Nu Metal / Alternative Metal · 1990s Career
Korn helped create nu metal by combining downtuned guitars, hip-hop-influenced rhythm and Jonathan Davis’s intensely personal vocal style.
The debut
The 1994 self-titled album introduced a dark, percussive sound that felt separate from both grunge and traditional metal.
Follow the Leader
The 1998 album brought the band into the mainstream and helped establish nu metal as a major commercial force entering the 2000s.
Why they matter
Korn became foundational to nu metal and reshaped heavy music through rhythm, vulnerability and alternative production.