Short answers, pulled from the story.
Nu metal is a subgenre of alternative metal that combines heavy metal with hip hop, funk, industrial, and grunge. It is characterized by syncopated rhythms, down-tuned seven-string guitars, and vocal styles that include rapping, singing, screaming, and sometimes growling. DJs are occasionally featured to provide sampling and turntable scratching.
Korn is widely credited with pioneering nu metal, beginning with their 1993 demo Neidermayer's Mind and their 1994 self-titled debut album, which is considered the first nu metal album. Producer Ross Robinson, who worked with Korn, Limp Bizkit, and Slipknot, is often called "The Godfather of Nu Metal".
Linkin Park's Hybrid Theory, released in late 2000, became the best-selling debut album of the 21st century. It was the best-selling album of 2001 in the United States and was certified diamond by the RIAA. The single "Crawling" won a Grammy Award, and "In the End" reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 2002.
By the mid-2000s, oversaturation of similar-sounding bands, reduced radio and television airplay, and the underperformance of several high-profile releases signaled the genre's decline. MTV reported in 2003 that mainstream interest had dropped, and indie and garage rock bands like the Strokes were gaining ground. Many nu metal acts disbanded or shifted to alternative rock, hard rock, or heavier metal styles.
Nu metal experienced an underground revival in the 2010s through bands fusing it with metalcore and deathcore. Metal Hammer cited 2021 as the start of a wider mainstream revival, led by artists like Tetrarch, Tallah, and Wargasm. In 2023, Google searches for "nu metal" were at their highest level in nearly 20 years, partly driven by Deftones and Slipknot reaching Generation Z audiences through TikTok.
Artists including Poppy, Grimes, Rina Sawayama, Dorian Electra, and Ashnikko integrated nu metal sounds into electronic and art pop during the late 2010s and early 2020s. Poppy's single "Bloodmoney" was nominated for the 2021 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance, making her the first female solo artist nominated for the award in its history. The Guardian noted that these artists revived a historically male-dominated genre and adapted it to express a female perspective.