The Most Popular Metal Genre, Ranked
Voting rules: Choose the metal genre you think is the most popular!
Updated on May 1, 2024 06:43
Metal music, with its rich history and diverse expressions, holds a unique place in the hearts of its fans. Determining which genre resonates the most isn't just about personal preference; it's about understanding which sounds captivate the community and drive the culture forward. A ranking of the most popular metal genres helps fans to see which styles are currently resonating on a broader scale.
By participating in this live ranking, you contribute to a larger conversation about the evolution of metal. Your votes help identify which genres are thriving and why, offering insights into the dynamic shifts within the metal scene. This active participation not only keeps the community engaged but also ensures that the rankings reflect the true favorites of the audience.
What Is the Most Popular Metal Genre?
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167votesOne of the oldest and most influential metal subgenres, characterized by loud and distorted electric guitars, powerful drums, and melodic vocals.
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239votesThrash Metal - evolved from the heavy metal scene in the early 1980s, characterized by fast and aggressive riffing, high-speed drumming, and harsh vocals.Thrash Metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music known for its fast tempo, aggressive and heavy guitar riffs, complex song structures, and socially and politically charged lyrics. It emerged in the early 1980s and gained popularity in the underground music scene. Thrash Metal is characterized by its energetic and intense sound, featuring rapid drumming, shredding guitar solos, and often harsh vocals.
- Tempo: Fast and aggressive
- Guitar style: Heavy and intricate riffs
- Song structures: Complex
- Lyrics: Socially and politically charged
- Emergence: Early 1980s
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318votes
S. Bollmann · AttributionDeath Metal - originated in the mid-1980s, characterized by deep guttural vocals, fast and complex guitar riffs, and blast beat drumming.Death Metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that emerged in the early 1980s. It is known for its aggressive and extreme sound, characterized by fast and heavy guitar riffs, deep growling or roaring vocals, blast beats, and dark and often violent lyrics. Death Metal often incorporates complex song structures and technical guitar solos.- Guitar Technique: Fast and heavy guitar riffs, often utilizing palm-muted chugging, tremolo picking, and intricate guitar solos.
- Vocals: Low-pitched growls, guttural or raspy vocals, often focusing on dark and macabre themes.
- Drumming: Use of blast beats, double bass drumming, and aggressive drum patterns with high tempo.
- Lyrics: Dark, violent, and often encompassing themes of death, gore, religion, horror, and social issues.
- Song Structure: Frequently employs complex structures with various tempo changes, unconventional time signatures, and intricate arrangements.
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423votes
Rockman · CC BY 3.0Black Metal - characterized by fast tremolo picking, harsh vocals, and lyrics that often focus on themes of Satanism, anti-Christianity, and paganism.Black Metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal known for its aggressive and abrasive sound, dark and often satanic lyrical themes, and distinctive aesthetics. It originated in the early 1980s, primarily in Norway, and has since spread to various countries around the world.- Sound characteristics: Highly distorted guitars, fast and tremolo-picked riffs, rapid blast beats on drums, shrieking vocals, and often low-fi production.
- Lyrical themes: Satanism, anti-Christianity, paganism, darkness, misanthropy, nature, and occultism.
- Corpse paint: A distinctive face paint style used by black metal musicians, typically consisting of white and black inverted crosses, corpse-like features, and other macabre designs.
- Church burnings: Black metal gained infamy in the early 1990s due to a wave of church burnings in Norway, which some musicians were involved in.
- Norwegian Black Metal Scene: The Norwegian black metal scene, centered around bands like Mayhem, Burzum, Emperor, and Darkthrone, played a significant role in shaping the genre.
