History Music / BabyMetal

Originally a subunit of Junior-Idol group Music/SakuraGakuin, Babymetal [[note]]also stylized as BABYMETAL or [=BabyMetal=].[[/note]] was formed by the members of the Heavy Music Club (Juonbu)[[labelnote:*]]A reference to the ''keionbu'' or ''keiongakubu'' (Light Music Club) common in real Japanese schools, also depicted in media such as ''Manga/KOn''[[/labelnote]] of Sakura Gakuin under the concept of a fusion of heavy metal and Idol music, now known as "kawaii metal".

Originally a subunit of Junior-Idol group Music/SakuraGakuin, Babymetal [[note]]also stylized as BABYMETAL or [=BabyMetal=].[[/note]] was formed by the members of the Heavy Music Club (Juonbu)[[labelnote:*]]A reference to the ''keionbu'' or ''keiongakubu'' (Light Music Club) common in real Japanese schools, also depicted in media such as ''Manga/KOn''[[/labelnote]] of Sakura Gakuin under the concept of a fusion of heavy metal and Idol music, now known as "kawaii metal". They are known for their energetic live shows which feature intricate yet fun choreography mixed with soaring vocals from lead singer Suzuka "Su-Metal" Nakamoto, backed up by a quartet of some of Japan's top metal musicians. Officially, they claim belief in "The Fox God" who brought them to metal and uses them as conduits to spread its message of "love and joy through metal" across the world. Instead of the standard devil horns, they use a modified "kitsune" sign (seen in the photo at right).

During the three years Babymetal existed as part of Sakura Gakuin, they released singles apart from the main group, as well as music videos on Youtube. Their first major single, ''Babymetal × Kiba Of Akiba'', ranked unexpectedly high on Japan's Oricon chart and quickly led to the girls playing shows at progressively larger venues, people taking to the unusual mix of Idol-pop vocals mixed with heavy metal riffs.

** "The One" has more English in it than Japanese. The international edition of the song is entirely in English. This is now the version performed even in Japan. The original bilingual cut is only on Youtube and the domestic (Japan) releases of ''Metal Resistance'' and The Trilogy.

** The official videos on the band's Youtube channel using concert footage give off this vibe, as oftentimes the studio track replaces the original live vocals. "Gimme Chocolate!" is a good example. So is "THE ONE". "PA PA YA!!" is another major one, as F.Hero's live vocals sound very different from the studio version.

Babymetal has toured internationally every year since 2012[[labelnote:*]] (though the only performing they did in 2012 and 2013 outside Japan was at conventions in Singapore, Jakarta, and Taiwan; 2014 was the first year they did a true international tour)[[/labelnote]], and sold out almost every venue they have headlined. The girls hold several records in Japan and elsewhere as the youngest group to play at [insert venue or show here]. They are to date the first and only Japanese group to headline London's Wembley Arena, as well as to perform on American late-night television during ''Series/TheLateShowWithStephenColbert''. They are also the first Japanese act to make it onto Billboard USA's main Top-40 list since '''''1963'''''[[note]]the last being Kyu Sakamoto with the jazz hit "Sukiyaki"[[/note]] with their second album ''Metal Resistance''.

All three Avengers took fans completely by surprise for various reasons. Though almost no one saw them coming, they were warmly and often enthusiastically received in preparation for the band's major two-stage world tour.

Then in another twist, in April 2023, the band surprised everyone by announcing that Momoko was being upgraded to full member status, taking on the stage name Momometal! This of course finally completes the group again, returning it to a trio like it was in the past.

Compare and contrast to Music/KyaryPamyuPamyu for a similar Internet phenomenon. Along with Music/{{Perfume}}, which is also an Amuse act employing choreographer Mikiko-sensei. More info about the girls themselves can be found on the CharacterSheet of their [[Characters/SakuraGakuin former parent group]], in the 2013 (Su) and 2015 (Yui/Moa) Graduates sections.

* AscendedExtra: They're more popular than their parent group, Music/SakuraGakuin, especially outside Japan. Although Babymetal's popularity has gotten some international fans interested in Sakura Gakuin. It is amusing to see English comments on SG music videos from avowed metalheads trying to reconcile their "metal street-cred" with their enjoyment of a group of young girls singing and dancing to upbeat J-pop. Amusingly, this is ''exactly'' what Yui said she hoped would happen. Some examples:
--> - excuse me while I PUNCH A FUCKING WALL to get my Manliness back!!!\\

Then in another twist, on April 1st, 2023, the band surprised everyone by announcing that Momoko was being upgraded to full member status, taking on the stage name Momometal! This of course finally completes the group again, returning it to a trio like it was in the past.

* GenreRoulette: Fairly uniquely for a pop-metal band, the actual metal isn't tethered to a specific subgenre. It varies from BlackMetal to MelodicDeathMetal to ThrashMetal to NuMetal to ProgressiveMetal to {{Djent}} and beyond. As a result, this site categorizes them under AvantGardeMetal.

** The Legend 1999 & 1997 Apocalypse shows had all members singing songs released on their birth years. Su covered the Evangelion song "Tamashii no Refrain" and SPEED's "White Love", Yui sang "Chokotto Love" by Petitmoni, and Moa performed Morning Musume's "Love Machine".

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: "Iine!" faces the same problem as "[[Music/{{Loituma}} Ievan Polkka]]". Three guesses on what that problem is and the first two don't count.
* StepUpToTheMicrophone: Two variants

* IconicLogo: They have used the same logo since their debut, although it was less prominent in 2018's Chosen Seven Era (often being replaced by the solar eclipse imagery from "Distortion"). The skull on the top right corner and hearts inside the "B"s were respectively taken from Yui and Moa's designs for Sakura Gakuin's collaboration with the clothing brand Mono Comme Ça in 2010, while the wings are an homage to the single "My Wings" by Karen Girl's, Suzuka's former group (her design was a smiling sunflower, which probably couldn't fit into the logo).

