In a candid interview with Idaho radio station The Pick, Judas Priest bassist Ian Hill discussed how the legendary metal band continues to attract new generations of fans while their original audience gradually diminishes.
Hill emphasized the band's commitment to musical evolution, noting that they consistently incorporate new elements into each album. "It's something we always try and do, is try and take a step forward with each album," he explained. "You're learning stuff all the time, and whatever we learn, we try and put it into the next project."
The bassist made a stark observation about the band's longtime followers, stating that "the original fans are all our age, and they're all sort of expiring." However, this natural progression has been balanced by an influx of younger audiences discovering their music.
Hill expressed enthusiasm about seeing fans in their late teens and early twenties at concerts, particularly noting how these new followers embrace both recent material and classic tracks from decades past. "They're loving it, and it's not just the new stuff that they're loving — they're singing along to the older stuff, 20, 30 years old," he said.
This multi-generational appeal has prompted younger fans to explore Judas Priest's extensive catalog, which Hill views as positive not only for the band but for the metal genre as a whole. The band continues to maintain an active presence in the metal scene, with extensive touring planned across Europe and South America in 2025.