Metal Reviews

I'm not so sure about that. I think "catchyness" should be defined as being easily remembered and recognizable after only one or a few listens. It has nothing to do with whether you end up liking it or not.

Example:
Dream Theater songs are not catchy. Sure you'll know note by note after 20-30 listens but you will hardly recognize the songs after the first couple of listens. Still, many Dream Theater songs are more than simply good.
Manowar songs are catchier. They have simple structure and use the usual powerchors over and over again. The choruses stick to your mind very fast. They are catchy songs and they are good songs at the same time.
Modern pop songs are catchy. If anybody even dares to musicallly dissect a Mtv pop song, he will find that it's about repeating bass lines and chord sequences that have been and still are used to death over and over again. It's catchy but it's not good.

I admit that there is ofcourse a huge degree of subjectiveness in what one finds catchy or not and subesequently likable. Being exposed to oriental music would make somebody find an oriental themed metal song very catchy, while at the same time somebody from northern europe would think celtic/viking-style folk metal music is "catchier". In this or simillar cases, catchyness only affects the liking-curve or time that a certain music needs in order to be enjoyed and not whether it will be enjoyed or not. In short, as I mentioned before, I believe "catchyness" is not a measure of quality and only distantly and relatively related to likability.

I had thought of using Dream Theater as an example in a different way because I think they used to be very catchy. Even though they use alot of wild, progressive instrumental breaks, their songs used to have hooks and such that were very recognizable even if you couldn't remember the entire song immediately. Songs like Pull Me Under and Metropolis Part 1 are catchy to me even if a couple parts took a few more listens. The reason I stopped listening to Dream Theater after Metropolis Part 2 is that I think the songs lost any sense of being actual songs, and there was nothing to "catch" me at all. They are technically superb, but as technical as they are, without any kind of hook to draw me in, the songs become well-performed, in-key, 10/8 noise.

Ok, you win on the basis of your new and unique redefinition of the word.

I actually think Dream Theater has some really catchy tunes.
Like I mentioned before, to me all music is catchy just not on the same level. on a level of 1 to 10 Dream theater is not likely close to a 10(extremley catchy) but it's certainly there around 6.


By the way nice signature, TRIGUN fricken rules!

Woohoo, another thread of pointless arguing of semantics!

Good Music=Good Music

I think catchyness is certainly important, and I think if you put on an album for the first time, and nothing of it sticks in your head, then the chances of you listening to it again are drastically reduced

good songs are catchy PERIOD. However, i can totally understand Misha's point. I can listen to a lot of music(mostly instrumental) that just brings some relaxation into my day, therefor making it good. But catchy? naaah

I tend to agree more with Noodles and Misha on this issue...*beats self with hammer*

Obviously some catchy music can be good, but I'll take the non-catchy music in the world over the catchy. And a 20 minute track is not going to be very catchy, no matter how much one likes it.

But as usual, I don't think we are all talking about the same issue here.

Catchy is utterly subjective, especially in metal. One person, like myself, may find the main riff out of Slayer's Raining Blood catchy as hell yet other people (non metal fans in particular) may just experience it as noise. The more your ear becomes trained to music in general the more you find things catchy which most of the population would not.

That said, catchyness (as in your own personal variety of it) is vital.

everything to say has already been said.


noodles, you suck. SHUT UP! (woo, I finally get to say that to someone!)

Catchy =/= shallow, predictable weak music

Catchy, to me, just means that the song has a strong enough of a melody to stay with you. It does't mean it's bad at all. Hell, Mr. Bungle is fucking catchy, and I wouldn't call them shallow, predictable, or weak by any stretch of the imagination.

Hey, I didn't agree with Noodles, I like catchiness sometimes, especially in counterpoint with drone or something unusual to compromise. I voted yes. I simply pointed out that music has to be catchy for me to like, which is not the case. Most music I listen to is completely uncatchy. Within the marges or the definition of the word, catchiness is mostly concrete, yet like Al said, for a small part subject to taste. Music and noise are abstract. Opinions. They vary from person to person, and many will consider metal to be noise, while I consider music what many of you look upon as noise. In other words, I'm completely with Rio on this one, Ken's arguments are based upon making up his own definition of the word and hasty generalisation.

99% music is "catchy" to me.

I think it all comes down to one's definition of catchy anyway. I think Noodles started this thread with the thought of sing-alongs and so forth, but in reality, if it catches you and entertains you, then it's obviously catchy for you. I don't believe someone enjoys listening to something that isn't catchy to them in some way...unless they enjoy abusing themselves

Absolutely incorrect. I'm listening to Butchered at Birth right now. By the end of it I won't be able to remember what a single one of the songs sounded liked other than "riffriffriff burgle burgle burgle" and I still enjoy it and go back for more.

Necrophagist is catchy. "Stab wound" "Foul Body Autopsy" "Mutilate The Stillborn" all have catchy riffs and even coureses. Shut the hell up and listen to music noodles. Stop with this holier than thou attitude. Do you play an instrument? What ground do you have to stand to say that catchy music has no substance and takes less talent than the crap you listen to? Fuck off, you know nothing about music. You don’t play music, you aren’t better than anybody else on here, your music taste is not superior to mine, and you and your fucking ugly ass goiter can eat my butt flakes.

I didn't redefine anything. You guys are thinking catchy is "The Ketchup Song" or that Chumbawamba song or shit like that. Yes, that is catchy, but that's not the definition. It's like you like to eat something, you love pizza, and then you try to justify it by saying it's not something that really grabs your palatte, it's just good food. What is that? Good food? Pffft! That's catchy food, son! And good. Thus catchy. Thus good.

Thus I win.

I like this idea...just for fun, I'm replacing the word "good" with "catchy" for a while until it drives my family nuts

"Catchy night, son!"

EDIT: To be honest though, I think noodles has started a thread where everyone is actually more in agreement than not, but due to everyone's own terminology and definition of "catchy", we have a debate