Nu metal is a subgenre that combines elements of heavy metal music with elements of other music genres such as hip hop, alternative rock, funk, industrial, and grunge.
Nu metal bands drew elements and influences from a variety of musical styles, including multiple genres of heavy metal. Nu metal rarely featured guitar solos or other displays of technical competence. Instead, the genre was heavily syncopated and based on guitar riffs.
Nu metal became popular in the late 1990s with bands such as Korn, System of a Down and Limp Bizkit releasing albums that sold millions of copies.
Nu metal’s popularity continued during the early 2000s, with bands such as Papa Roach, Staind and P.O.D. all selling multi-platinum albums, and came to a peak with Linkin Park’s diamond-selling album Hybrid Theory.
By the mid-2000s, the oversaturation of bands combined with the underperformance of several high-profile releases led to nu metal’s decline, leading to many nu metal bands disbanding or abandoning their established sound in favour of other genres.
During the 2010s, there was a nu metal revival.
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