Black Metal in other rankings- Position 4 of 10 in Most difficult music genre
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524votes
Andreas Lawen, Fotandi · CC BY-SA 3.0Power Metal
HelloweenPower Metal - characterized by fast, melodic guitar riffs, soaring vocals, and epic themes that often draw inspiration from fantasy and mythology.Power Metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that originated in the 1980s. It is characterized by its fast-paced, melodic sound, often accompanied by fantasy or heroic lyrics. Power Metal is known for its emphasis on technical skill, uplifting melodies, and soaring vocals.- Fast-paced and melodic sound: Yes
- Fantasy or heroic lyrics: Yes
- Technical skill: High
- Uplifting melodies: Yes
- Soaring vocals: Yes
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620votes
Nu Metal
KornNu Metal is emerged in the 1990s, characterized by a mix of heavy metal, hip hop, and industrial music, with downtuned guitars, rapping, and electronic elements.Nu Metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that emerged in the late 1990s. It combines elements of alternative metal, groove metal, industrial metal, grunge, and hip hop. The genre is known for its heavy and downtuned guitar riffs, aggressive vocals, fusion of different musical styles, and a focus on both melodic and rhythmic aspects of the music.- Downtuned guitars: The use of low-tuned and heavily distorted guitars is a defining characteristic of nu metal.
- Rap-style vocals: Nu metal often features aggressive and rhythmic rap-style vocals, blending elements of hip hop with heavy metal.
- Influences from alternative and industrial genres: Nu metal incorporates elements from alternative rock, industrial metal, and other genres, creating a diverse and eclectic sound.
- Emphasis on groove and rhythm: Nu metal focuses on groove and rhythmic elements, with the heavy use of syncopation and catchy, headbanging rhythms.
- Angst-driven lyrics: Lyrics in nu metal often explore themes of frustration, alienation, and personal struggles, resonating with a disenchanted youth.
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711votesMetalcore is evolved from hardcore punk and metal in the 1990s, characterized by a mix of melodic and heavy guitar riffs, breakdowns, and screamed and clean vocals.Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal music that combines elements of hardcore punk and extreme metal. It is characterized by aggressive guitar riffs, complex and intricate arrangements, heavy breakdowns, and a mix of harsh screams and clean vocals. The genre often incorporates melodic and catchy hooks, as well as occasional use of electronic and industrial elements. Lyrically, metalcore often explores personal struggles, social issues, and emotional intensity.
- Guitar Techniques: Highly aggressive and intricate guitar riffs, often featuring palm-muted chugging and fast-paced alternate picking.
- Vocal Style: Blend of aggressive harsh screams (often referred to as growls or shrieks) and melodic clean vocals.
- Breakdowns: Heavy breakdown sections with rhythmic precision and powerful impact, often creating moshpit-inducing moments during live performances.
- Drumming: Fast and technically demanding drumming, combining elements of punk beats, double bass pedal work, blast beats, and intricate fills.
- Melodic Elements: Incorporation of melodic guitar solos, harmonies, and clean sections to add contrast to the aggressive nature of the genre.
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814votes
dxburbuja · Public domainProgressive Metal - characterized by complex song structures, odd time signatures, and virtuosic musicianship, often incorporating elements of jazz, classical music, and other genres.Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that combines the heavy, aggressive sound of metal with complex musical structures, unusual time signatures, and elements from various other genres such as progressive rock, jazz fusion, and classical music. It is characterized by its technical proficiency, intricate instrumentation, and often incorporates virtuosic guitar solos and intricate drumming patterns.- Complex song structures: Progressive metal often features intricate and unconventional song structures, with frequent meter changes and extensive use of musical interludes.
- Unusual time signatures: Progressive metal frequently employs irregular time signatures such as 7/8, 9/8, or 11/8, adding to the complexity of the music.
- Technical proficiency: Musicians in progressive metal bands are known for their high level of technical skill, including fast and precise playing techniques.
- Incorporation of different genres: Progressive metal incorporates elements from various genres, including progressive rock, jazz fusion, classical music, and even electronic music.
- Dynamic and emotional songwriting: Songs in progressive metal often have a wide dynamic range, combining heavy, aggressive sections with melodic and atmospheric passages. The lyrics often delve into complex themes and personal introspection.
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915votes
Svitogora · CC BY-SA 3.0Symphonic Metal
Therion (Christofer Johnsson)Symphonic Metal - characterized by the use of symphonic instruments such as keyboards and orchestral arrangements, with operatic vocals and heavy guitar riffs.Symphonic metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that combines the aggressive and powerful elements of metal with the grandiose and melodic elements of classical music. It is characterized by the use of orchestral instruments, such as strings, brass, and choirs, alongside traditional metal instruments like guitars, bass, and drums. The genre often incorporates operatic vocals, symphonic arrangements, and progressive song structures, creating a larger-than-life and cinematic atmosphere.- Orchestration: Symphonic metal heavily features orchestral instruments like strings, brass, and choirs.
