Top 10 Countries With the Most Metal Bands Per Capita (2016)
This is a list of the highest density of metal bands per capita. The data from http://i.imgur.com/zRDq4.png is from 2012 and not accurate enough to create a list. Therefore, I collected more recent data from sites like the Metal Archives.Some information:
I excluded tiny countries with less than 100,000 inhabitants because adding or removing just one band would significantly affect the ranking, and the Metal Archives are not that precise, in my opinion.
Liechtenstein would probably rank 4th or 5th after or before Norway, and Monaco would be between Greece and Denmark.
Furthermore, here are the contenders (the metal bands per capita ratios are very close, though):
11. Austria
12. Germany
13. Czech Republic
14. Slovenia
15. Portugal
16. Switzerland
17. Hungary
18. Belgium
19. Chile
20. Italy
21. Slovakia
22. Canada
23. Croatia
24. Australia
25. Poland
26. USA
27. New Zealand
28. France
29. United Kingdom
30. Spain
Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland across Estonia to the south. Finland covers an area of 338,455... read more Finland is number one, with around 3,400 metal bands for its population of 5.5 million! The metal scene is well-established here, and many bands are internationally well-known.
Finnish metal is most popular for its power metal, melodic death metal, and folk metal.
Some of the best-known bands include Children of Bodom, Nightwish, Wintersun, Ensiferum, Insomnium, Lordi, Kalmah, Finntroll, Sonata Arctica, Amorphis, Demigod, Stratovarius, Korpiklaani, Omnium Gatherum, Ghost Brigade, Swallow the Sun, Eternal Tears of Sorrow, Sinergy, and Apocalyptica.
Sweden, officially the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe.It borders Norway to the west and Finland to the east, and is connected to Denmark in the southwest by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund. At 450,295 square kilometers (173,860 sq mi), Sweden is the third-largest... read more
Sweden is number two, with around 4,080 metal bands and 9.8 million people. Like Finland, the metal scene is well-established and internationally appreciated.
Swedish metal is most popular for, well, you guessed it, melodic death metal. Other styles are also prominent but not as prevalent as melodic death metal.
Some of the best-known bands are Opeth, At the Gates, In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, Meshuggah, Dissection, Dismember, Bathory, Entombed, Watain, Hypocrisy, Amon Amarth, Arch Enemy, HammerFall, Therion, and General Surgery.
Iceland is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its surrounding areas) is home to over 65% of the population. Iceland is the only part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge that... read more This is a small country with around 330,000 people. Still, Iceland has slightly more than 100 metal bands, putting it at number three in metal bands per capita.
I'm not too informed about Icelandic metal, so I can't provide much information. However, I heard that bands like Zhrine, Sólstafir, Svartidaudi, Severed Crotch, and Wormlust are well received.
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a sovereign and unitary monarchy in Northern Europe whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula plus the island Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard... read more
Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey... read more Now we come to countries where metal isn't as well established as in countries one through four, but Greece still has a significant scene. The country has nearly 11 million inhabitants and around 1,770 metal bands.
Some of the best-known bands are Septicflesh, SlavEATGod, Nightrage, Rotting Christ, and Nightfall.
Denmark is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the most populous and politically central constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the autonomous territories of the Faroe Islands and Greenland in the North Atlantic Ocean. European Denmark is the southernmost... read more Artillery, anyone? They're from Denmark.
Estonia is a relatively small country with about 1.3 million inhabitants and 180 bands. I've never heard of any band from there, but surely there is a significant metal fan base.
After some research, I found several bands that are mostly known in the underground scene: Metsatöll, Paean, Talbot, and Herald.
Luxembourg, officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a landlocked country in western Europe. It is bordered by Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, and France to the south. Its capital, Luxembourg City, is one of the four official capitals of the European Union (together with Brussels,... read more Luxembourg is a small country, with around 563,000 people and 80 metal bands. There aren't many, but there are still some decent bands.
I don't know much about metal from Luxembourg, but these bands seem to be well received: Scarred, Scarlet Anger, Abstract Rapture, and Funerarium.
Malta, officially known as the Republic of Malta, is a Southern European island country consisting of an archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. Malta is a small country with around 445,000 inhabitants and 60 metal bands.
Some recognized bands include Beheaded, Abysmal Torment, Weeping Silence, and Slit.
The Netherlands, informally Holland, is a country located in north-western Europe with overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Netherlands consists of twelve provinces, and borders Germany to the east, Belgium to the... read more The Netherlands has around 17 million people and 2,100 metal bands. The country's larger size means the metal scene is bigger, though it isn't ranked very high here.
Some of the better-known bands are Epica, Pestilence, Within Temptation, After Forever, Delain, The Gathering, Sinister, God Dethroned, Gorefest, Legion of the Damned, The Monolith Deathcult, and Heidevolk.