(stylized in
all caps
In typography, text or font in all caps (short for "all capitals") contains capital letters without any lowercase letters. For example: All-caps text can be seen in legal documents, advertisements, newspaper headlines, and the titles on book co ...
as BABYMETAL) is a Japanese
kawaii metal
Kawaii metal (also known as cute metal, J-pop metal, or kawaiicore) is a musical genre that blends elements of heavy metal and J-pop that was pioneered in Japan in the early 2010s. The genre combines both Eastern and Western influences that appe ...
band consisting of
Suzuka Nakamoto
, known by her stage name Su-metal, is a Japanese singer. She is best known as a member of the kawaii metal band Babymetal, and was formerly a member of Karen Girl's and Sakura Gakuin. She is represented by the talent agency Amuse Inc.
Early lif ...
as "Su-metal",
Moa Kikuchi
, known by her stage name Moametal, is a Japanese singer and dancer. She is best known as a member of the kawaii metal band Babymetal, and was formerly a member of the idol group Sakura Gakuin. She is represented by the talent agency Amuse Inc ...
as "Moametal" and
Momoko Okazaki
, known by her stage name Momometal, is a Japanese singer and dancer. She is best known as a member of kawaii metal band Babymetal, which she joined as a touring member in 2019 before becoming an official member in 2023. She was previously a mem ...
as "Momometal". The band is produced by
Kobametal from the
Amuse talent agency. Their vocals are backed by heavy metal instrumentation, performed by a group of
session musicians
A session musician (also known as studio musician or backing musician) is a musician hired to perform in a recording session or a live performance. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a record ...
known as the "Kami Band" at performances.
The band was formed in 2010, with the original lineup of Su-metal (vocal and dance), Moametal (scream and dance), and
Yui Mizuno
, formerly known by her stage name Yuimetal, is a Japanese musician, singer, and dancer. She is a former member of the kawaii metal group Babymetal and the idol group Sakura Gakuin. In October 2018, she left Babymetal due to an undisclosed illness ...
as "Yuimetal" (scream and dance), with the concept of creating a fusion of the
heavy metal and
Japanese idol
An is a type of entertainer marketed for image, attractiveness, and personality in Japanese popular culture, Japanese pop culture. Idols are primarily singers with training in other performance skills such as acting, dancing, and modeling. Idol ...
genres. Originally a sub-unit of the Japanese idol group
Sakura Gakuin
was a Japanese idol girl group formed in 2010 by the Amuse talent agency. The group's membership fell within the age range of Japanese compulsory education, typically containing between 10 and 12 members at a time who fall between the ages of ...
, Babymetal became an independent act in 2013, following Nakamoto's departure from Sakura Gakuin.
Babymetal have released four studio albums since their inception: the first, ''
Babymetal
(stylized in all caps as BABYMETAL) is a Japanese kawaii metal band consisting of Suzuka Nakamoto as "Su-metal", Moa Kikuchi as "Moametal" and Momoko Okazaki as "Momometal". The band is produced by Kobametal from the Amuse Inc., Amuse talent a ...
'', came out in February 2014. Their second album ''
Metal Resistance
''Metal Resistance'' is the second studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Babymetal. It was first released on , in Japan through BMD Fox Records, and on , worldwide through earMusic, RED Associated Labels (RAL), and Sony Music Entertainmen ...
'' was released in April 2016. The group released their third album ''
Metal Galaxy
''Metal Galaxy'' is the third studio album by Japanese Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Babymetal. It was first released in Japan on October 8, 2019, with an international release following on October 11, 2019. The album was released through BM ...
'' in October 2019. Their fourth album, ''
The Other One'', was released in March 2023. Babymetal has embarked on several tours, with a majority of their tour dates taking place outside of Asia.
In October 2018, Babymetal announced that Yui Mizuno had decided to leave the band due to poor health after having been absent from live performances since December 2017. After December 2017, the band performed with one or more
backup dancers
A backup dancer also known as background dancer is a performer who dances with or behind the lead performers in a live musical act or in a music video. Their movements (especially where there are many moving together) improve the visual aesthetic ...
at live performances. One of those dancers, Momoko Okazaki (a former member of Sakura Gakuin), joined Babymetal as the third core member in April 2023, under the stage name Momometal.
History
2010–2012: Beginnings
In 2009,
Kobametal, the band's producer and
heavy metal enthusiast, started planning the launch of an idol/heavy metal fusion group. Impressed by
Suzuka Nakamoto's performance with her previous group
Karen Girl's
was a Japanese three-member girl group formed in 2008 by the Amuse, Inc., Amuse talent agency. The group performed songs for the anime ''Zettai Karen Children'' for the duration of the show.
History
Karen Girl's was formed from elementary schoo ...
, he believed she would be suitable as the
lead vocalist
The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of t ...
for the new group.
The band was formed in 2010 in Tokyo, Japan, as the , or sub-unit, of the female
idol
Idol or Idols may refer to:
Religion and philosophy
* Cult image, a human-made object that is venerated or worshipped for the deity, spirit or daemon that it embodies or represents
* Murti, a devotional image of a deity or saint used during puja ...
group
Sakura Gakuin
was a Japanese idol girl group formed in 2010 by the Amuse talent agency. The group's membership fell within the age range of Japanese compulsory education, typically containing between 10 and 12 members at a time who fall between the ages of ...
, which was also newly formed that year.
The band's name is a combination of and , and the Japanese pronunciation rhymes with "heavy metal".
"Baby" here refers to "the birth of a new genre of music".
According to Kobametal,
Yui Mizuno
, formerly known by her stage name Yuimetal, is a Japanese musician, singer, and dancer. She is a former member of the kawaii metal group Babymetal and the idol group Sakura Gakuin. In October 2018, she left Babymetal due to an undisclosed illness ...
and
Moa Kikuchi
, known by her stage name Moametal, is a Japanese singer and dancer. She is best known as a member of the kawaii metal band Babymetal, and was formerly a member of the idol group Sakura Gakuin. She is represented by the talent agency Amuse Inc ...
were added to the band to complement Nakamoto's "unique stage presence" with their smaller statures, dancing around her "like angels".
None of the three members were familiar with metal music before the inception of the band.
Mikiko was put in charge of creating the choreography that the three would perform.
Babymetal's first live appearance was on November 28, 2010, at Sakura Gakuin's first solo concert,
Sakura Gakuin Festival ☆ 2010. In July 2011, Babymetal premiered the song "
Ijime, Dame, Zettai
is the debut major label single by Japanese heavy metal band Babymetal. It was released in Japan on January 9, 2013, as the fourth overall single from the album ''Babymetal''.
Background and release
The single was first announced after the co ...
" ("No More Bullying") at a Sakura Gakuin concert, but the song was not released commercially until 2013.
The band's first single, "
Doki Doki Morning", originally appeared on Sakura Gakuin's debut album ''
Sakura Gakuin 2010 Nendo: Message'', released on April 27, 2011. A music video for the song was uploaded to
Toy's Factory
is a Japanese record label founded in the late 1980s as a subsidiary of the entertainment company VAP, based in Japan. On May 30, 1990, it was established as an independent company. It is an associate member of the Recording Industry Assoc ...
's YouTube channel on October 12, 2011, and was released as a
DVD single
A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to promote the sale of m ...
in late 2011, under the independent Toy's Factory sublabel Juonbu Records.
The music video totaled over 1 million views by the end of 2012.
Babymetal's first
CD single
A CD single is a single (music), music single in the form of a compact disc (CD). Originally the ''CD single'' standard (as defined in the Rainbow Books, Red Book) was an 8 cm (3-inch) "mini CD" (''CD3''); later on the term referred to any si ...
was a collaboration with the band Kiba of Akiba, titled "
Babymetal / Kiba of Akiba
is a joint single by Japanese heavy metal band Babymetal and ''otailish'' death pop band Kiba of Akiba. The single was first released in Japan on March 7, 2012 to promote the album '' Sakura Gakuin 2011 Nendo: Friends''.
Release
Babymetal an ...
". Released in March 2012 by Juonbu Records,
the single ranked at number three on the
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics
Statistics (from German language, German: ', "description of a State (polity), state, a country") is the discipline that ...
weekly indie chart and number one in the
Tower Records Shibuya weekly indie ranking.
In the summer of 2012, the band released a music video for their next single, "
Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!!
is a music single, single by the Japanese Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Babymetal. Released in Japan on July 4, 2012 in promotion for the album ''Sakura Gakuin discography#Sakura Gakuin 2012 Nendo: My Generation, Sakura Gakuin 2012 Nendo: My ...
",
directed by Hidenobu Tanabe.
In August 2012, Babymetal performed at Japan's
Summer Sonic Festival
is an annual music festival held on one weekend in August simultaneously in both Chiba and Osaka, Japan. The festival features revolving lineups performing one day in Osaka then performing the next day in Chiba and vice-versa. The lineup often ...
,
becoming the youngest act ever to perform at the festival.
The same year, Babymetal performed outside of Japan for the first time at the 2012
Anime Festival Asia
C3AFA, also known as Anime Festival Asia (AFA), is a series of anime conventions held in the Southeast Asian region, with a core annual convention held in Singapore. The main convention is traditionally held over a weekend in late November to e ...
in Singapore.
