BABYMETAL

An unlikely but fascinating collision of J-pop and heavy metal, Tokyo's BABYMETAL emerged in the early 2010s at the dawn of the kawaii metal movement (also known as kawaiicore or idol/cute metal). Helmed by producer Key Kobayashi, who operates under the pseudonym Kobametal, the group's eponymous 2014 debut album was certified gold and found international success with the single "Gimme Chocolate!!," which became a viral hit. Subsequent offerings Metal Resistance (2016), Metal Galaxy (2019), and The Other One (2023) continued to mine the seemingly disparate worlds of pop and met...