Is Metallica much more popular than Iron Maiden in the USA and why?

[IDontNotDoThings]

Sad But True is just Harvester of Sorrow but better.

That has nothing to do with the thread topic, I just felt like saying that.

[Ruba]

Sad But True is just Harvester of Sorrow but better.

That has nothing to do with the thread topic, I just felt like saying that.

Sad But True is The Small Hours but worse.

Note: I do still like SBT.

[NoFred]

Sad But True is just Harvester of Sorrow but better.

That has nothing to do with the thread topic, I just felt like saying that.

Oh wow I loved Harvester of Sorrow, my first favorite song really (I was 10 when it was released) and I still just love the one time sound of Justice..., production bleakness and all.

Answer to the question is without question the black album, radio and video, and tour. That was an all time giant success that crossed fan bases and genres. For tons of people Metallica *is* metal.

[hefdaddy42]

Then, with the Black Album, they went with more concise, straightforward songs that were just as heavy (if not heavier) than what they had done before. 

You say Sad But True and Wherever I May Roam are just as heavy as And Justice for all (title track), Battery or Creeping Death? I can't agree.

OK.

[hefdaddy42]

Yeah, it BECAME a big hit.  But saying that they "went commercial" implies that they did it because they KNEW it would become a big hit.  And that just doesn't make any sense.

That had done a lot of thrash to begin with, and on AJFA, they went in almost a prog metal direction, with longer, more complicated compositions.  Then, with the Black Album, they went with more concise, straightforward songs that were just as heavy (if not heavier) than what they had done before.  It dropped at the right time (as all such hits do) and became a huge hit.

Thank you, sir.  That's exactly what I was trying to say, you just did it better.

That doesn't happen very often. 

[pg1067]

I would say that there are no more than 2-3 songs on TBA that are better than the worst song on AJFA, and Sad But True is not one of those songs.