What are some rock artists who shifted their style and ventured into pop for an album or even longer?
As musicians evolve over time, it’s natural for them to explore new sounds and experiment with popular trends. However, within the rock and metal community, many artists face criticism for making such a change.
While ‘pop’ is technically short for ‘popular,’ its meaning as a genre has evolved over time. Today, it generally refers to highly produced, upbeat music commonly heard on Top 40 radio, and is often viewed negatively by fans of heavier music. If you dig deeper, many musicians from the rock and metal world could have been considered ‘pop’ at one time, simply because their style was dominant during a particular era.
Did Metallica become a pop band with the release of The Black Album simply because it resonated with a larger audience? Some might argue that, but the album still features plenty of hard rock and metal tracks. In fact, one could argue that making music more accessible without losing its core essence is not a bad thing at all.
In this list, we explore artists who made a significant shift toward a softer sound, often incorporating more electronic elements and effects. Check out our selections below.
Linkin Park
Linkin Park became one of the most adored bands of the 2000s for creating emotional, heavy tracks that resonated with young, frustrated listeners. So when they dropped One More Light in 2017, many fans were left puzzled.
While most bands are usually given some leeway for experimentation, Linkin Park faced considerable criticism from their fanbase over the album’s softer, more pop-oriented sound. The absence of Chester Bennington‘s signature screaming, for which he was highly praised, was particularly noticeable.
Seven years have passed since the album’s release and Bennington‘s tragic death. Since then, Linkin Park has dropped a few new songs with their new vocalist, Emily Armstrong, much to the delight of fans who appreciate the return to their earlier style. In hindsight, Linkin Park‘s pop phase now seems like just that—a temporary shift.
U2
U2 has been around for decades, so it’s not too shocking that they had phases where they strayed from their rock roots. Though they were never a heavy rock band, their experimentation began in the early ’90s with Achtung Baby.
Zooropa continued in a similar direction, and in 1997, they released an album aptly named Pop, which incorporated more dance and electronic elements than their earlier work. By the time they released All That You Can’t Leave Behind in 2000, they had shifted back closer to their original sound.
Bring Me the Horizon
A recurring theme throughout this list is that these bands didn’t completely abandon heavy music, but rather took a direction that didn’t meet the heavy expectations of their fans. This was the case with Bring Me the Horizon, who began moving away from their aggressive sound with 2015’s That’s the Spirit.
When promoting their next album, Amo, Oli Sykes warned fans that it would be more pop-oriented and experimental. One track on the album, “Heavy Metal,” even poked fun at elitists upset with their musical shift, featuring lyrics like, “And I keep picking petals / I’m afraid you don’t love me anymore / ‘Cause a kid on the ‘gram in a Black Dahlia tank / Says it ain’t heavy metal.”
Despite this, the band has since returned to a more raw, visceral metal sound with their recent Post Human releases.
Ghost
Ghost has always been a rock band, but by the time they released Prequelle in 2018, the Tobias Forge-led group had started to move away from the darker, more satanic themes of their earlier albums.
The songs on the Seven Inches of Satanic Panic EP had an even lighter sound, and one track in particular, “Mary on a Cross,” went viral on TikTok, bringing in a new wave of fans who appreciated the softer style.
Their album Impera leaned even more into pop influences, but it’s hard to fault Forge for continuing to create music that resonates with a wider audience. While the direction of their next album remains uncertain, it’s sure to be an exciting evolution.
Paramore
Paramore epitomized teenage angst in the 2000s, but a lot can shift in just a few years. Their self-titled album in 2013 showcased a more upbeat, pop-driven sound while still retaining the band’s original essence.
However, their subsequent album, After Laughter, marked a significant departure, embracing synth-pop and new wave influences. Although the deep songwriting remained a defining characteristic, many fans were put off by the stark change in their sound.
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy ruled the pop-punk and emo scene in the 2000s with their albums Take This to Your Grave and From Under the Cork Tree. By the time they released Infinity on High in 2007, it was clear they were seeking to broaden their sound. While the album still featured some rock hits, pop influences began to emerge.
One fan on Reddit remarked that the song “What a Catch, Donnie” from Folie à Deux served as their “goodbye letter” to the heavier sound of their early years. However, it was Save Rock and Roll that truly marked a turning point in their career.
Thirty Seconds to Mars
Thirty Seconds to Mars‘ first two albums, 30 Seconds to Mars and A Beautiful Lie, were unmistakably rock. However, their 2009 album This Is War represented a shift away from their harder, edgier sound toward a style influenced by new wave.
With each subsequent release, the band embraced a more experimental, electronic, and pop-oriented sound, making them one of the few groups that haven’t revisited their rock origins.
Avril Lavigne
Avril Lavigne undoubtedly began her career as the Princess of Pop-Punk. Her debut album, Let Go, is a defining classic of the early 2000s, while its follow-up, Under My Skin, took on a much darker and heavier tone. However, by her third album, The Best Damn Thing (2005), there was a clear shift toward a more bubblegum pop-rock sound.
Since then, she has explored various musical styles; her 2019 album, Head Above Water, even made it onto the Christian charts. Yet, with her 2022 release, Love Sux, she returned to her rock roots, proving that the pop-punk princess within her has never truly disappeared.
Panic! at the Disco
Panic! At the Disco was never a particularly heavy band, nor did they ever claim to be. However, their 2005 debut, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, especially the hit “I Write Sins Not Tragedies“, was adored by young fans of pop-punk and emo in the 2000s.
By their next album, Pretty. Odd. released in 2008, they largely moved away from that edginess. Although they’ve had some harder moments throughout their career, they haven’t fully returned to that sound.
Muse
Similar to Panic! At the Disco, Muse has always incorporated pop elements into their sound, but there is a distinct contrast between their first three albums and the rest of their discography. Many fans on Reddit identify 2006’s Black Holes and Revelations as the moment they shifted to an even more pop-oriented sound.
That said, they haven’t completely abandoned rock; tracks like the title song and “Kill or Be Killed” from 2022’s Will of the People are among their heaviest releases to date.
