Recently emerging bands such as Cane Hill, Ocean Grove, Tetrarch, and Tallah began to make their mark over the last few years, simultaneously, metalcore bands such as Of Mice & Men and Stray From The Path revisited the often-criticized music of their youth. But during all these, there was one genre that reached the horizon of resurgence: Nu-metal.
Well, it wasn’t until 2023 that nu-metal truly experienced a revival, mostly thanks to TikTok.
The Rise Of Nu-Metal Festivals And Content Creators
The genre has experienced a surge in the past year thanks to the influence of the platform. It’s not just bands; even nu-metal content creators have played a crucial role in attracting a new audience to the genre. Creators such as Nik Nocturnal, Kriss Krypt, and ELAZ played a great role in the genre’s rise in the last two years.
Beyond content creators, festivals like Sick New World and When We Were Young have also contributed to the resurgence of the genre. Their lineups, featuring bands like Korn, System Of A Down, Incubus, Evanescence, and Papa Roach, have played a pivotal role in regaining popularity.
The festival didn’t just draw in Gen X and millennials seeking to relive their early years; it also resonated with Gen Z, being significantly impacted by the music and style of the early nu-metal era.
Tiktok’s Effect On Streams
While some bands leverage the platform for music promotion through professional ads or viral videos and memes, others find success as their songs become associated with trending topics. An excellent illustration of this phenomenon is Ghost’s ‘Mary On A Cross,’ which gained momentum through its use in trends, leading to a significant surge in streams over several months.
A few trends helped the streams to double and even triple, especially of bands such as Korn’s ‘Twist,’ Deftones’ ‘My Own Summer (Shove It) and Slipknot’s ‘Custer.’
Considering the quickly changing algorithm of the platform, it’s not always possible to tell whether or not the rebirth of nu-metal will be popular a few months after this despite the current popularity.
