Pop metal (sometimes conflated with or used interchangeably withglam metal) is an umbrella term for commercialheavy metal andhard rock styles which feature prominentpop music elements such as catchyhooks and anthemic choruses. It became popular in the 1980s among acts such asBon Jovi,Europe,Def Leppard,Poison,Mötley Crüe, andRatt.

The term is also applied to some bands and artists that have formed since the 1990s that mix aspects of pop and heavy metal into their sound.

Pop metal is a variation ofheavy metal which emphasizes catchypop-influencedhooks and guitarriffs.^[1] It was influenced by the anthemic choruses ofarena rock.^[1] While pop metal recordings were often loud, they also featured "slick," radio-friendly production sheen.^[1] Bands from the Los Angeles metal scene also borrowed visual elements from 1970sglam rock, leading to theglam metal variation of the late 1980s.^[1]

The alternate term "metal pop" was coined by critic Philip Bashe in 1983 to describe bands such asVan Halen andDef Leppard.^[2] In the "definitive metal family tree" of his documentaryMetal: A Headbanger's Journey, anthropologistSam Dunn differentiates pop metal, which includes bands like Def Leppard,Europe, andWhitesnake, fromglam metal bands that includeMötley Crüe andPoison.^[3]

The catchyhard rock ofKiss andVan Halen in the 1970s helped spawn the genre,^[1] along with acts such asThin Lizzy andAC/DC.^[4] Van Halen's1978 debut album marked a turning point in the style, making that sound "flashier, more creative, and more energetic than ever before."^[4] The first wave of pop metal, which was not as pop-oriented as later developments, included bands such asMötley Crüe,Quiet Riot,Dokken,Ratt, andTwisted Sister.^[1]

More melodic acts such asDef Leppard andBon Jovi saw further success in the 1980s with albums likePyromania (1983) andSlippery When Wet (1986), while the hair metal variation became dominant.^[1] The genre's popularity was at its peak between 1982 and 1991.^[4] The arrival ofgrunge in 1991 largely turned audiences away from pop metal.^[1]

Despite the decline in popularity, the term "pop metal" is also sometimes applied to a number of rock and heavy metal bands and artists that are usually not associated with glam metal, and have formed since the 1990s,. Such acts includeAmaranthe,^[5]Andrew W.K.,^[6][7]Architects,^[8]Bring Me the Horizon,^[9][10]Coheed and Cambria,^[11][12]Dead by April,^[13]Evanescence,^[14]Halestorm,^[15][16]Ghost,^[17]In Flames,^[18][19]In This Moment,^[20][21]Issues,^[22][23]Lacuna Coil,^[24]Poppy,^[25][26]Shinedown,^[27]the Pretty Reckless,^[28]We Are the Fallen,^[29] andWeezer.^[30][31]

• 20th-century music genres
• Pop music genres
• 1980s in music
• Heavy metal genres
• Fusion music genres

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