"That is NOT metal!"

We’ve all heard it. The accusations of "posers," "selling out," and inauthenticity. But what if we told you that the unwritten, iron-clad rules of the metal subculture aren't just about music? What if they are actually a brutal, informal economic system?

On this episode of METALOMICS, we put the metal scene under the economic microscope. We explore the paradox of a subculture built on anti-commercialism that functions as a vibrant, regulated economy.

Economics is Metal!

Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mark of the Alter - Fait Accompli

Hosts: Josh Goddard & David Ingram

Producer: David Ingram

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://metalomicspodcast.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/metalomics/⁠

In this episode, we take a macro look at the Metal Economy. By "following the money," we trace the industry's impact beyond just musicians and fans to the unsung economic contributors, from venue security and merch printers to the critical infrastructure of gas stations and American Legion halls. We break down the challenges of quantifying this ecosystem without reliable data and propose a theoretical approach to estimate the true global footprint of metal.

Economics is Metal!

Music: ⁠⁠Bone Crown - The Order

Hosts: Josh Goddard & David Ingram

Producer: David Ingram

⁠⁠⁠https://metalomicspodcast.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/metalomics/⁠

This episode we tackle Utility: the keystone concept explaining why consumers choose what they choose. What is utility? This discussion explores differing perspectives on the fundamental idea, digging into how economists model human desire with tools like indifference curves, preference maps, and the marginal rate of substitution. The episode also examines core assumptions (like "more is better") and the constraints that bind everyone, like the all-powerful budget constraint, to question if humans are simply "utility maximizers."

Economics is Metal!

Music: ⁠Darasuum⁠ - ⁠Drown⁠

Hosts: Josh Goddard & David Ingram

Producer: David Ingram

⁠⁠https://metalomicspodcast.com/⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/metalomics/⁠