2013–2015: Major label debut and ''Babymetal''
On January 9, 2013, the band debuted on a major record label with "
Ijime, Dame, Zettai
is the debut major label single by Japanese heavy metal band Babymetal. It was released in Japan on January 9, 2013, as the fourth overall single from the album ''Babymetal''.
Background and release
The single was first announced after the co ...
". Released under the main Toy's Factory label and Juonbu Records, it sold 19,000 copies in its first week and debuted at number six in the
Oricon Weekly Singles Chart
The Oricon Singles Chart is the Japanese music industry-standard singles popularity chart issued daily, weekly, monthly and yearly by Oricon. Chart rankings are based on physical singles' sales. Until 2017, Oricon did not track download sales. In ...
.
In the spring of 2013, Nakamoto graduated from junior high school and therefore had to "graduate" from Sakura Gakuin (a group of elementary and junior high school girls). However, their management decided that Babymetal would not dissolve and would continue its activities as a band.
The group released its next single, "
Megitsune
is the second major label music single, single by the Japanese kawaii metal band Babymetal. It was released in Japan on June 19, 2013 as the fifth single from the album ''Babymetal (album), Babymetal''. It is also the first single released indepe ...
", on June 19, 2013,
under Toy's Factory and the band's new sublabel BMD Fox Records. The single also included the song "Onedari Daisakusen" (おねだり大作戦, "Begging Operation") performed by Yuimetal and Moametal under the stage name of Black Babymetal.
On August 10 and 11, 2013, Babymetal again took part in the Summer Sonic Festival, performing in Tokyo and Osaka. Later, in October, Babymetal also became the youngest artists ever to perform at the heavy metal music festival
Loud Park.
In November, Babymetal released a promo video for the Japanese premiere of
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band. It was formed in Los Angeles in 1981 by vocalist and guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
's movie ''
Through the Never'', and released its first live music video ''
Live: Legend I, D, Z Apocalypse'', which debuted at seventh place in the weekly Oricon Blu-ray Disc charts, and at second place among music Blu-rays.
In December, Babymetal performed at Anime Festival Asia Indonesia 2013 and performed for a second time in Singapore.

On February 26, 2014, Babymetal released their first,
eponymous album. It contained thirteen tracks and was also available in a limited edition that included a DVD with music videos and live footage.
The album was well received by music critics
as well as the public, selling over 37,000 copies in Japan its first week, debuting at number four on the Oricon Weekly Album Chart, and number two in ''Billboard Japan''.
It also topped
iTunes
iTunes is a media player, media library, and mobile device management (MDM) utility developed by Apple. It is used to purchase, play, download and organize digital multimedia on personal computers running the macOS and Windows operating s ...
Metal
A metal () is a material that, when polished or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electrical resistivity and conductivity, electricity and thermal conductivity, heat relatively well. These properties are all associated wit ...
charts in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, and reached number 187 on the US
''Billboard'' 200 chart on March 22.
Their album also made it into the
Heatseekers
Infrared homing is a passive weapon guidance system which uses the infrared (IR) light emission from a target to track and follow it seamlessly. Missiles which use infrared seeking are often referred to as "heat-seekers" since infrared is ra ...
chart at number four. On March 1 and 2, 2014, the band played two concerts at the
Budokan
The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It was originally built for the inaugural Olympic judo competition in the 1964 Summer Olympics. The Budokan was a popular venue for Japanese professional wres ...
. With the average age of 14.6, they became youngest-ever female act to perform a show there. The two concerts were attended by 20,000 people. On April 3, 2014, an episode of the
Fine Brothers
React Media, LLC (also known as React and formerly Fine Brothers Productions, Inc., Fine Brothers Entertainment, Inc., FBE, Inc., and FBE, LLC) is an American digital media and entertainment company founded by brothers Benny Fine (born March 19, ...
' ''
YouTubers React'' show was uploaded to YouTube, covering the band and the music videos of "
Doki Doki Morning", "
Iine!", and "
Gimme Chocolate!!
is a song by the Japanese kawaii metal band Babymetal from their self-titled debut album. Though it was not released as a single in Japan, the song became an international success. Later, it was released via earMusic in the United Kingdom on Ma ...
"; the band members' own reaction to the video would later be released in 2016.
At the end of their March 2 Budokan concert, Babymetal also announced their first world tour, the
Babymetal World Tour 2014
The Babymetal World Tour 2014 (stylized in all caps) was the first worldwide concert tour by Japanese band Babymetal. Supporting their eponymous debut album, the tour ran from 23 June 2014 to 20 December 2014, taking place in Japan, the United ...
,
initially performing in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
and
Cologne
Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...
.
UK's
Sonisphere Festival
The Sonisphere Festival was a touring rock music festival which took place across Europe between the months of June and August. The festival was owned by John Jackson and Kilimanjaro Live. It was jointly promoted by K2 and Kilimanjaro Live. It h ...
was subsequently added to the tour, after being formally invited to play after a successful fan-driven campaign entitled "Babymetal For Sonisphere UK 2014", which Sonisphere later acknowledged on its website. After the UK leg of the tour, the band went on to make their debut appearance in the United States on July 27 with a headlining show at
The Fonda Theatre
The Fonda Theatre (formerly Music Box Theatre, Guild Theatre, Fox Theatre, and Pix Theatre) is a concert venue located on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, California. Designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, the theater has hosted liv ...
in
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood ...
. They played
Heavy Montréal 2014 in Canada on August 9 alongside
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band. It was formed in Los Angeles in 1981 by vocalist and guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
,
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California, formed in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King, drummer Dave Lombardo and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. Slayer's fast and aggressive musical style made them ...
and
Anthrax
Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium '' Bacillus anthracis'' or ''Bacillus cereus'' biovar ''anthracis''. Infection typically occurs by contact with the skin, inhalation, or intestinal absorption. Symptom onset occurs between one ...
; and performed at Summer Sonic 2014 in Japan on the Mountain Stage with bands such as
Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold (abbreviated as A7X) is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1999. The band's current lineup consists of vocalist M. Shadows, rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance, lead gui ...
and
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist and guitarist Dave Mustaine. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal—alo ...
.
Babymetal was also the opening act to five of
Lady Gaga
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her image reinventions and versatility across the entertainment industry, she is an influ ...
's concerts in her
ArtRave: The Artpop Ball 2014 tour in August along the western United States. Babymetal also released their second live album ''
Live: Legend 1999 & 1997 Apocalypse'' on October 19, 2014, featuring their live performances at both the
NHK Hall
The NHK Hall is a concert hall located at the NHK Broadcasting Center, the main headquarters of Japan's Public broadcasting, public broadcaster NHK. The hall is the main venue for the NHK Symphony Orchestra, but it has also played host to other e ...
and at
Makuhari Messe
is a convention center in Chiba (city), Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, located just outside of Tokyo. Designed by Fumihiko Maki, it is accessible by Transportation in Greater Tokyo#Railway and subway, Tokyo's commuter rail system. ''Makuha ...
Event Hall from 2013.

In August 2014, it was announced that the band would play another show at
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
's
O2 Academy Brixton
Brixton Academy (originally known as the Astoria Variety Cinema, previously known as Carling Academy Brixton, currently named O2 Academy Brixton as part of a sponsorship deal with the O2 brand) is a mid-sized concert venue located in South Lon ...
on November 8,
their final European show of the year as part of the group's "Babymetal Apocalypse" phase. It was later announced that the band would also return to
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, which they had visited earlier in the year without giving an actual performance, performing at the
Hammerstein Ballroom
The Hammerstein Ballroom is a ballroom located within the Manhattan Center at 311 West 34th Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The capacity of the ballroom is dependent on the configuration of the room; it seats 2,000 people for theat ...
on November 4. At their Brixton performance, the band debuted a new song titled "
Road of Resistance
"Road of Resistance" is a song by the Japanese Kawaii metal band Babymetal. The song was released worldwide as a digital single on February 1, 2015 by Toy's Factory, serving as the lead single off the international re-release of the album ''Babyme ...
."
Later revealed to be a collaboration with
Sam Totman
Ian Samuel Totman is a British-born New Zealand musician best known as guitarist and main songwriter for the power metal band DragonForce.
Early life
Totman was born in England and grew up mainly in New Zealand. He moved back to England arou ...
and
Herman Li
Herman Li (; born 3 October 1976) is a Hong Kong-born British musician. He is one of the lead guitarists, producers and songwriters for the power metal band DragonForce. Li has played with the band based in England since it was formed in 1999 ...
of British
power metal
Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within a symphonic context. Generally, power metal is characterized by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound, in co ...
band
DragonForce
DragonForce are a British power metal band from London, formed in 1999. They are known for their long and fast guitar solos, fantasy-themed lyrics and retro video game-influenced sound. The band themselves refer to their music as "extreme po ...
,
[ the song was subsequently released as a bonus track of their first live album '' Live at Budokan: Red Night'', released simultaneously along with the band's third live video album '' Live at Budokan: Red Night & Black Night Apocalypse'' on January 7, 2015, and later released as a digital single.] Li later revealed via Twitter and Facebook posts that he and Totman had been working on the song's guitar parts since 2013. In 2015, they re-released their eponymous album via earMusic
Edel SE & Co. KGaA is a German independent media company based in Hamburg. As a label and publishing group, it also operates marketing and sales for artists and smaller music labels. The repertoire of the Edel labels includes dance, rock and po ...
and RAL/Sony Music Entertainment. Ahead of their performance at the Metal Hammer
''Metal Hammer'' is a heavy metal music magazine and website founded in 1983, published in the United Kingdom by Future, with other language editions published by different companies available in numerous other countries. ''Metal Hammer'' featu ...
