People will use call some metal bands pop because people know they exist. This I would say is a misuse of the term Pop Metal. However, the concept of pop metal does arguably exist but it is usually when a metal band has a sugary or bubble- gummy sound to them. I am not saying this is good or bad, it's just the way it sounds. Also, production quality does not necessarily mean it's pop. For example, Wintersun does use high production quality and spend a great deal of time perfecting it (let's not get derailed with Time 2's pending arrival now) yet it sounds definitively metal and does not even come close to being considered pop music. Then, take a band like Amaranthe. I would call them a pop metal band because of their use of a repetitive hook that stays in the listener's head for a while and the overall tone and song structure is more comparable to pop music in general. Once again I am not using pop as an insult or as a misnomer for mainstream, but just the general quality of bubblegum pop. If a metal band has some basic structural similarities to pop music, then it is pop metal. Otherwise it is not.

Written by deadone on 11.05.2015 at 05:37

This turdburder is definitely pop metal!

http://metalstorm.net/events/news_comments.php?news_id=26470&page=&message_id=

The definition of pop metal

Written by deadone on 11.05.2015 at 05:37

This turdburder is definitely pop metal!

http://metalstorm.net/events/news_comments.php?news_id=26470&page=&message_id=

ARGGG it's so terrible! Even worse than the usual for In This Moment.

Written by deadone on 11.05.2015 at 05:37

This turdburder is definitely pop metal!

http://metalstorm.net/events/news_comments.php?news_id=26470&page=&message_id=

Wouldn't that be more along the lines of trap-metal or something, if we're going by genre definitions?

For me, Amaranthe will always be the classic pop-metal act, and tbf, they do it decently well.

I know that the documentary Headbanger's Journey had Pop Metal listed as a genre with the following bands: Quiet Riot; Van Halen; Whitesnake; Def Leppard; Europe; Dokken; Lita Ford; Ratt; Guns N' Roses; Winger; Warrant; Doro; The Darkness. Whether you take his opinion to be fact, that's up to you.
Pop metal definitely exists in some form:

Written by Lethrokai on 18.05.2015 at 16:45

Written by deadone on 11.05.2015 at 05:37

This turdburder is definitely pop metal!

http://metalstorm.net/events/news_comments.php?news_id=26470&page=&message_id=

Wouldn't that be more along the lines of trap-metal or something, if we're going by genre definitions?

For me, Amaranthe will always be the classic pop-metal act, and tbf, they do it decently well.

That particular song is more hard rock than most their songs.

Written by Ganondox on 01.06.2015 at 07:31

That particular song is more hard rock than most their songs.

That's partially why I chose it, because it still has a key amount of that poppiness despite being less so than a lot of their other stuff.

Written by Sang Dalang Abu on 16.07.2016 at 20:31

Whether W.A.S.P. include as pop metal ?

IF 'True' its make me sad.

Regardless, WASP is good.

Amaranthe is the #1 thing I think of when it comes to pop metal. They're possibly the only band of its type to be completely shameless and know exactly what kind of band they are, which makes them a whole lot better than they should be.

Pop metal? IF NOW is pop metal.

The problem with labeling many bands as 'pop metal' is that there are usually other subgenres the band can fall into. For example, there are plenty of symphonic metal bands that are extremely poppy and Nu Metal and Hair Metal also lean towards the pop spectrum. But putting all these different bands under the 'pop metal' umbrella seems a bit silly as a band like Sirenia sounds worlds different than Poison and Poison way different from Linkin Park and so on. So, I would be cautious to simply throw all these bands under a pop metal subgenre as it's in many ways counter-intuitive in describing their sound because they all sound so different.

Personally, I rather just call bands like Sirenia poppy Symphonic Metal, bands like Linkin Park Nu Metal and bands like Poison Hair Metal or Glam Rock. It's a simpler and more accurate way to categorize these bands in my opinion.

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That said, I think bands like Amaranthe and BabyMetal are kind of paving the way for a new and distinct subgenre that can be labeled simply 'pop metal'.

There is simply no other way to succinctly describe these two bands and they are similar enough to fit under the same term. Whether other bands will emulate this sound and expand this into a new distinct genre remains to be seen but either way, imo Amaranthe and BabyMetal are the first two bands that truly deserve the title 'Pop Metal'.

Written by AngelofDeth on 30.10.2016 at 23:28

The problem with labeling many bands as 'pop metal' is that there are usually other subgenres the band can fall into. For example, there are plenty of symphonic metal bands that are extremely poppy and Nu Metal and Hair Metal also lean towards the pop spectrum. But putting all these different bands under the 'pop metal' umbrella seems a bit silly as a band like Sirenia sounds worlds different than Poison and Poison way different from Linkin Park and so on. So, I would be cautious to simply throw all these bands under a pop metal subgenre as it's in many ways counter-intuitive in describing their sound because they all sound so different.

