New data shown via Google Trends has revealed that the nu metal genre is at its most popular for almost two decades.
The analytics website measures the popularity of key words, and how often they appear as search terms in Google's engine.
According to the recent finds of Twitter account ‘crazy ass moments in nu metal history’, online interest surrounding nu metal is now at its highest point since 2004.
As shown by a graph posted by the popular nu metal-loving account, interest in the genre has been fluctuating since the mid-00s, with the scene having boomed in the late 90s and early 00s through the rise of bands such as Limp Bizkit, Korn and Linkin Park.
According to the data, search terms around nu metal began to die down in 2009, with the graph's line descending into a steady plateau until the 2020 mark, where search terms began to pick up momentum again.
Around August of that year, numbers finally surpassed the highest peak of interest from 2004 (when the data first started being collected);
View the graph below:
According to Google Trends interest in nu metal has now exceeded its previous peak in 2004, when Google began tracking pic.twitter.com/85vLtRsfHCApril 23, 2023
I don't want to be grandiose, I can tell I'm reaching an inflection point where goodwill turns to suspicion, but we have a chance to make this moment something that lasts *if* we support our new bands. Anything (2023); follow them, add their album, listen. We can do this.April 23, 2023
Nu metal has experienced a renaissance of sorts in recent years, with the nu wave of nu metal seeing bands like Spiritbox, Wargasm, Tallah and Tetrarch pushing the sound of nu metal forwards. Plus, the likes of Limp Bizkit, Papa Roach and Mudvayne have either reunited, released new records or seen new popularity via platforms like TikTok over the past couple of years, meaning nu metal's OGs are reaching new demographics and generations.
There have even been signs of nu metal appearing in mainstream circles, with genre-bending artists such as Rina Sawayama, rapper Bree Runway and Grimes infusing vigorous, bouncy riffs with hip-hop-stylings into their pop-driven releases.
Will it last? We'll leave it to our friend running the Crazy Ass Nu Metal Moments account, who says: I don't want to be grandiose, I can tell I'm reaching an inflection point where goodwill turns to suspicion, but we have a chance to make this moment something that lasts *if* we support our new bands...follow them, add their album, listen. We can do this."
Read more about the history of nu metal in Metal Hammer's nu metal special, out now.