Golden Gods Awards on June 15, the trio made a surprise appearance during DragonForce
DragonForce are a British power metal band from London, formed in 1999. They are known for their long and fast guitar solos, fantasy-themed lyrics and retro video game-influenced sound. The band themselves refer to their music as "extreme po ...
's set at Download Festival
Download Festival is a rock festival created by Andy Copping, held annually at the Donington Park motorsport circuit in Leicestershire, England (since 2003); in Paris, France (since 2016); at Parramatta Park, Sydney (since 2019); Flemington ...
, performing "Gimme Chocolate!!", despite event organizer Andy Copping stating that he would never book the band.
2016–2017: Touring and ''Metal Resistance''
During the band's headlining shows at Yokohama Arena
is an indoor arena located in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The capacity of the arena is 17,000 and was opened in 1989. The arena was modeled after US sports venue Madison Square Garden in New York City. It is a five-minute walk from the ...
in December 2015, announced a second studio album to be released on April 1, 2016, as well as a world tour starting in London at the Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena () (originally the Empire Pool, currently known as OVO Energy, OVO Arena Wembley for sponsorship reasons) is an indoor arena next to Wembley Stadium in Wembley, Greater London, England. The 12,500-seat facility is Greater Lond ...
, and concluding in Japan with a debut at the Tokyo Dome
is an indoor stadium in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. It was designed as a baseball stadium following its predecessor, Korakuen Stadium (whose former site is now occupied by the Tokyo Dome Hotel and a plaza for this stadium). In Japan, it is often us ...
. On January 15, 2016, the second album's title was revealed to be ''Metal Resistance
''Metal Resistance'' is the second studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Babymetal. It was first released on , in Japan through BMD Fox Records, and on , worldwide through earMusic, RED Associated Labels (RAL), and Sony Music Entertainmen ...
''.
Their second album had shown differences from their debut album. Yuimetal stated that "compared to the first album and definitely the second album they challenged themselves to a lot of new, different types of genres of music, even more than before". Another difference was more use of positive lyrics than ever before. The band made a point to provide a wide variety of styles to attract a wider audience and performed a full song in English.
The band came up with the album title ''Metal Resistance'' because they believed it represents who they are and what they do as Babymetal. Su-metal said that "it's about them exploring new, different aspects of what they can do." On March 13, the band's producer, Kobametal, received an Excellence Award from the Association of Media in Digital (AMD) in Japan for his success in promoting the band internationally. On April 2, one day after the release of ''Metal Resistance'', Babymetal became the first Japanese act to headline Wembley Arena, with the largest sale of merchandise for a single day event in the venue's history, coinciding with the highest ever entry for an album in the UK charts for a Japanese act. ''The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' gave their Wembley performance a rating of five out of five stars. On April 5, Babymetal made their U.S. television debut, performing "Gimme Chocolate!!" on ''The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
''The Late Show with Stephen Colbert'' is an American late-night talk show, late-night news satire, news and liberal political satire talk show hosted by Stephen Colbert, which premiered on September 8, 2015. Produced by Stephen Colbert, Spartin ...
''. Babymetal were added as a character skin in the Wii U
The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
The W ...
video game ''Super Mario Maker
is a 2015 platform game and game creation system developed and published by Nintendo. An entry in the ''Super Mario'' series, the game allowed players to create, play, and share courses based on previous ''Super Mario'' titles including ''Sup ...
'' in 2016.
On May 26, 2016, WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, ...
's Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque (; born July 27, 1969), also known by the ring name Triple H, is an American business executive and former professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he serves as its chief content officer.
Levesque began his wres ...
announced on Twitter
Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...
that Babymetal's song "Karate
(; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ), also , is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tī'' in Okinawan) un ...
", along with A Day to Remember
A Day to Remember is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Ocala, Florida, in 2003 by guitarist Tom Denney and drummer Bobby Scruggs. They are known for their amalgamation of metalcore and pop-punk. The band currently consists of voca ...
's "Paranoia
Paranoia is an instinct or thought process that is believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety, suspicion, or fear, often to the point of delusion and irrationality. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of co ...
", would be used as official theme songs of NXT TakeOver: The End. On July 18, the band made a special appearance at the Alternative Press Music Awards
The Alternative Press Music Awards was an annual music awards show in the United States, founded by the music magazine ''Alternative Press''.
History
On April 24, 2014, ''Alternative Press'' announced they were organizing an award show to be h ...
where they performed "Karate" before being joined onstage by Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in Birmingham in 1969. They have sold over 50 million albums and are frequently ranked as one of the greatest metal bands of all time. Judas Priest have also been referred to as one of the p ...
frontman Rob Halford
Robert John Arthur Halford (born 25 August 1951) is an English heavy metal singer. He is best known as the lead vocalist of Judas Priest, which was formed in 1969 and has received accolades such as the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Metal Perform ...
. Halford, along with Nakamoto and the Kami Band, performed an abridged version of "Painkiller
An analgesic drug, also called simply an analgesic, antalgic, pain reliever, or painkiller, is any member of the group of drugs used for pain management. Analgesics are conceptually distinct from anesthetics, which temporarily reduce, and in s ...
", followed by a performance of "Breaking the Law
"Breaking the Law" is a song by English heavy metal band Judas Priest, originally released on their 1980 album '' British Steel''. The song is one of the band's better known singles, and is readily recognized by its opening guitar riff.
Comp ...
" where they were rejoined by Mizuno and Kikuchi on guitars. On July 27, ''Metal Hammer
''Metal Hammer'' is a heavy metal music magazine and website founded in 1983, published in the United Kingdom by Future, with other language editions published by different companies available in numerous other countries. ''Metal Hammer'' featu ...
'' readers voted Babymetal's debut album as the best album of the 21st century. In September 2016, Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...
announced that a hybrid live action-animation fantasy-adventure short form series featuring the members of the band was under development. The series would be developed by Blue Ribbon Content in collaboration with Amuse Group USA (an Amuse Inc. subsidiary based in the United States). The band's producer, Kobametal, is also involved with production of the series.
On September 19 (Red Night) and September 20, 2016 (Black Night), Babymetal ended their Babymetal World Tour 2016: Legend Metal Resistance by performing at the Tokyo Dome
is an indoor stadium in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. It was designed as a baseball stadium following its predecessor, Korakuen Stadium (whose former site is now occupied by the Tokyo Dome Hotel and a plaza for this stadium). In Japan, it is often us ...
, with both nights sold out and approximately 55,000 people attending each night. These included fans from Japan and many others from around the world. Yuimetal admitted she was "still in shock" that she was playing at the venue. Moametal felt the same, calling it "a big challenge for young girls of our age to stand on that stage". Su-metal explained that "In Japan we have played many big venues like Budokan
The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It was originally built for the inaugural Olympic judo competition in the 1964 Summer Olympics. The Budokan was a popular venue for Japanese professional wres ...
and others, but Tokyo Dome
is an indoor stadium in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. It was designed as a baseball stadium following its predecessor, Korakuen Stadium (whose former site is now occupied by the Tokyo Dome Hotel and a plaza for this stadium). In Japan, it is often us ...
was always a place that I have been dreaming of performing at." In December 2016, Babymetal supported the Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1982, consisting of Anthony Kiedis (vocals), Flea (musician), Flea (bass), John Frusciante (guitar), and Chad Smith (drums). Their music incorporates elements of a ...
during The Getaway World Tour in the UK. During their final show on the tour, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith
Chad Smith (born October 25, 1961) is an American musician who is the drummer of the rock band the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Smith has played with the Chili Peppers since 1988, appearing on ten of the band's studio albums and becoming the band's lo ...
joined Babymetal onstage to perform their covers of Judas Priest's "Painkiller" and "Breaking the Law". After the performance, Smith thanked Babymetal for being on tour with them and led the audience in singing "Happy Birthday" to Su-metal.
In January 2017, Babymetal supported Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band. It was formed in Los Angeles in 1981 by vocalist and guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
for their WorldWired Tour
The WorldWired Tour was a concert tour by American heavy metal band Metallica in support of their tenth studio album '' Hardwired... to Self-Destruct'', which was released on November 18, 2016. It is also their first worldwide tour after the Wo ...
at Gocheok Sky Dome
The Gocheok Sky Dome () is a domed baseball stadium in Gocheok-dong, Seoul, South Korea. It is the home ballpark of KBO club Kiwoom Heroes. The stadium is primarily used for baseball and has a capacity for 16,744 spectators for baseball games. T ...
and also appeared in Japan's performance of the Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985 as a merger of local bands L.A. Guns and Hollywood Rose. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band's "classic" line-up consisted of vocalist Axl R ...
' Not in This Lifetime... Tour as the opening act. In April 2017, Babymetal supported the Red Hot Chili Peppers during The Getaway World Tour in the US. In June 2017, Babymetal performed at the KISW Pain in the Grass music event in Auburn, Washington
Washington most commonly refers to:
* George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States
* Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A ...
. During the summer of 2017, they supported Korn
Korn (stylized as KoЯn) is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, originally formed in 1993 by James Shaffer, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald Arvizu, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu and David Silveria, who were members of the band ...
on their Serenity of Summer Tour. Afterwards, they commenced their The Five Fox Festival in Japan tour.
