Pop metal explained

Pop metal
Other Names:Metal pop
Stylistic Origins:
Cultural Origins:Late 1970s and early to mid 1980s
Fusiongenres:
Other Topics:

Pop metal (sometimes conflated with or used interchangeably with glam metal) is an umbrella term for commercial heavy metal and hard rock styles which feature prominent pop music elements such as catchy hooks and anthemic choruses. It became popular in the 1980s among acts such as Bon Jovi, Europe, Def Leppard, Poison, Mötley Crüe, and Ratt.

The term is also applied to some bands and artists that have formed since the 1990s that mix aspects of pop and heavy metal into their sound.

Characteristics

Pop metal is a variation of heavy metal which emphasizes catchy pop-influenced hooks and guitar riffs.[1] It was influenced by the anthemic choruses of arena rock.[1] While pop metal recordings were often loud, they also featured "slick," radio-friendly production sheen.[1] Bands from the Los Angeles metal scene also borrowed visual elements from 1970s glam rock, leading to the glam metal variation of the late 1980s.[1]

The alternate term "metal pop" was coined by critic Philip Bashe in 1983 to describe bands such as Van Halen and Def Leppard.[2] In the "definitive metal family tree" of his documentary , anthropologist Sam Dunn differentiates pop metal, which includes bands like Def Leppard, Europe, and Whitesnake, from glam metal bands that include Mötley Crüe and Poison.[3]

History

The catchy hard rock of Kiss and Van Halen in the 1970s helped spawn the genre,[1] along with acts such as Thin Lizzy and AC/DC. Van Halen's 1978 debut album marked a turning point in the style, making that sound "flashier, more creative, and more energetic than ever before." The first wave of pop metal, which was not as pop-oriented as later developments, included bands such as Mötley Crüe, Quiet Riot, Dokken, Ratt, and Twisted Sister.[1]

More melodic acts such as Def Leppard and Bon Jovi saw further success in the 1980s with albums like Pyromania (1983) and Slippery When Wet (1986), while the hair metal variation became dominant.[1] The genre's popularity was at its peak between 1982 and 1991.[4] The arrival of grunge in 1991 largely turned audiences away from pop metal.[1]

Despite the decline in popularity, the term "pop metal" is also sometimes applied to a number of rock and heavy metal bands and artists that are usually not associated with glam metal, and have formed since the 1990s, including Amaranthe,[5] Andrew W.K.,[6] [7] Architects,[8] Bring Me the Horizon,[9] [10] Coheed and Cambria,[11] [12] Dead by April,[13] Evanescence,[14] Halestorm,[15] [16] Ghost,[17] In Flames,[18] [19] In This Moment,[20] [21] Issues,[22] [23] Lacuna Coil,[24] Poppy,[25] [26] Shinedown,[27] the Pretty Reckless,[28] We Are the Fallen,[29] and Weezer.[30] [31]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pop Metal. https://web.archive.org/web/20120205030622/http://www.allmusic.com/explore/style/d7728 . 5 February 2012 . AllMusic .
  2. D. Weinstein, Heavy Metal: The Music and Its Culture (Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, 2000),, pp. 45–47.
  3. Metal – A Headbanger's Journey, DVD, ASIN B000FS9OZY (2005).
  4. Web site: 36 Essential '80s Pop Metal Tracks . . 5 April 2017 . 24 September 2021.
  5. Web site: AMARANTHE - Massive Addictive. bravewords.com. 17 April 2022.
  6. Web site: Andrew W.K. Biography, Songs, & Albums. AllMusic. 17 April 2022.
  7. Web site: Andrew W.K. – God Is Partying (Album Review). Simon. Valentine. 5 September 2021. Wall Of Sound. 17 April 2022.
  8. Web site: THE WEEKLY INJECTION: New Releases From SERJ TANKIAN, BRUTUS & More Out Today 10/21. Metal Injection. 22 October 2022. 21 October 2022.
  9. Web site: Bring Me the Horizon review – clearly the UK's greatest rock band right now. 22 September 2021. the Guardian. 17 April 2022.
  10. Web site: Tom Morello teams up with Bring Me The Horizon for huge new single Let's Get The Party Started. Elizabeth. Scarlettpublished. 22 September 2021. loudersound. 17 April 2022.
  11. Coheed and Cambria Pause Sci-Fi Concept for New LP. Ryan. Reed. Rolling Stone. 8 July 2015. 17 April 2022.
  12. Web site: Review: Coheed and Cambria, Year of the Black Rainbow. Matthew. Cole. Slant Magazine. 12 April 2010. 17 April 2022.
  13. Web site: DEAD BY APRIL Parts Ways With Singer, Announces Replacement. 18 March 2013. BLABBERMOUTH.NET. 17 April 2022.
  14. Web site: Preview: Evanescence enjoys stability on Carnival of Madness Tour. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 17 April 2022.
  15. Web site: Halestorm - Vicious album review. Stephen Dalton. 25 July 2018. loudersound. 17 April 2022.
  16. Web site: RVA Grammy Nominees: How Will They Fare? - RVA Mag. rvamag.com. 10 February 2013 . 17 April 2022.
  17. Web site: 5 Other Bands Ghost's Tobias Forge Has Been In. Joe. DiVita. Loudwire. 17 April 2022.
  18. Web site: Siren Charms - IN FLAMES. 29 September 2014. BLABBERMOUTH.NET. 17 April 2022.
  19. Web site: "I'd been preparing for this my whole life": the tragedy and triumph behind the birth of Ghost. Dave. Everleypublished. 16 December 2020. loudersound. 17 April 2022.
  20. Web site: In This Moment: The Dream, PopMatters. 19 October 2008. 17 April 2022.
  21. Web site: In This Moment Officially Announce New Album, Stream First Single. 22 January 2020. MetalSucks. 17 April 2022.
  22. Web site: Meet Issues, the Metalcore Band Inspired by Katy Perry .
  23. Web site: Album Review: Issues - 'Beautiful Oblivion' .
  24. Web site: Album Review: Lacuna Coil's Delirium is a Strong Contender for Best Pop Metal Album of 2016. 24 May 2016. MetalSucks. 17 April 2022.
  25. Web site: Poppy's Pop Metal Rebirth Continues on New Song 'I Disagree'. Joe. DiVita. Loudwire. 4 October 2019 . 17 April 2022.
  26. Web site: Poppy on Her Transformation From 'Internet Project' to Pop-Metal Changeling. 11 March 2020. SPIN. 17 April 2022.
  27. Web site: Shinedown to headline Carnival of Madness. 22 July 2016. Arkansas Online. 17 April 2022.
  28. Web site: The Pretty Reckless. Time Out New York. 9 April 2012 . 17 April 2022.
  29. We Are the Fallen covers U2. Entertainment Weekly. June 7, 2010. October 7, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20201020175159/https://ew.com/article/2010/06/07/we-are-the-fallen-u2/. October 20, 2020.
  30. Web site: Old partners reunite to polish Weezer. A. D. . Amorosi . www.inquirer.com. 27 October 2014 . 17 April 2022.
  31. News: Weezer's Rock 'n' Roll Nostalgia Trip, and 10 More New Songs. Jon. Pareles. Jon. Caramanica. Giovanni. Russonello. The New York Times . 23 April 2021. 17 April 2022.

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