Personally, I rather just call bands like Sirenia poppy Symphonic Metal, bands like Linkin Park Nu Metal and bands like Poison Hair Metal or Glam Rock. It's a simpler and more accurate way to categorize these bands in my opinion.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That said, I think bands like Amaranthe and BabyMetal are kind of paving the way for a new and distinct subgenre that can be labeled simply 'pop metal'.

There is simply no other way to succinctly describe these two bands and they are similar enough to fit under the same term. Whether other bands will emulate this sound and expand this into a new distinct genre remains to be seen but either way, imo Amaranthe and BabyMetal are the first two bands that truly deserve the title 'Pop Metal'.

I agree with this general sentiment. Turns out Kawaii metal now has a wikipedia page though.

Written by Ganondox on 31.10.2016 at 05:28

Written by AngelofDeth on 30.10.2016 at 23:28

The problem with labeling many bands as 'pop metal' is that there are usually other subgenres the band can fall into. For example, there are plenty of symphonic metal bands that are extremely poppy and Nu Metal and Hair Metal also lean towards the pop spectrum. But putting all these different bands under the 'pop metal' umbrella seems a bit silly as a band like Sirenia sounds worlds different than Poison and Poison way different from Linkin Park and so on. So, I would be cautious to simply throw all these bands under a pop metal subgenre as it's in many ways counter-intuitive in describing their sound because they all sound so different.

Personally, I rather just call bands like Sirenia poppy Symphonic Metal, bands like Linkin Park Nu Metal and bands like Poison Hair Metal or Glam Rock. It's a simpler and more accurate way to categorize these bands in my opinion.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That said, I think bands like Amaranthe and BabyMetal are kind of paving the way for a new and distinct subgenre that can be labeled simply 'pop metal'.

There is simply no other way to succinctly describe these two bands and they are similar enough to fit under the same term. Whether other bands will emulate this sound and expand this into a new distinct genre remains to be seen but either way, imo Amaranthe and BabyMetal are the first two bands that truly deserve the title 'Pop Metal'.

I agree with this general sentiment. Turns out Kawaii metal now has a wikipedia page though.

Huh, I guess they already got their own coined subgenre... There goes part of my argument, I didn't know there were other bands like BabyMetal already in Japan.

Gets me thinking... Maybe terms like 'Pop Metal' are only good in describing bands to non-metalheads. Just like 'Viking Metal' can constitute bands as varying as Amon Amarth and Turisas, so we don't really use it as a term when talking within the metal community, Amon Amarth is melodeath and Turisas Symphonic Folk. But when a non-metalhead friend asks you what genre Amon Amarth is you just say fucking Viking Metal cuz it's easier and gets the point across faster/easier than saying Melodic Death Metal with Viking lyrical themes. Same could go for the term 'Pop Metal'.

Written by AngelofDeth on 01.11.2016 at 01:06

Written by Ganondox on 31.10.2016 at 05:28

Written by AngelofDeth on 30.10.2016 at 23:28

The problem with labeling many bands as 'pop metal' is that there are usually other subgenres the band can fall into. For example, there are plenty of symphonic metal bands that are extremely poppy and Nu Metal and Hair Metal also lean towards the pop spectrum. But putting all these different bands under the 'pop metal' umbrella seems a bit silly as a band like Sirenia sounds worlds different than Poison and Poison way different from Linkin Park and so on. So, I would be cautious to simply throw all these bands under a pop metal subgenre as it's in many ways counter-intuitive in describing their sound because they all sound so different.

Personally, I rather just call bands like Sirenia poppy Symphonic Metal, bands like Linkin Park Nu Metal and bands like Poison Hair Metal or Glam Rock. It's a simpler and more accurate way to categorize these bands in my opinion.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That said, I think bands like Amaranthe and BabyMetal are kind of paving the way for a new and distinct subgenre that can be labeled simply 'pop metal'.

There is simply no other way to succinctly describe these two bands and they are similar enough to fit under the same term. Whether other bands will emulate this sound and expand this into a new distinct genre remains to be seen but either way, imo Amaranthe and BabyMetal are the first two bands that truly deserve the title 'Pop Metal'.

I agree with this general sentiment. Turns out Kawaii metal now has a wikipedia page though.

Huh, I guess they already got their own coined subgenre... There goes part of my argument, I didn't know there were other bands like BabyMetal already in Japan.