In October 2017, Babymetal were officially revealed as the performers of the "Unikitty Theme" for the ''Unikitty!'' TV series. On December 2 and 3, 2017, Babymetal performed at the Hiroshima Green Arena
is an indoor arena located in Hiroshima, Japan. The original arena was built sometime shortly after World War II. The arena was rebuilt for the 1994 Asian Games. It hosted some of the group games for the 2006 FIVB Men's World Championship and t ...
, with the shows billed Legend "S" Baptism XX. It was the first time the group performed in Su-metal's hometown of Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 1,199,391. The gross domestic product (GDP) in Greater Hiroshima, Hiroshima Urban Employment Area, was US$61.3 billion as of 2010. Kazumi Matsui has b ...
, and it was an early coming of age
Coming of age is a young person's transition from being a child to being an adult. The specific age at which this transition takes place varies between societies, as does the nature of the change. It can be a simple legal convention or can b ...
celebration for her, since December 20, 2017 was her 20th birthday (as hinted in the show title), the age of majority
The age of majority is the threshold of legal adulthood as recognized or declared in law. It is the moment when a person ceases to be considered a minor (law), minor, and assumes legal control over their person, actions, and decisions, thus te ...
in Japan; the lyrics to " Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!", about a girl's fifteenth birthday, were even modified for the occasion. It was also Babymetal's first performance without all three members, as Yuimetal was unable to perform due to illness.
On December 30, 2017, Kami Band guitarist Mikio Fujioka fell from an observation deck; he died from his injuries on January 5, 2018. Babymetal released a eulogy on Twitter
Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...
on January 9, commemorating his work with the band.
2018–2020: The Chosen Seven era, departure of Yuimetal, ''Metal Galaxy''
On April 1, 2018, Babymetal posted a video to YouTube entitled "Metal Resistance Episode VII – The Revelation". In the video, it is explained that a "dark side" of Babymetal exists, "with seven metal spirits", and that a "new era is about to begin". A graphic novel
A graphic novel is a self-contained, book-length form of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and Anthology, anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comics sc ...
entitled ''Apocrypha: The Legend of Babymetal'' was also announced in the following days. Written by "the Prophet of the Fox God" and Illustrated by GMB Chomichuk, it was released on October 30 by Z2 Comics.
On May 1, 2018, Babymetal announced that they were launching their own record label, named Babymetal Records. On May 8, just ahead of the Babymetal World Tour 2018, the band released a music video for a new single, "Distortion
In signal processing, distortion is the alteration of the original shape (or other characteristic) of a signal. In communications and electronics it means the alteration of the waveform of an information-bearing signal, such as an audio signal ...
". Yuimetal was absent from Babymetal's tour of the United States in May 2018, with no advance warning. Amid fan speculation on Mizuno's status with the group, a representative of 5B Management, the American management company representing Babymetal, replied to an inquiry from ''Alternative Press Magazine
''Alternative Press'' is an American entertainment magazine primarily focused on music and culture. It generally provides readers with band interviews, photos, and relevant news. It was founded in 1985 by Mike Shea in Cleveland, OH. The compan ...
'' by saying that "Yuimetal remains a member of the band, but she is not on this current U.S. tour." The reply also hinted about "a new narrative for the future of the band which is currently evolving" and a "storyline" that "has changed".
Mizuno remained absent for the rest of their tour, until their agency announced at a shareholders' meeting
An annual general meeting (AGM, also known as the annual meeting) is a meeting of the general membership of an organization.
These organizations include membership associations and companies with shareholders.
These meetings may be requir ...
in June that she had been in poor health since December 2017, and was "currently recovering". On October 19, 2018, shortly before the Japan leg of the tour, the band released a new single, "Starlight
Starlight is the light emitted by stars. It typically refers to visible electromagnetic radiation from stars other than the Sun, observable from Earth at night, although a component of starlight is observable from Earth during daytime.
Sunlig ...
". On the same day, the band officially announced Mizuno's departure from the group. Afterward, she released a statement explaining her decision and her desire to pursue a solo career. During their tour, Babymetal also performed at Rock on the Range
Rock on the Range was an annual rock festival that was held at two locations. The first and main location was in Columbus, Ohio, United States at Mapfre Stadium (originally Columbus Crew Stadium; renamed in 2015) from 2007 to 2018, while the ot ...
in Columbus, Ohio, the Download Festival
Download Festival is a rock festival created by Andy Copping, held annually at the Donington Park motorsport circuit in Leicestershire, England (since 2003); in Paris, France (since 2016); at Parramatta Park, Sydney (since 2019); Flemington ...
in Donington Park
Donington Park is a motorsport Race track, circuit located near Castle Donington in Leicestershire, England. The circuit business is now owned by Jonathan Palmer's MotorSport Vision organisation, and the surrounding Donington Park Estate, sti ...
, United Kingdom, and the Rock am Ring and Rock im Park
The (German for "Rock at the Ring") and ("Rock in the Park") festivals are two simultaneous rock music festivals held annually in Germany. While ''Rock am Ring'' takes place at the Nürburgring race track, ''Rock im Park'' takes place at the ...
festivals in Germany. On July 9, 2018, the band was declared champion of the Heavy Metal World Cup 2018.
On April 1, 2019, Babymetal announced that they would be releasing their third album later that year. On May 10, 2019, the band released the single " Elevator Girl". On May 29, 2019, it was announced that Babymetal would perform at the Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts (commonly referred to as simply Glastonbury Festival, known colloquially as Glasto) is a five-day festival of contemporary performing arts held near Pilton, Somerset, England, in most su ...
in England on June 30, making them the first Japanese band to play on one of the festival's main stages. Babymetal also revealed plans for their first arena concert in the United States at The Forum in Los Angeles, CA, set for October 11, 2019. The date of the concert coinceded with the release date of their third studio album, ''Metal Galaxy
''Metal Galaxy'' is the third studio album by Japanese Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Babymetal. It was first released in Japan on October 8, 2019, with an international release following on October 11, 2019. The album was released through BM ...
''. Their performance at The Forum was compiled into a live album, '' Live at the Forum'', released in DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...
and Blu-ray
Blu-ray (Blu-ray Disc or BD) is a digital optical disc data storage format designed to supersede the DVD format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released worldwide on June 20, 2006, capable of storing several hours of high-defin ...
formats on May 13, 2020.
On June 27, 2019, Babymetal released the single " Pa Pa Ya!!", featuring Thai rapper , before their concert at Yokohama Arena
is an indoor arena located in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The capacity of the arena is 17,000 and was opened in 1989. The arena was modeled after US sports venue Madison Square Garden in New York City. It is a five-minute walk from the ...
the same day. The video, released on July 1, featured footage from their concert in Yokohama. It included touring member Kano Fujihira, one of three girls rotating in Yui's place— Kano Fujihira, Riho Sayashi
is a Japanese actress, singer and dancer. She is a former member of the Japanese pop group Morning Musume and the duo Peaberry. In 2019, she became a touring member of Babymetal, including in their performance at Glastonbury Festival 2019.
Ca ...
, and Momoko Okazaki
, known by her stage name Momometal, is a Japanese singer and dancer. She is best known as a member of kawaii metal band Babymetal, which she joined as a touring member in 2019 before becoming an official member in 2023. She was previously a mem ...
—who are known as the "Avengers". Following their performance, they announced the Metal Galaxy World Tour to promote their new album, starting in September 2019, and closing out in March 2020. A scheduled performance at Clockenflap
Clockenflap Music and Arts Festival, commonly abbreviated to "Clockenflap", is an annual music and arts festival held in Hong Kong. It incorporates international, regional and local live music, film, art installations, street, and kids' area. 60 ...
in Hong Kong
Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...
in November 2019 was canceled due to the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests
The 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests (also known by other names) were a series of demonstrations against the Hong Kong government's introduction of a bill to amend the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance in regard to extradition. It was the largest ...
. Further concerts in Asia were initially postponed on March 4 due to the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, but were ultimately canceled in June. In April, they streamed
Streaming media refers to multimedia delivered through a network for playback using a media player. Media is transferred in a ''stream'' of packets from a server to a client and is rendered in real-time; this contrasts with file downloadin ...
two "Stay Home, Stay Metal" shows on YouTube during the pandemic, which consisted of footage from two prior concerts from 2016. Their performances at Makuhari Messe
is a convention center in Chiba (city), Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, located just outside of Tokyo. Designed by Fumihiko Maki, it is accessible by Transportation in Greater Tokyo#Railway and subway, Tokyo's commuter rail system. ''Makuha ...
in January 2020 were compiled into the live album '' Legend – Metal Galaxy'', which was released on September 9.
In October 2019, the band became the first Asian act to reach the peak of Billboard Top Rock Albums Chart. In 2020, Babymetal was featured as a guest artist on Bring Me the Horizon
Bring Me the Horizon are a British Rock music, rock band, formed in Sheffield, England in 2004. The group currently consists of lead vocalist Oli Sykes, drummer Matt Nicholls, guitarist Lee Malia and bassist Matt Kean (musician), Matt Kean. T ...
's EP '' Post Human: Survival Horror'', on the song "Kingslayer". On November 16, 2020, NHK
, also known by its Romanization of Japanese, romanized initialism NHK, is a Japanese public broadcasting, public broadcaster. It is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television licence, television license fee.
