The very credible UK paper The Guardian [via Crustcake] wrote a very interesting year-end piece. It seems that a lot of the hipster media (and even some mainstream sources) jumped onto the metal train in 2007 with bands Mastodon, Machinehead, The Sword, Dillinger Escape Plan and Pig Destroyer getting quite a bit of ink. Why is metal suddenly palatable to media that scorned it for so long? Furthermore, why is there such a discrepancy between praise and inclusion on year-end lists? Amidst constant and predictable praise for Radiohead, LCD Soundsystem and Arcade Fire, none of Uncut, Mojo, The Guardian, Observer Music Monthly, Drowned In Sound or Pitchfork indluded a single rock or metal release.

Why have some mainstream and indie rock critics allowed metal to creep into their lexicon of late? Is it only certain metal (i.e. hipster metal) that’s getting attention? Why isn’t this attention reflected in year-end lists?

We’d like to think MetalSucks readers are a pretty intelligent bunch… so let’s hear it.

-VN