** The lore revealed in live performances mention mysterious figures such as "[[DarthWiki/DarthVader Death Vader]]".

* GenreMashup: Combines the hardness and energy of heavy metal with the catchiness and appeal of J-pop and an aesthetic taken straight out of Gothic Lolita and VisualKei.

Babymetal, like any band, has also suffered setbacks, most notably in December 2017 when Yui was forced to pull out of Suzuka's 20th birthday concert due to an undisclosed medical issue from which she as of this edit has yet to fully recover – leading her to [[http://www.babymetal.com/en/news/?id=28 officially withdraw]] from the band in October 2018. Her absence was followed by the death in January 2018 of Kami Band lead guitarist Mikio Fujioka. Since then, the group has adopted the mantra "Just Keep Moving Forward" while they, aesthetically, spent the entirety of 2018 in a self-proclaimed "Dark Side" period.

* {{Kitsune}}:
** The main theme of "Megitsune" (literal translation: female fox/vixen). The song itself insists on the distinction: as they explain it, when a woman catches a guy's fancy and she turns them down, men often call her "megitsune". If she turned them down because she wants to lure them in further and is really just playing hard to get, she's the traditional kitsune, who were after all famous for turning into women and seducing men. If she turned them down because she just simply has no interest in them from the start and no means no, she's not seducing them so she's a megitsune.
** As described in AnimalMotif above, ''kitsune'' features prominently in the band's lore and visuals.

* [[GoodGirlGoneBad Good Girls Gone Bad]]: According to the video shown at and prior to the Budokan concerts, Yuimetal and Moametal were corrupted by a trickster sprite to become the greedy girls in "Onedari Daisakusen".

* NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly: Combines the hardness and energy of heavy metal with the catchiness and appeal of J-pop and an aesthetic taken straight out of Gothic Lolita and VisualKei.

* CreepyCoolCrosses: They use it a lot, both during big shows and in merch. Special mention goes to the "LEGEND 1997" concert on Suzuka's 16th birthday, when she was ''crucified'' in front of what appeared to be a giant statue of the Virgin Mary, which promptly shattered. Since that concert, Su has been crucified no fewer than four times.

Babymetal has toured internationally every year since 2012[[labelnote:*]] (though the only performing they did in 2012 and 2013 outside Japan was at conventions in Singapore, Jakarta, and Taiwan; 2014 was the first year they did a true international tour)[[/labelnote]], and sold out almost every venue they have headlined. The girls hold several records in Japan and elsewhere as the youngest group to play at [insert venue or show here]. They are to date the first and only Japanese group to headline London's Wembley Arena, as well as to perform on American late-night television during ''Series/TheLateShowWithStephenColbert''. They are also the first Japanese act to make it onto Billboard USA's main Top-40 list since '''''1963''''' with their second album ''Metal Resistance''.

* ItIsPronouncedTroPAY: Even though the band's official logo is and has always been in English, WordOfGod says the correct pronunciation is its kana rendering – ベビーメタル (beh-BEE-meh-tahl) – to preserve its {{pun}} on "heavy metal". [[https://youtu.be/2oHeqQAD56k?t=1m55s Su was visibly annoyed]] when an interviewer mentioned most people still pronounced it "BAY-bee-MEH-tal". Ironically, the English narrators of the band's interlude videos tend to use the latter. [[{{Hypocrite}} So does Su when speaking in English.]]

Compare and contrast to Music/KyaryPamyuPamyu for a similar Internet phenomenon. Along with Music/{{Perfume}}, which is also an Amuse act employing choreographer Mikiko-sensei. Has [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babymetal an entry]] on Wiki/TheOtherWiki, as do all three girls. More info about the girls themselves can be found on the CharacterSheet of their [[Characters/SakuraGakuin former parent group]], in the 2013 (Su) and 2015 (Yui/Moa) Graduates sections.

Originally a subunit of Junior-Idol group Music/SakuraGakuin, Babymetal [-(also stylized as BABYMETAL or [=BabyMetal=])-] was formed by the members of the Heavy Music Club (Juonbu)[[labelnote:*]]A reference to the ''keionbu'' or ''keiongakubu'' (Light Music Club) common in real Japanese schools, also depicted in media such as ''Manga/KOn''[[/labelnote]] of Sakura Gakuin under the concept of a fusion of heavy metal and Idol music, now known as "kawaii metal". They are known for their energetic live shows which feature intricate yet fun choreography mixed with soaring vocals from lead singer Suzuka "Su-Metal" Nakamoto, backed up by a quartet of some of Japan's top metal musicians. Officially, they claim belief in "The Fox God" who brought them to metal and uses them as conduits to spread its message of "love and joy through metal" across the world. Instead of the standard devil horns, they use a modified "kitsune" sign (seen in the photo at right).

* RapMetal: "[=BxMxC=]" is this, and the MV features Su and Moa in a rap and dance battle called the "Tenkaichi Metal Budokai", with the same Bali imagery as its ''Manga/DragonBall'' counterpart.[[labelnote:*]]Although the Hindu temples in the background are actually the Prambanan in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.[[/labelnote]]

* RapMetal: "[=BxMxC=]" is this, and the MV features Su and Moa in a rap and dance battle called "The [[Manga/DragonBall Tenkaichi Metal Budokai]]".