NHK ope ...
announced that Babymetal would take part in the 71st NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen on New Year's Eve
In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve refers to the evening, or commonly the entire day, of the last day of the year, 31 December, also known as Old Year's Day. In many countries, New Year's Eve is celebrated with dancing, eating, drinkin ...
, marking their first appearance in the competition. A poll conducted by Yahoo! Japan ahead of the airing determined that the most anticipated song of the night was Babymetal's performance of "Ijime, Dame, Zettai
is the debut major label single by Japanese heavy metal band Babymetal. It was released in Japan on January 9, 2013, as the fourth overall single from the album ''Babymetal''.
Background and release
The single was first announced after the co ...
", with 26.3% of the vote. Participating on the red team, they won with 2,635,200 votes compared to the white team's 1,383,180 votes.
2021–2024: ''The Other One'' and Momometal
The band's first retrospective album ''10 Babymetal Year''s was released on December 23, 2020. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the band's formation, their live videos were released in audio-only vinyl format on August 25, 2021. On October 11, 2021, the band released a cryptic video hinting a hiatus or end of the band with the message "The 3 metal spirits that have been shining since 2010, even if they were to leave Earth, would continue to shine forever in our hearts and across the Metal Galaxy. A legend turns into a myth which turns into a Living Legend... What lies ahead beyond the end of the stairway to becoming a Living Legend is something only the Fox God knows."
Babymetal announced their fourth album '' The Other One'' on October 11, 2022, which they revealed to be a concept album
A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. Som ...
. The album was released on March 24, 2023. The lead single from the album, "Divine Attack (Shingeki)" (), was released on October 20, 2022. This is the first Babymetal song for which all lyrics were written by Nakamoto. The second single from the album, "Monochrome", was released on November 17 with a lyric video
A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to promote the sale of m ...
, a first for the band. On January 19, 2023, Babymetal released the single "Metal Kingdom", along with revealing the track list for ''The Other One''.
On October 18, 2022, Swedish metal band Sabaton
A sabaton or solleret is part of a knight's body armour, body armor that covers the foot.
History
Sabatons from the 14th and 15th centuries typically end in a tapered point well past the actual toes of the wearer's foot, following poulaines, f ...
announced that Babymetal would perform at their shows for the European leg of their world tour alongside Finnish band Lordi
Lordi () is a Finnish Rock music, rock band. Formed in 1992 by the band's lead singer, songwriter and costume maker Mr Lordi (Tomi Petteri Putaansuu), Lordi are known for wearing monster masks and using horror elements with pyrotechnics during c ...
. On January 28 and 29, 2023, Babymetal played at Makuhari Messe
is a convention center in Chiba (city), Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, located just outside of Tokyo. Designed by Fumihiko Maki, it is accessible by Transportation in Greater Tokyo#Railway and subway, Tokyo's commuter rail system. ''Makuha ...
, marking their first live concert in nearly two years. They played a total of 13 songs, five of which were from their album '' The Other One''. Footage from the concerts was used for the music video for "Metal Kingdom", which released on February 3, 2023. They released the song "Light And Darkness" on February 23 with an accompanying music video, which likewise consisted of footage from their concerts at Makuhari Messe. On the days prior to the release, they posted two teasers for the video to their YouTube channel.
Nakamoto and Kikuchi performed a piano version of the song "Monochrome" for The First Take
''The First Take'' (stylized as ''THE F1RST TAKE'') is a Japanese YouTube channel that invites singers to perform a song recorded in one take in a white studio. ''The First Take'' is a trademark of Sony Music Entertainment Japan.
Concept
The ...
, which premiered on their YouTube channel on March 10, 2023. On March 15, the band announced their first tour since 2019, the Babymetal World Tour 2023, where they will play in Asia and Australia. Babymetal released the focus single from their concept album '' The Other One'', "Mirror Mirror", on March 23 with a lyric video. The album released the following day through the record label Cooking Vinyl
Cooking Vinyl is a British independent record label, based in Acton, London, England. It was founded in 1986 by former manager and booking agent Martin Goldschmidt and his business partner Pete Lawrence. Goldschmidt remains the current owner an ...
.
Babymetal's concert at Makuhari Messe in January sparked fan speculation about a potential third member joining the band, with Momoko Okazaki being a popular contender. On April 1, 2023, during Babymetal's performance at Pia Arena MM in Kanagawa, Okazaki was officially announced as the new member of a "reborn Babymetal", adopting the stage name Momometal. Her first video appearance as an official member was the music video for "Mirror Mirror", uploaded to YouTube on April 7, featuring footage from Babymetal's performance at Pia Arena MM. On August 18, 2023, Babymetal released the single "Metali!!" featuring Tom Morello
Thomas Baptist Morello (born May 30, 1964) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and political activist. He is known for his tenure with the rock bands Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave. Between 2016 and 2019, Morello was a membe ...
, with Momometal providing a spoken interlude in the song.
Two concerts were held at the Yokohama Arena on March 2 and 3, 2024, under the title of Legend – MM, to celebrate the birthday of Momometal. The first night was titled 20 Night, as she was 20 years old at the time, and the second night was titled 21 Night, coinciding with her 21st birthday. Approximately 30,000 people were in attendance over the two days. On May 23, Babymetal collaborated with German band Electric Callboy on the song " Ratatata". It was subsequently used by WWE as the theme song for the 2024 Bash in Berlin event. The band made a cameo appearance in the Finnish comedy film '' Heavier Trip'', which premiered in September. On December 6, Babymetal was featured on the single "Bekhauf" by the Indian metal band Bloodywood.
2025–present: ''Metal Forth''
Babymetal's first regular radio program, called , began broadcasting on Tokyo FM
(abbreviation:TFM) is a radio station in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It is the flagship station of the Japan FM Network (JFN).
Timeline
The station's forerunner, FM Tokai (FM東海, abbreviated FMT), owned by Tokai University, was launched on ...
on January 4, 2025.
On April 1, 2025, the band announced its fifth album, titled ''Metal Forth'', will be released on June 13. They also announced they signed with Capitol Records
Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007), and simply known as Capitol, is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-base ...
. The release of ''Metal Forth'' was later delayed to June 27, 2025, and then again to August 8, 2025.
On May 30, 2025, Babymetal became the first Japanese artist to headline and sell out a show at the O2 Arena
The O2 Arena, commonly known as The O2, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the centre of The O2 entertainment district on the Greenwich Peninsula in southeast London, England. It opened in its present form in 2007. It has the third-highest seat ...
in London.
Artistry
Musical style and lyrics
Most Japanese pop idols show a bright atmosphere, light music, smiles and a charming face. However, Lorraine Plourde has argued that Babymetal reminds people of a slightly darker, slightly more complex version of cuteness. The band defines its style as a new genre called "kawaii metal
Kawaii metal (also known as cute metal, J-pop metal, or kawaiicore) is a musical genre that blends elements of heavy metal and J-pop that was pioneered in Japan in the early 2010s. The genre combines both Eastern and Western influences that appe ...
" ("kawaii
''Kawaii'' is a Japanese cultural phenomenon which emphasizes cuteness, childlike innocence, charm, and simplicity. ''Kawaii'' culture began to flourish in the 1970s, driven by youth culture and the rise of cute characters in manga and anime ...
" meaning "cute") and clarifies that it is "a mix of J-pop
J-pop (often stylized in all caps; an abbreviated form of "Japanese popular music"), natively known simply as , is the name for a form of popular music that entered the musical mainstream of Japan in the 1990s. Modern J-pop has its roots in trad ...
idol and heavy metal". The group has said to be alternative metal
Alternative metal (also known as alt-metal) is a genre of heavy metal music that combines heavy metal with influences from alternative rock and other genres not normally associated with metal. Alternative metal bands are often characterized by ...
, death metal
Death metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep death growl, growling vocals; aggressive ...
, power metal
Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within a symphonic context. Generally, power metal is characterized by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound, in co ...
, nu metal
Nu metal (sometimes stylized as nü-metal, with a metal umlaut) is a subgenre of that combines elements of heavy metal music with elements of other music genres such as hip hop music, hip hop, funk, industrial music, industrial, and grunge. Nu ...
, speed metal
Speed metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that originated in the late 1970s from new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) roots.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' (Berg Publishers, 2007), , p. 31. It is desc ...
, hard rock
Hard rock or heavy rock is a heavier subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and Distortion (music), distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the Garage rock, garage, Psychedelic rock, psychedelic and blues ...
, metalcore
Metalcore is a broadly defined fusion genre combining elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk, originating in the 1990s United States and becoming popular in the 2000s. Metalcore typically has aggressive verses and melodic choruses, combined ...
, and progressive rock
Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog) is a broad genre of rock music that primarily developed in the United Kingdom through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early-to-mid-1970s. Initially termed " progressive pop", the ...
.
Tristan Peterson of Metal Obsession remarked in his review of the band's debut album "This band was created for the demographic of 'Music that your Japanese Boyfriend/Girlfriend, who doesn't really like Metal, would enjoy.'" as well as " abymetalhas made metal cute without losing any of its edge." Patrick St. Michel from Japanese music and culture site ''MTV 81'' praises the "pure, headbang-inducing energy" of the group's live performances and describes their style as a mixture of "seemingly disparate sounds of heavy metal and idol pop, creating music anchored both by throat-mauling screeches and cuddly choruses".
