I’ve been listening to nu-metal ever since I was four. My dad’s a heavy metal fan, and he passed the torch down to me. We bond over music and go to concerts all the time. I, in fact, play and make music because of his influence. Not many people give heavy metal a chance because of how loud it is, the rough and unedited vocals, and because of a lack of mainstream popularity in the past. 

I’m here to tell you that you should give nu-metal, a sub-genre of metal, a listen. 

I would recommend nu-metal over heavy metal because nu-metal often includes a bit of rap. Bands, like Limp Bizkit, Korn, Linkin Park and Papa Roach all have rap influences in their music. People who like rap artists such as Eminem, 50 Cent, Snoop Dog, Jay-Z, or even newer artists such as Post Malone may find themselves enjoying nu-metal.

“I’m more into rap, but there are some metal rap-like songs that I do enjoy honestly,” said Nick Rubio, a 22-year-old communications major from Howell. “It gets me pumped up for the gym. Linkin Park is a good band for people that don’t like metal because it has a mix of both metal and rap genres.”

Despite the frequent teaming of nu-metal and rap, most modern listeners still shy away from the metal genre.

“I never have given heavy metal a chance to be completely honest,” said Luke King, a 21-year-old finance major from Atlantic Highlands. “I respect it a lot because of the time and energy it takes to make that type of music. It’s just not my type.”

For those willing to give nu-metal a try, I would recommend a couple of songs and albums: Linkin Park is a great place to start. They did an album with Jay-Z in 2004 called “Collison Course,” featuring a remixed combo of the two artists’ songs. It’s really the first-ever rap and rock remix collab.  

There’s also Papa Roach. Their debut album “Infest” is one of my favorite albums of all time. Songs like “Revenge,” “Snakes,” and the title track “Infest” are my top choices on that album. If you love rap, then you will love these tracks, which are very hip-hop based and have a great flow.  

Finally, we have Limp Bizkit. Most known for their WWE intros and their shenanigans off-stage, they are probably the most hated band on the planet but also the most influential as they were the band that basically pioneered nu-metal. Songs I would recommend are “Rollin,” “Crack Addict,” and “9 Teen 90 Nine.” All these songs continue that style of rap and hip-hop flow. The band was close with Eminem, who influenced their rap-like sound in the nineties. 

If you’ve overlooked nu-metal, I highly recommend you give it a try and discover some great artists and music.