Gets me thinking... Maybe terms like 'Pop Metal' are only good in describing bands to non-metalheads. Just like 'Viking Metal' can constitute bands as varying as Amon Amarth and Turisas, so we don't really use it as a term when talking within the metal community, Amon Amarth is melodeath and Turisas Symphonic Folk. But when a non-metalhead friend asks you what genre Amon Amarth is you just say fucking Viking Metal cuz it's easier and gets the point across faster/easier than saying Melodic Death Metal with Viking lyrical themes. Same could go for the term 'Pop Metal'.

I don't think kawaii metal is really a genre and pop metal is really a better descriptor, I don't really know how the wikipedia came into existence and has stayed in existence.

Written by Ganondox on 01.11.2016 at 02:38

I don't think kawaii metal is really a genre and pop metal is really a better descriptor, I don't really know how the wikipedia came into existence and has stayed in existence.

Well it lists three bands and kawaii-metal.com lists several more so it seems that theres a whole 'kawaii metal' scene in Japan. I don't even know what to think at this point lol... Kawaii I guess means 'Cute' so their labelling themselves 'Cute Metal' and it sort of fits tbh, since a lot of it is purposefully overly cute and silly. I think Glam was at first considered just Pop Metal until Glam/Sleaze/Hair Metal took over so the same thing may happen(or already has happened) with Kawaii Metal.

Written by AngelofDeth on 01.11.2016 at 03:52


Well it lists three bands and kawaii-metal.com lists several more so it seems that theres a whole 'kawaii metal' scene in Japan. I don't even know what to think at this point lol... Kawaii I guess means 'Cute' so their labelling themselves 'Cute Metal' and it sort of fits tbh, since a lot of it is purposefully overly cute and silly.

OMG, Karlabos should be all over this!

Written by [user id=136611] on 03.11.2016 at 19:08

Written by AngelofDeth on 01.11.2016 at 03:52


Well it lists three bands and kawaii-metal.com lists several more so it seems that theres a whole 'kawaii metal' scene in Japan. I don't even know what to think at this point lol... Kawaii I guess means 'Cute' so their labelling themselves 'Cute Metal' and it sort of fits tbh, since a lot of it is purposefully overly cute and silly.

OMG, Karlabos should be all over this!

Already aware of that, actually =p
I am subscribed to a forum site with jpop/jmusic and all its derivatives similar to MS where all this stuff gets posted

Amaranthe and Babymetal are defo the first 2 that come to my mind, as well, and some others would also be Sonic Syndicate and In This Moment.

Written by Ganondox on 31.10.2016 at 05:28

Written by AngelofDeth on 30.10.2016 at 23:28

The problem with labeling many bands as 'pop metal' is that there are usually other subgenres the band can fall into. For example, there are plenty of symphonic metal bands that are extremely poppy and Nu Metal and Hair Metal also lean towards the pop spectrum. But putting all these different bands under the 'pop metal' umbrella seems a bit silly as a band like Sirenia sounds worlds different than Poison and Poison way different from Linkin Park and so on. So, I would be cautious to simply throw all these bands under a pop metal subgenre as it's in many ways counter-intuitive in describing their sound because they all sound so different.

Personally, I rather just call bands like Sirenia poppy Symphonic Metal, bands like Linkin Park Nu Metal and bands like Poison Hair Metal or Glam Rock. It's a simpler and more accurate way to categorize these bands in my opinion.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That said, I think bands like Amaranthe and BabyMetal are kind of paving the way for a new and distinct subgenre that can be labeled simply 'pop metal'.

There is simply no other way to succinctly describe these two bands and they are similar enough to fit under the same term. Whether other bands will emulate this sound and expand this into a new distinct genre remains to be seen but either way, imo Amaranthe and BabyMetal are the first two bands that truly deserve the title 'Pop Metal'.

I agree with this general sentiment. Turns out Kawaii metal now has a wikipedia page though.

I had to search Kawaii metal to receive confirmation that this new, foreign metal genre (foreign in the sense that I never heard of it) exists, and indeed it does.

That said, these categorizations sum up the distinctions between metal well, especially given the fact that not all "bright" "happy" or "poppy" sounding metal bands are pop metal, and not all popular metal bands are pop metal either, though if we're speaking in popularity context, pop metal definitely fits. I think it's just certain ones that make the list, like Babymetal and Amaranthe. They're the closest to the genre. I would imagine that lyrical content and singing style are what determines whether or not a band is pop metal.

Hmm....Maybe Voyager would fall into that category? They're a prog metal band from Australia, just released they're new single not so long ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Doi60r3pniA