Lyrical themes found in Babymetal's music focus on real-world issues. Also, they give the message of positivity and self-empowerment with the atmosphere of their music containing less serious and playful themes. To be specific, the body image
Body image is a person's thoughts, feelings and perception of the aesthetics or sexual attractiveness of their own body. The concept of body image is used in several disciplines, including neuroscience, psychology, medicine, psychiatry, psycho ...
concerns of girls and women pressured by society to remain thin and also bullying
Bullying is the use of force, coercion, Suffering, hurtful teasing, comments, or threats, in order to abuse, aggression, aggressively wikt:domination, dominate, or intimidate one or more others. The behavior is often repeated and habitual. On ...
, while they also sing about what it is like going to your first concert, the concept of an " ideal woman" and chocolate, subjects which critics say are a step away from typical lyrical styles used by most metal
A metal () is a material that, when polished or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electrical resistivity and conductivity, electricity and thermal conductivity, heat relatively well. These properties are all associated wit ...
bands.
Writing for the ''Journal of Popular Music Studies'', Sarah Keith and Diane Hughes characterized Babymetal as a "prime example of the genre of idol pop being of girls, but not for girls", exemplifying the broader J-pop trend of performative girlhood. While they remarked on the band sharing many similarities with other idol groups, they also commented on Su-metal's vocal delivery being markedly different from them, as she demonstrates a "strong voice with clear tone and a minimal amount of coloratura
Coloratura ( , , ; , from ''colorata'', the past participle of the verb ''colorare'', 'to color') is a passage of music holding elaboration to a melody. The elaboration usually takes the form of runs, trills, wide leaps or other virtuoso ma ...
or embellishment". The authors noted the disparity in the band's international audiences—stemming primarily from metal communities—and their Japanese audience, consisting mostly of male idol fans. They concluded that Babymetal, among other idol groups, show girls as "an idealized figure, neither produced nor consumed by girls, but enacted by performers who are girls for the male gaze
In feminist theory, the male gaze is the act of depicting women and the world in the visual arts and in literature from a masculine, heterosexual perspective that presents and represents women as sexual objects for the pleasure of the heterosex ...
".
In an analysis of Babymetal's lyrics across their debut and second albums, ''Babymetal
(stylized in all caps as BABYMETAL) is a Japanese kawaii metal band consisting of Suzuka Nakamoto as "Su-metal", Moa Kikuchi as "Moametal" and Momoko Okazaki as "Momometal". The band is produced by Kobametal from the Amuse Inc., Amuse talent a ...
'' and ''Metal Resistance
''Metal Resistance'' is the second studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Babymetal. It was first released on , in Japan through BMD Fox Records, and on , worldwide through earMusic, RED Associated Labels (RAL), and Sony Music Entertainmen ...
'', musicologist Lewis F. Kennedy commented on the contrast between their often adolescent themes and the grim aesthetics of the metal genre. He also remarked on the frequent use of wordplay
Word play or wordplay (also: play-on-words) is a literary technique and a form of wit in which words used become the main subject of the work, primarily for the purpose of intended effect or amusement. Examples of word play include puns, phone ...
in their first album, reinforcing the childish nature of the lyrics. The more extensive usage of English vocabulary in ''Metal Resistance'' Kennedy saw as an effort from the band to internationalize the themes of their album to reach a wider audience. He characterized this development as making it more "traditionally metal", which metal fans would find more authentic. He also perceived the album's overarching themes of collective resistance to be a departure from both their earlier work and more traditional idol music.
Live performances and music videos
Su-metal is the main vocalist, credited on Babymetal's official site with vocals and dancing, while Moametal and Yuimetal are credited with scream and dance, performing on either side of her in a triangle formation. In the band's early years, the band members did not speak directly to the audience, or smile at the crowd, but over time the band has incorporated more audience engagement and call and responses into their performances. Between songs, Babymetal does not engage with the crowd. Instead, there is a blackout, or, in situations where that is not possible, they will freeze in a pose or turn away from the crowd. Babymetal's costumes take a variety of cues from the popular Japanese Gothic and Punk Lolita styles, with an emphasis on red and black.
During the 2018 World Tour, due to Yuimetal's absence, the band performed with Moametal and Su-metal in front of one another, using risers to separate, while two backup dancers perform at the sides of the stage. Since her official departure, the traditional triangle formation has been restored, with a non-singing backup dancer performing in Yuimetal's place.
Instead of the sign of the horns
The sign of the horns is a hand gesture with a variety of meanings and uses in various cultures. It is formed by extending the index finger, index and little fingers while holding the middle finger, middle and ring fingers down with the thum ...
, the band uses the hand gesture of the kitsune
The , in popular Japanese tradition, are foxes or fox spirits that possess supernatural abilities such as shapeshifting, and capable of bewitching people.
General overview
, though literally a 'fox', becomes in folklore a ' fox spirit', o ...
to symbolise the band's supposed divine inspiration. Initially, the band members were shown photos of the sign of the horns, but mistook it for the head of a fox. Rather than correct the error, the management accepted the kitsune sign as the band's sign. Additionally, Babymetal style of moshing, known as , has been described a safe, fun, friendly game of push and shove.
In their concerts, Babymetal are accompanied by a backing band
A backup band or backing band is a Band (music), musical ensemble that typically Accompaniment, accompanies a single artist who is the featured performer. The situation may be a live performance or in a Studio recording, recording session, and the ...
. In their early stages, the backing band consisted of the "Babybones"—a group of nameless individuals dressed in skeleton costumes that would mime live performances while pre-recorded studio tracks were being used. In late 2012, Babymetal debuted a live band for their live performances which they referred to as "Full Metal Band"—a group of live musicians dressed in white robes and corpse paint
Corpse paint is a style of body painting, used mainly by black metal bands for concerts and band photos. The body painting is used to make the musicians appear inhuman, corpse-like, or demonic, and is perhaps "the most identifiable aspect of the ...
. They have since been referred to by band members and fans as "Gods of Metal" and more recently "Kami Band". From late 2012 to early 2014, the two groups would alternate, with the Kami Band being used more for festival appearances and special events. At the Babymetal Death Match Tour in May 2013, the Kami Band performed all music live for the first time. As of early 2014, the Babybones band has been quietly retired, and the Kami Band has since been established as Babymetal's primary backing band.
The Kami Band has consisted of a rotating line-up of different musicians since its debut in late 2012. As of early 2018, however, the line-up has been relatively stable, consisting of guitarists Takayoshi Ohmura, Leda, and Isao, bassist Boh, and drummer Hideki Aoyama with guitarists occasionally substituting for one another if needed. Kami Band member Leda has contributed to Babymetal's music, most notably on their album ''Metal Resistance
''Metal Resistance'' is the second studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Babymetal. It was first released on , in Japan through BMD Fox Records, and on , worldwide through earMusic, RED Associated Labels (RAL), and Sony Music Entertainmen ...
'' (credited as Ledametal). Starting in 2019, the Kami Band has featured primarily Western musicians; guitarists Chris Kelly and CJ Masciantonio, bassist Clint Tustin, and drummer Anthony Barone. Ryan Neff and Matt Deis have also substituted on bass, starting in 2023 and 2024 respectively.
Babymetal's music videos, which showcase their distinct visual aesthetic, have helped the band gain broad attention. Their video for "Gimme Chocolate!!" went viral in 2014 with ''USA Todays Brian Mansfield commenting that the "video looks like some kind of bizarre animé, with a dark-goth set and band members playing in skeleton costumes, and the three girls execute intricate choreography, flash heart signs and make windmill arm motions like they're playing air guitar"
In regards to their music video for the song "Karate", Moametal said that she is "very proud that they are now representing this culture that came from Japan through their music, and it's a way for more people outside of Japan to also learn what karate is all about." The lyrics talk about never giving up and moving forward. Yuimetal stated that the choreography for the song represented the lyrics and that "it's important to be able to express the messages that they want to put across through the music with their dance moves." The majority of their lyrics are in Japanese and they see their choreography as a way to break the language barrier.
Public image
According to Kei " Kobametal" Kobayashi, the band's executive producer, the band was formed under the idea of a new type of metal, and the members of the band receive "divine messages" from the Fox God, though Nakamoto explained that the messages received were indirect, as they would be sent to Kobametal first. He stated that it was up to the people's decision to accept or reject the idea. Additionally, he rejected the notion of the band being a "metal" or "pop" act, preferring "the one and only Babymetal." Kikuchi joked that the three members did not decide to join the band, as it was a destiny chosen by the Fox God, whose goal is said to have the band perform and spread their music all over the world.
The band has received varied reception by the public. Some critics praised the band for being "creative" and "rule-breaking" in the metal genre, while others called the band a "novelty group" and a "silly balancing act". When asked about people who do not consider the band's pop-infused music "metal", Nakamoto acknowledged the claims and praised such accusations, warranting how metal purists have their own preferences for metal being a certain way, and taking them into consideration for the band's progress.
The fanbase, collectively referred to as "The One", has been noted by Mizuno to be a mixed demographic of varying age. Noting the fans of metal and pop, she described the "metalheads" who look like themselves, and the pop fans who dress and cosplay
Cosplay, a blend word of "costume play", is an activity and performance art in which participants called cosplayers wear costumes and Fashion accessory, fashion accessories to represent a specific Character (arts), character. Cosplayers often i ...
as them. She further emphasized the importance of being able to reach out to younger music fans branching out to the metal genre via Babymetal, noting her own lack of experience of metal before joining the band.
