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Originally Posted by The Batlord
Two bands who got famous when metal was still a creatively dynamic genre. If a tiny percentage of the bands you're talking about got famous, it's probably because they were doing something new in a genre that was still new, as opposed to retreading old ground or experimenting with sounds that nobody listening to the radio would ever have any interest in.
And I'm pretty sure Death Angel were probably working construction and pumping gas back in the eighties too. I highly doubt any small amount of extra money they may have gotten from album sales would have kept them from having to work jobs when they got back from tour, just like 99% of their peers.
And what does Metallica and Iron Maiden selling out arenas have to do with album sales? They'd be doing so (and still do) with or without them.
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Of course there still selling out arenas because they had the support of the majors when the record companies were at their peak financially.
But today that support network is gone and it's not the pop stars that have felt the brunt but the alternative bands who no longer get signed because the majors can't afford the loss anymore.
I guarantee you Portishead, Massive Attack and Tricky all made better money in the 90's than they do today. Record companies can't afford the risk on bands like that anymore.
As for Death Angel, I'm sure they did okay back in the day. Afterall Henry Rollins, Danzig and the guys from Rancid all singed to majors and they're millionaires.