August 25 and 27 shows at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Fan-shot footage below shared by TMZ shows Momoa having a blast in the mosh pit. As if that weren’t enough, he shared on Instagram how he was able to go backstage to hang out with Metallica and Pantera. On top of that, he was able to FaceTime with a friend of his who’s battling cancer, so he was able to see the show and meet a bunch of rock stars virtually.

  • Jamming on his new birthday bass

    In 2020, Momoa received a fancy custom Fender bass for his 41st birthday that was personally delivered by Fender Master Builder Vincent van Trigt. So, what do you do when you get a new bass guitar? You slap the heck out of some Red Hot Chili Peppers, obviously!

  • Meeting Slayer and Anthrax

    Seriously, Khal Drogo is living a metalhead’s best life! In June 2019, Momoa shared photos of him meeting Slayer and Anthrax. He captioned the moment, “Love metal. So much fire. It was one of the greatest shows of my life. Childhood dream. @slayerbandofficial  @anthrax My mind was blown. Meeting your idols and they’re f—ing amazing. So thankful. So grateful.”

  • Joining Phil Anselmo on Stage at Slayer's final show

    Momoa had another touching moment with Slayer at their final farewell tour performance in November 2019. The actor took to the stage with opening act Philip H. Anselmo and the Illegals to perform Pantera’s “This Love.” Momoa wrote of the moment, “My mind was blown f—in’ BLOWN. I was living out my childhood dreams.”

  • When he did a video for Ozzy Osbourne

    As part of Ozzy Osbourne’s 2020 studio album Ordinary Man, a number of videos were created. One of them was the clip below teasing the song “Scary Little Green Men.” Momoa stars in the clip and lipsyncs the tune and just looks beyond cool while doing it.

Erica Banas is a news blogger who's been covering the rock/classic rock world since 2014. The coolest event she's ever covered in person was the 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. (Sir Paul McCartney inducting Foo Fighters? C'mon now!) She's also well-versed in etiquette and extraordinarily nice. #TransRightsAreHumanRights

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Author Erica Banas // Rock Music Reporter
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