On December 10, 2013, Babymetal released "Babymetal Apocalypse", an incomplete binder that would be gradually filled with pages intermittently made available later. Pages would include the lore of Babymetal, artwork and photos, and information on member-exclusive events, like "Apocrypha" during the Babymetal World Tour 2014
The Babymetal World Tour 2014 (stylized in all caps) was the first worldwide concert tour by Japanese band Babymetal. Supporting their eponymous debut album, the tour ran from 23 June 2014 to 20 December 2014, taking place in Japan, the United ...
. By purchasing the binder and entering a code included with the enclosed art book online, one could join the band's official fanclub called "Babymetal Apocalypse Web". A video uploaded to "Babymetal Apocalypse Web" members in December 2014 announced the transition to a new official fanclub called "The One", which started with limited edition releases for '' Live at Budokan: Red Night & Black Night Apocalypse'', and would continue to release member-exclusive media with news published to the official fansite.
Legacy
Babymetal is credited for creating the kawaii metal ("cute metal" in English) genre, which combines elements from J-pop and heavy metal. This genre has introduced metal to new audiences, and many new kawaii metal bands have formed since Babymetal's debut. While most kawaii metal bands are based in Japan, the genre has begun to spread outside the country to places like South Korea, where kawaii metal bands like Pritz have formed. Furthermore, the reach of Babymetal's influence has stretched far beyond Japan. In 2016 Babymetal became the highest-charting Japanese band ever in the UK's Official Charts
The Official UK Charts Company Limited (formerly Music Industry Chart Services Limited), trading as the Official Charts Company (OCC) or the Official Charts (formerly the Chart Information Network), is a British inter-professional organisation ...
history with the release of their album ''Metal Resistance.'' In the US, ''Metal Resistance'' was the first Japanese album to chart in the Billboard Top 40 in over 50 years, where it reached #39 in its first week. The last Japanese artist to break the Top 40 was Kyu Sakamoto
, legally registered as since 1956, was a Japanese singer and actor.
He was best known outside Japan for his international hit song "Ue o Muite Arukō" (known as "Sukiyaki (song), Sukiyaki" in English-speaking markets), which was sung in Japane ...
in 1963. In 2019, Babymetal became the first Asian act to top the Billboard Rock Albums chart with the release of their third studio album ''Metal Galaxy.''
Reception
Japan
Yūzō Kayama
is a Japanese popular musician, singer-songwriter and actor.
Life and career
Son of mid-twentieth century film star Ken Uehara, and actress Yoko Kozakura, ( ja) Kayama graduated from Keio University. Yuzo Kayama signed with Toho and made ...
, a famous musician, actor and songwriter in Japan, said of the song "Gimme Chocolate!!", "I think it's hard to sing, but the pitch of the song is accurate. The rhythm is new, there are some Japanese points, the dance is innovative, and it's crisp." Reiko Yukawa, a well-known music critic in Japan, stated, "Babymetal is pretty cute with singing and dancing, they have charisma like Himiko
, also known as the , was a shamaness-queen of Yamatai-koku in . Early Chinese dynastic histories chronicle tributary relations between Queen Himiko and the Cao Wei Kingdom (220–265) and record that the Yayoi period people chose her as ruler ...
, and glittering that no one can replace."
Yoshiki, leader of rock group X Japan
is a Japanese Rock music, rock band from Chiba Prefecture, Chiba, formed in 1982 by drummer and pianist Yoshiki (musician), Yoshiki and lead vocalist Toshi (musician), Toshi. Starting as a predominantly power metal, power/speed metal band with ...
, stated, "I really liked the idea of the fusion of cute girls and metal", adding "someday (X Japan can play with Babymetal)". ''Burrn!
is a monthly Japanese magazine for fans of heavy metal music, published since September 1984. It is the major publication on heavy metal music in the country. As of 2013, it is published by Shinko Music Entertainment in Tokyo
Tokyo, off ...
'' editor-in-chief Hirose said they were "welcome as a completely new entertainment from Japan in the UK regardless of whether it is heavy metal or not." ''Burrn!'''s Naomiyuki Umezawa felt that Babymetal "stares metal in the face" and "creates extremely precise sounds which attracts fans and requires admiration".
Abroad
''The Daily Dot
''The Daily Dot'' is a digital media company covering the culture of the Internet and the World Wide Web. It was founded by Nicholas White in 2011, and is headquartered in Austin, Texas.
The site, conceived as the Internet's "hometown newsp ...
'' wrote, "for those of us whose musical tastes fall somewhere in the middle, Babymetal is kind of like a magical, leather-clad, fire-breathing, sonic unicorn." According to Britain's ''The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'', "This is Japanese pop music, created behind-the-scenes by some fiendish Machiavellian genius who almost certainly had a sudden 'Eureka!' moment in the middle of the night and realised that Japanese audiences were certain to unquestioningly embrace such a seemingly incongruous mish-mash of cutting-edge musical ideas."
The ''Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' in a review said, "Babymetal is a Japanese concept group, and they're the most divisive thing in heavy music right now." ''MetalSucks
MetalSucks is an American heavy metal music
Heavy metal (or simply metal) is a Music genre, genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and United States. With roots in blues rock ...
'' said, "Babymetal isn't metal. It's theater, the Japanese pop industry deconstructing post-millennial metal and modern pop tropes and reconstituting them into a fully realized, 360-degree entertainment experience." After Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in Birmingham in 1969. They have sold over 50 million albums and are frequently ranked as one of the greatest metal bands of all time. Judas Priest have also been referred to as one of the p ...
's Rob Halford
Robert John Arthur Halford (born 25 August 1951) is an English heavy metal singer. He is best known as the lead vocalist of Judas Priest, which was formed in 1969 and has received accolades such as the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Metal Perform ...
performed with Babymetal in July 2016, he shared, "Babymetal is the future of metal." Rob Zombie
Robert Bartleh Cummings (born January 12, 1965), known professionally as Rob Zombie, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, filmmaker, and actor. His music and lyrics are notable for their horror and sci-fi themes, and his live show ...
, in response to divisive comments from his fans after posting a photo of him posing with Babymetal, said "these three girls had more energy than 90 percent of the bands we play with".
Members
Only the names of the core members of Babymetal are officially published.
Babymetal members
* Su-metal (Suzuka Nakamoto
, known by her stage name Su-metal, is a Japanese singer. She is best known as a member of the kawaii metal band Babymetal, and was formerly a member of Karen Girl's and Sakura Gakuin. She is represented by the talent agency Amuse Inc.
Early lif ...
) – vocal and dance (2010–present)
* Moametal (Moa Kikuchi
, known by her stage name Moametal, is a Japanese singer and dancer. She is best known as a member of the kawaii metal band Babymetal, and was formerly a member of the idol group Sakura Gakuin. She is represented by the talent agency Amuse Inc ...
) – scream and dance (2010–present)
* Momometal (Momoko Okazaki
, known by her stage name Momometal, is a Japanese singer and dancer. She is best known as a member of kawaii metal band Babymetal, which she joined as a touring member in 2019 before becoming an official member in 2023. She was previously a mem ...
) – scream and dance (2023–present; previously an Avenger (backup dancer) from 2019 to 2023)
* Yuimetal (Yui Mizuno
, formerly known by her stage name Yuimetal, is a Japanese musician, singer, and dancer. She is a former member of the kawaii metal group Babymetal and the idol group Sakura Gakuin. In October 2018, she left Babymetal due to an undisclosed illness ...
) – scream and dance (2010–2018)
Kami Band members
* Anthony Barone – drums (2019–present)
* Chris Kelly – guitars (2019–present)[
* CJ Masciantonio – guitars (2019–present)][
* Clint Tustin – bass (2019–present)][
* ]Ryan Neff
Miss May I is an American metalcore band from Troy, Ohio. Formed in 2007, they signed to Rise Records in 2008 and released their debut album, ''Apologies Are for the Weak'' through the label while the members were still attending high school. Th ...
– bass (2023–present)
* Matt Deis – bass (2024–present)
* Mikio Fujioka – guitars (2013–2018; died 2018)
* Leda Cygnus – guitars (2013–2020)
* Boh – bass (2013–2023)
* Takayoshi Ohmura – guitars (2013–2023)
* Hideki Aoyama – drums (2013–2023)
* Isao Fujita – guitars (2015–2023)
Backup dancers
* Riho Sayashi
is a Japanese actress, singer and dancer. She is a former member of the Japanese pop group Morning Musume and the duo Peaberry. In 2019, she became a touring member of Babymetal, including in their performance at Glastonbury Festival 2019.
Ca ...
– Avengers (2019–2020)
* Kano Fujihira – Avengers (2019–2020)[
* Minako Maruyama – backup dancer (2018)
* Minami Tsukui – backup dancer (2018)
* Shōko Akiyama – backup dancer (2018)
* Saya Hirai – backup dancer (2018)
* Kotono Ōmori – backup dancer (2018)
Timeline
]
Discography
* ''Babymetal
(stylized in all caps as BABYMETAL) is a Japanese kawaii metal band consisting of Suzuka Nakamoto as "Su-metal", Moa Kikuchi as "Moametal" and Momoko Okazaki as "Momometal". The band is produced by Kobametal from the Amuse Inc., Amuse talent a ...
