Hard rock vs metal. Whats the difference, really?

Answer 1

well sometimes you cant tell the difference but at other times you can. hard rock just sounds 'hard' its unexplainable you have to really eb into the music to understand. sort of like a health freak asking whats the difference between pepsi and coke half the people will say pepsi is disgusting but the rare drinker will not notice the difference! Metal is usually very noisy in a way and hard rock makes more sense if you know what I mean!
if you want examples of both and bands email me I'd be glad to help!

Hard rock is a form of rock and roll music which finds its closest roots in early-1960s garage rock and psychedelic rock. It is typified by a heavy use of distorted electric guitar, bass guitar and drums. The term "hard rock" is often used as an umbrella term for genres such as punk, grunge, industrial rock and heavy metal, in order to distinguish them from softer, more radio friendly pop rock music.

Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that emerged as a defined musical style in the 1970s, having its roots in hard rock bands which, between 1969 and 1974,[1] mixed blues and rock to create a hybrid with a thick, heavy, guitar-and-drums-centered sound, characterised by the use of highly-amplified distortion. Out of heavy metal various subgenres later evolved, many of which are referred to simply as "metal". As a result, "heavy metal" now has two distinct meanings: either the genre and all of its subgenres, or the original heavy metal bands of the 1970s style sometimes dubbed "traditional metal", as exemplified by Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Blue Öyster Cult and Black Sabbath.

Heavy metal began gaining popularity in the 1970s and 1980s, at which time many of the now existing subgenres first evolved. Heavy metal has a large world-wide following of fans known by terms such as "metalheads" and "headbangers".

Answer 2

The distinction isn't always easy to make. Metal tends to use at least some of the following, though:

1) Blast-beats (Bass drum and snare drum in rapid succession in 2/2 time.)

2) Double-bass (Barrages of bass drum in rapid succession, with the drummer using two different bass drums, switching his foot from one to the other quickly.)

3) Death vocals (Bassy, harsh vocals, often sounding like some kind of creature roaring. Not all metal uses this.)

4) Tandem guitars (Multiple guitars playing dueling melodies over each other - think Iron Maiden.)

5) Supernatural/Fantasy/Violent lyrics (Not all metal bands do this, but it's fairly common to hear songs about demons and war and suffering and death and the sort of stuff you'd encounter in a Dungeons+Dragons game.)

I'd argue that the less of these you encounter, the more likely it would be called hard rock, and not metal. I think what is called hard rock the most nowadays is the stuff that was influenced by the LA rock scene from the 80s. Think Motley Crue or Guns N Roses. They're definitely not metal, but they were a heavier band, and not easy-listening music either.

Answer 3

The difference is that originally heavy metal was used do describe the bands that played the heaviest form of hard rock. Originally those were Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Blue Cheer, Rainbow and Black Sabbath. Those bands were referred to as "heavy metal", a term which came from Steppenwolf's song called "Born To Be Wild" However, in the early 80's, there was a movement called "New Wave Of British Heavy Metal". Bands involved in it such as Iron Maiden, Saxon, Motorhead, Angel Witch and Venom played heavier and faster and they redefined the term "heavy metal". Since heavy metal was getting heavier and more extreme (thrash, death, doom, groove, black etc.), the bands that were earlier labeled as heavy metal in the 70's became known as hard rock or classic rock, because at that time heavy metal was much different - heavier, faster, more extreme lyrics and vocals. And when it comes to bands like Avenged Sevenfold or Disturbed, they are more like metalcore or modern hard rock and there are many metalheads who say that those bands are not metal because they think they are metalcore, which many of them hate. However when it comes to Machine Head, it's definetly a metal band, since it's groove/thrash metal. Anyone who claims Machine Head is not metal, at the same time calls Pantera, Sepultura and Exhorder not metal, since those bands play in the same style, especially to Machine Heads debut album, "Burn My Eyes".

Answer 4

Metal is just a more aggressive and louder version of hard rock. In my opinion they are both awesome. Examples of metal: Twisted sister, Motley crue,
Examples of Hard rock: Led Zeppelin, Styx,
but what category is AC/DC in?

Answer 5

Dark lyrics for heavy metal, Girly songs hard rock

Answer 6

metal is usually more repetitive (lyrics-wise) and has a bit more screaming. Also have better guitar riffs in my opinion.
hard rock is more of a general genre. You could say that metal is hard rock.
If you mean hardcore rock, it has more repetitive guitar riffs and lyrics that are more varied.
When it comes down to it though, except for the screaming and such, they are about the same, hardcore and metal.

Answer 7

hard rock is like Soundgarden


metal is like Soulfly


both are pretty awesome in my opinion

Answer 8

nothing its all rock just played either faster or slower

Answer 9

one like metal music
the other
is just dumb