I am not an expert on the best bands to get anyone specifically into metal music. These are based on my own experience.
As someone who has recently gotten into the metal genre, I found myself reflecting back on how exactly I got here. After some reflection, I found this is something that I have been working towards for a while, but was just too scared or intimidated by how heavy the music is to just jump into it.
However, since I took the jump, I haven’t looked back with the exception of how I got here. In that realization, I notice a lot of rock music is how I weaved my way into metal music. Some of the bands have made a resurgence in the mainstream due to Tik Tok trends or because they have recently blown up. I have found others that are nice to dip a toe into the water to get into metal.
- Linkin Park
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I love this band so much. Sadly, I did not truly appreciate their music and the meaning of their songs until after the lead singer died. Saying this, if you like bands that have a deep meaning behind their music, Linkin Park is one for you. They also have Nu Metal and Alternative Metal mixed in with Rock, Rap, and Pop Rock. Personally, when I started to listen to Linkin Park more, I found myself growing curious about heavier music. Linkin Park’s song “One Step Closer” from Hybrid Theory is one of their better-known songs, but also shows the lighter side of metal music.
GIF By LINKIN PARK - Pierce the Veil
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Many people recognize this name from the “King for a Day” Tik Tok trend, which is great, and if you like the song, you’ll like a lot of their music in my opinion. Some of their songs are heavier than others, but nothing too extreme if you are just getting into the metal world. However, if “King for a Day” is a little heavy on the screaming for you, “Pass the Nirvana” off of The Jaws Of Life might be better for you.
Picking Up Jeremy Mckinnon GIF - Sleeping With Sirens
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You most likely know this band because lead singer, Kellen Quinn, is the other voice you hear on “King for Day.” Though you might also recognize the band from their song “If You Can’t Hang,” which is by far their most popular song. However, Sleeping with Sirens has either some heavier or less heavy songs in their collection. These guys are also known for their music being personal and having deep meanings too. One of their new songs, which is not heavy on the screaming but heavy on the emotion, is “Complete Collapse” from their most recent album by the same name.
Sleeping With Sirens GIF - Bad Omens
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This is another band that you probably recognize the name of from Tik Tok since their song “Just Pretend” has been used often. This band, though not new in the music scene, has only recently blown up due to Tik Tok. Overall, their music is not heavy, styled much like it “Just Pretend” is, though if you want to look into their heavier stuff, I recommend all of their first album, Bad Omens. If you want to look into something fresh and new, their song “ARTIFICIAL SUICIDE” from The Death of Peace of Mind is a great option.
Careful What You Wish For Images GIF By Sumerian Records - I Prevail
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This one is probably the only underground band on this list even though they have been around since 2013 and started to make waves when they released their cover of Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” in 2014. The best way to describe them as a band is a new wave Linkin Park because their newer music has a heavy rock and rap feeling to it. Personally, I believe I Prevail does a better job at balancing the rap, rock, and metal aspects of their music and the best example that they have of this is “Bad Things” from their most recent album True Power.
Hard Rock GIF By I Prevail
There are plenty of other bands outside of these that can lead you into metal music, but these are the ones that lead me into the metal genre more. Metal music is so diverse, so if you are interested, check out this online map of the metal genre. I believe that if you like the songs linked in each of the sections, then you should dive into the bands more. You can even spread your genre out to metal music!