'' (2014)
* ''Metal Resistance
''Metal Resistance'' is the second studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Babymetal. It was first released on , in Japan through BMD Fox Records, and on , worldwide through earMusic, RED Associated Labels (RAL), and Sony Music Entertainmen ...
'' (2016)
* ''Metal Galaxy
''Metal Galaxy'' is the third studio album by Japanese Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Babymetal. It was first released in Japan on October 8, 2019, with an international release following on October 11, 2019. The album was released through BM ...
'' (2019)
* '' The Other One'' (2023)
* ''Metal Forth'' (2025)
Filmography
Tours
* Babymetal World Tour 2014
The Babymetal World Tour 2014 (stylized in all caps) was the first worldwide concert tour by Japanese band Babymetal. Supporting their eponymous debut album, the tour ran from 23 June 2014 to 20 December 2014, taking place in Japan, the United ...
** Babymetal Back to the USA / UK Tour 2014
* Babymetal World Tour 2015
** Babymetal World Tour 2015 in Japan
* Babymetal World Tour 2016: Legend Metal Resistance
* Babymetal US Tour 2017 (with Korn
Korn (stylized as KoЯn) is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, originally formed in 1993 by James Shaffer, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald Arvizu, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu and David Silveria, who were members of the band ...
and Stone Sour
Stone Sour was an American rock band formed in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1992. The band performed for five years before disbanding in 1997. They reunited in 2000; since 2015, the group has consisted of Corey Taylor (lead vocals, guitar), Josh Rand ...
)
* The Five Fox Festival in Japan (2017)
** Big Fox Festival in Japan (2017)
* Babymetal World Tour 2018
* Metal Galaxy World Tour (2019–2020)
* Babymetal World Tour 2023–2024
* Babymetal World Tour 2025
Awards and nominations
, -
, rowspan=2, 2014
, rowspan=2, Babymetal
, 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards
The 2014 MTV EMAs (also known as the MTV Europe Music Awards) were held at The SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Scotland on 9 November 2014. This was the first time since 2003 when the awards were held in Scotland and the fifth time the United Kingdom has ...
— Wild Card for Best Japanese Act
,
, -
, NEO Awards 2014 — Best Musical Act
,
, -
, rowspan=12, 2015
, ''Babymetal
(stylized in all caps as BABYMETAL) is a Japanese kawaii metal band consisting of Suzuka Nakamoto as "Su-metal", Moa Kikuchi as "Moametal" and Momoko Okazaki as "Momometal". The band is produced by Kobametal from the Amuse Inc., Amuse talent a ...
''
, 7th CD Shop Awards
The is an annual set of music awards presented in Japan. It is sponsored by All-Japan CD Shop Employees Union and awarded based on votes by CD shop employees from all over Japan, with the goal of bringing awareness to underappreciated, high quali ...
— Grand Prix
,
, -
, rowspan=10, Babymetal
, Loudwire
''Loudwire'' is an American online media magazine that covers news of hard rock and heavy metal artists. It is owned by media and entertainment business Townsquare Media. Since its launch in August 2011, ''Loudwire'' has secured exclusive i ...
4th Annual Music Awards — Best New Artist of the Year Award
,
, -
, Kerrang! Awards
The ''Kerrang!'' Awards was an annual music awards show in the United Kingdom, founded by the music magazine ''Kerrang!'' and focusing primarily on rock music. The annual awards featured performances by prominent artists, and some of the awards ...
2015 — Spirit of Independence Award
,
, -
, Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards
The following is a list of the ''Metal Hammer'' Golden Gods Awards winners.
History
The awards were conceived by Chris Ingham, John O'Sullivan & Dave Bianchi, and first held at the Kentish Town Forum in London 2003. The show was owned by Future P ...
2015 — Breakthrough Award
,
, -
, 2015 MTV Europe Music Awards
The 2015 MTV EMAs (also known as the MTV Europe Music Awards) were held at the Mediolanum Forum in Assago, near Milan, Italy, on 25 October 2015. This was the third time the awards have taken place in Italy, second time Milan has been the host ...
— Best Japanese Act
,
, -
, 2015 MTV Video Music Awards Japan — Best Metal Artist
,
, -
, GQ Men of the Year 2015 Award, Special Prize "Discovery of the year"
,
, -
, Vogue Japan
''Vogue'' (stylized in all caps), also known as American ''Vogue'', is a monthly fashion and lifestyle magazine that covers style news, including haute couture fashion, beauty, culture, living, and runway. It is part of the global collection of ...
Women of the Year 2015
,
, -
, NEO Awards 2015 — Best Musical Act
,
, -
, Loudwire
''Loudwire'' is an American online media magazine that covers news of hard rock and heavy metal artists. It is owned by media and entertainment business Townsquare Media. Since its launch in August 2011, ''Loudwire'' has secured exclusive i ...
5th Annual Music Awards — Most Devoted Fans of 2015
,
, -
, Loudwire 5th Annual Music Awards — Best Live Act of 2015
,
, -
, "Road of Resistance
"Road of Resistance" is a song by the Japanese Kawaii metal band Babymetal. The song was released worldwide as a digital single on February 1, 2015 by Toy's Factory, serving as the lead single off the international re-release of the album ''Babyme ...
"
, Loudwire 5th Annual Music Awards — Best Metal Song of 2015
,
, -
, rowspan=9, 2016
, rowspan=2, ''Metal Resistance
''Metal Resistance'' is the second studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Babymetal. It was first released on , in Japan through BMD Fox Records, and on , worldwide through earMusic, RED Associated Labels (RAL), and Sony Music Entertainmen ...
''
, Loudwire — Most Anticipated Release of April 2016
,
, -
, 2016 MTV Video Music Awards Japan — Best Album of the Year -Japan-
,
, -
, rowspan=2, "Karate
(; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ), also , is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tī'' in Okinawan) un ...
"
, 2016 MTV Video Music Awards Japan— Best Metal Video (Japan)
,
, -
, 2016 MTV Video Music Awards Japan— Best Group Video (Japan)
,
, -
, rowspan=5, Babymetal
, Kerrang! Awards
The ''Kerrang!'' Awards was an annual music awards show in the United Kingdom, founded by the music magazine ''Kerrang!'' and focusing primarily on rock music. The annual awards featured performances by prominent artists, and some of the awards ...
2016 — Best Live Band
,
, -
, Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards
The following is a list of the ''Metal Hammer'' Golden Gods Awards winners.
History
The awards were conceived by Chris Ingham, John O'Sullivan & Dave Bianchi, and first held at the Kentish Town Forum in London 2003. The show was owned by Future P ...
2016 — Best International Band
,
, -
, 2016 Alternative Press Music Awards
The Alternative Press Music Awards was an annual music awards show in the United States, founded by the music magazine ''Alternative Press''.
History
On April 24, 2014, ''Alternative Press'' announced they were organizing an award show to be h ...
— Best International Band
,
, -
, 2016 AIM Independent Music Awards
The AIM Independent Music Awards, hosted by the Association of Independent Music (commonly abbreviated to AIM), began in 2011. It is established through a collection of independent record labels and providing service and support to independent and ...
— Best Live Act
,
, -
, Revolver Music Awards 2016 — Best New Talent
,
, -
, rowspan=7, 2017
, rowspan=2, ''Metal Resistance
''Metal Resistance'' is the second studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Babymetal. It was first released on , in Japan through BMD Fox Records, and on , worldwide through earMusic, RED Associated Labels (RAL), and Sony Music Entertainmen ...
''
, Loudwire 6th Annual Music Awards — Best Metal Album of 2016
,
, -
, Loudwire 6th Annual Music Awards — Best Metal Song of 2016 - "Karate
(; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ), also , is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tī'' in Okinawan) un ...
" (music video)
,
, -
, rowspan=5, Babymetal
, Loudwire 6th Annual Music Awards — Rock Goddess of the Year 2016 — " Su-metal"
,
, -
, Loudwire 6th Annual Music Awards — Best Live Act 2016 — "Babymetal"
,
, -
, Loudwire 6th Annual Music Awards — Most Devoted Fans 2016
,
, -
, Loudwire 7th Annual Music Awards — Most Dedicated Fans 2017
,
, -
, 2017 MTV Europe Music Awards
The 2017 MTV EMAs (also known as the MTV Europe Music Awards) were held at The SSE Arena in Wembley, London, United Kingdom, on 12 November 2017. The ceremony's host was Rita Ora, with voiceovers provided by Capital FM DJ Roman Kemp. This was ...
— Best Japan Act
,
, -
, 2020
, ''Metal Galaxy
''Metal Galaxy'' is the third studio album by Japanese Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Babymetal. It was first released in Japan on October 8, 2019, with an international release following on October 11, 2019. The album was released through BM ...
''
, 2020 MTV Video Music Awards Japan — Best Album Of The Year
,
References
External links
*
*
*
{{Authority control
Sakura Gakuin
2010 establishments in Japan
Child musical groups
Japanese musical trios
Japanese girl groups
Japanese idol groups
Japanese pop music groups
Japanese heavy metal musical groups
Kawaii metal musical groups
Kerrang! Awards winners
MTV Europe Music Award winners
Musical groups established in 2010
Musical groups from Tokyo
Amuse Inc. artists
Toy's Factory artists
Capitol Records artists
Women in metal
All-female metal bands