- Operatic Vocals: It often includes operatic vocal styles, with powerful and soaring vocals.
- Melodic and Cinematic: Symphonic metal emphasizes melodic and cinematic elements, creating an epic and dramatic ambiance.
- Progressive Song Structures: The genre incorporates progressive song structures, with complex arrangements and unpredictable shifts.
- Powerful and Aggressive: Symphonic metal maintains the aggressive and heavy elements of metal, combining them with the symphonic sound.
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105votes
commons: Shannon5 pl.wiki: Shannon5 real name: Konrad Wawrzkiewicz · CC BY-SA 2.5Folk Metal
SkycladFolk Metal - characterized by the use of traditional folk instruments such as flutes, bagpipes, and hurdy-gurdies, with folk melodies and themes often mixed with heavy metal.Folk Metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that blends traditional folk music with elements of heavy metal. The genre emerged in the late 1980s and early 1990s, primarily in Europe, and has since gained popularity worldwide. It combines the aggressive and powerful sound of metal with the melodic and rhythmic elements of traditional folk music. Folk Metal often incorporates traditional instruments like flutes, bagpipes, violins, and accordions alongside the typical heavy metal instrumentation.- Lyrics: Often themed around folklore, mythology, nature, and historical events.
- Musical Characteristics: Blend of heavy metal riffs, solos, and aggressive vocals with folk melodies, harmonies, and traditional instruments.
- Subgenres: Various subgenres within Folk Metal include Pagan Metal, Viking Metal, Celtic Metal, and Medieval Metal.
- Geographical Origins: Primarily originated in Europe, particularly in Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Germany.
- Prominent Bands: Some notable Folk Metal bands include Ensiferum, Eluveitie, Finntroll, Korpiklaani, and Turisas.
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Ranking factors for popular metal genre
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Album sales and chart positionsThe number of albums sold and their positions on various music charts can give an idea of the popularity of a certain metal genre.
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Concert attendanceThe number of fans attending concerts and festivals featuring specific metal genres can serve as an indicator of their popularity.
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Social media presenceThe number of followers and interactions on social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube, dedicated to specific metal genres can be considered.
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Streaming numbersThe number of streams on music streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Pandora can provide insight into which metal genres are being listened to the most.
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Radio airplayThe amount of airtime dedicated to specific metal genres on different radio stations can help determine their popularity.
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Award nominations and winsAward recognition, such as Grammy nominations and wins for specific metal genres or artists, can serve as an indicator of popularity and influence in the industry.
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Critical receptionReviews and ratings from music critics and publications can help gauge the overall popularity and impact of a specific metal genre.
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Influence on other artistsThe extent to which a metal genre influences other musicians and bands in the same or different genres can be a measure of its popularity.
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Fanbase size and engagementThe size of dedicated fanbases and their engagement (e.g., in online forum discussions, fan clubs, and fan-produced content) can indicate the popularity of a metal genre.
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Longevity and historyThe duration and historical significance of a specific metal genre can impact its overall popularity. Genres with a long-standing history and continued relevance in the music scene may be seen as more popular.
About this ranking
This is a community-based ranking of the most popular metal genre. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or genre is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!
Statistics
- 3065 views
- 234 votes
- 10 ranked items
Voting Rules
A participant may cast an up or down vote for each genre once every 24 hours. The rank of each genre is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.
More information on most popular metal genre
Metal music is a genre that has been around for decades, with its roots in heavy rock and blues. It's characterized by its heavy sound, distorted guitars, and aggressive vocals. Over time, metal has developed into various sub-genres, each with its own unique sound and style. From the fast-paced thrash metal to the darker and more atmospheric black metal, there's something for everyone in the metal community. But which metal genre reigns supreme? In this article, we'll take a closer look at the most popular metal genres and explore what makes them so appealing to fans of this iconic genre.
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