10 Metal Bands Who Accidentally Created Pop Hits

The worlds of metal and pop music might seem like complete opposites. Metal embraces aggression, technical prowess, and darker themes, while pop goes for catchy hooks and mainstream appeal. But here’s the thing—the boundaries aren’t nearly as solid as you might think. Over the years, quite a few metal bands have stumbled into pop territory, creating crossover hits that connected with people who wouldn’t know a mosh pit from a dance floor.

When metal bands craft songs with killer hooks, memorable melodies, or just happen to tap into something culturally relevant, they sometimes find themselves with hits they never saw coming. This has happened across all eras of metal—from the power ballads of hair metal to nu metal’s rap-rock fusion to the atmospheric compositions of gothic metal. These crossover moments have opened the door for countless listeners to discover heavier music, though they’ve occasionally left the bands themselves wondering about their own identity.

Related: Top 10 Most Notorious Metal Bands Ever

10 Disturbed’s Haunting Simon & Garfunkel Cover

When Chicago metal bruisers Disturbed recorded their take on Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence” for their 2015 album Immortalized, they probably didn’t think they were about to create one of the decade’s most unexpected hits. The band took a big risk by completely ditching electric guitars, instead building everything around David Draiman’s powerful vocals and a haunting orchestral backdrop. The gamble paid off spectacularly—their metal ballad broke through genre barriers and reached people who’d never voluntarily listen to Disturbed in a million years. The cover blew up online, racking up hundreds of millions of YouTube views and somehow climbing to #42 on the Billboard Hot 100—pretty incredible for a band best known for “Down with the Sickness.” Their moody reinterpretation showed how metal artists could honor classic songs while still putting their own emotional stamp on them.

9 Limp Bizkit’s Nu Metal Take on George Michael

Back in 1997, just as nu metal was catching fire, Limp Bizkit dropped their version of George Michael’s “Faith” that would help define their early career. Fred Durst and the boys transformed the bouncy pop classic into a playful but aggressive nu metal/rapcore hybrid. Sure, music snobs might point out that Durst’s vocals couldn’t touch George Michael’s, but the cover’s raw energy and don’t-give-a-damn attitude clicked with alternative rock fans and MTV addicts everywhere. The track appeared on their debut album Three Dollar Bill, Y’all$ and became one of several crossover hits that helped nu metal crash into the mainstream. By mixing down-tuned guitars with hip-hop beats and pop structures, Limp Bizkit created a perfect gateway drug between metal and pop that seemed custom-made for angsty late-1990s teenagers.

8 Marilyn Manson’s Creepy Eurythmics Reimagining

When shock rocker Marilyn Manson tackled Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” in 1995, he turned a synth-pop staple into a nightmarish industrial metal track that basically launched his career. The divisive cover transformed Annie Lennox’s confident vocals into Manson’s spine-chilling whispers and screams, backed by mechanical, distorted noise. Released on the Smells Like Children EP, the song’s bizarre music video became an MTV fixture despite (or because of) its disturbing imagery. The cover introduced Manson to mainstream audiences, paving the way for his controversial rise to fame with Antichrist Superstar. Music purists might have been horrified, but the song’s success showed how metal could flip familiar pop melodies into something utterly sinister.

7 Metallica’s Soulful Bob Seger Adaptation

Metallica may be thrash metal royalty, but they struck crossover gold with their version of Bob Seger’s “Turn the Page.” Released on their 1998 covers collection Garage Inc., the track revealed a more soulful, introspective side of the band. James Hetfield’s gritty vocals and the addition of bluesy slide guitar created an emotional weight that connected with rock radio listeners everywhere. The cover dominated Billboard’s Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart for 11 straight weeks, proving Metallica could reach well beyond their thrash metal fan base. While they’d already crossed over with ballads like “Nothing Else Matters,” the Seger cover showed how metal giants could honor classic rock traditions while still sounding unmistakably like themselves.

6 HIM’s Gothic Take on Chris Isaak

Finnish “love metal” masters HIM brought their gothic touch to Chris Isaak’s 1989 hit “Wicked Game,” turning the sultry rock ballad into something darker and more brooding. Their cover kept the original’s melancholic soul while adding their signature gothic metal elements, featuring Ville Valo’s deep, emotional vocals. First recorded for their 1997 debut album Greatest Lovesongs Vol. 666 and later re-recorded, the cover became one of the band’s calling cards, especially outside Finland. HIM’s version introduced countless alternative and metal fans to Isaak’s music while showcasing the band’s knack for blending darkness with romance. The cover’s success showed how metal could embrace vulnerability and sensuality without losing its edge—qualities that helped HIM connect with listeners who might normally avoid anything with distorted guitars.

5 System of a Down’s New Wave Revival

When System of a Down covered Berlin’s new wave hit “The Metro” for the Not Another Teen Movie soundtrack in 2001, they brought their chaotic energy to the ’80s synth-pop classic. Their version packed in thick, dynamic instrumentation, driving bass lines, and Serj Tankian’s unmistakable vocal delivery while still honoring the song’s new wave roots. System was riding high on the success of Toxicity when they released this cover, which highlighted their musical range well beyond metal. While not as commercially massive as some other covers here, their take on “The Metro” showcased System’s ability to bridge different musical eras and styles, which partly explains why they became one of nu metal’s most critically respected acts.

4 Korn’s Funk-Metal Party Anthem

Nu metal pioneers Korn caught fans off guard in 2004 when they covered Cameo’s funk hit “Word Up!” for their greatest hits compilation. The band kept the playful spirit of the original while beefing it up with Jonathan Davis’s distinctive vocals and their trademark down-tuned guitars and heavy rhythms. The cover became a decent hit on rock radio and MTV, showing a surprisingly lighthearted side to a band known for intense, angsty songs about trauma and pain. By embracing the song’s inherent fun while metallizing its funk grooves, Korn highlighted nu metal’s connections to other musical traditions. Their version introduced fans to Cameo’s catalog who might never have explored it otherwise, building a musical bridge between genres and generations.

3 Children of Bodom’s Ironic Britney Spears Cover

Finnish melodic death metal wizards Children of Bodom raised plenty of eyebrows when they covered Britney Spears’ pop anthem “Oops!… I Did It Again” for their 2009 album Skeletons in the Closet. Their version kicks off with some jokey effects before unleashing blast beats and aggressive guitar work, creating a hilariously jarring contrast with the original’s bubblegum pop feel. While keeping some catchy melodic elements intact, frontman Alexi Laiho’s harsh vocals transformed Spears’ lyrics about romantic misunderstandings into something downright threatening. The cover became a fan favorite at shows, where metalheads could simultaneously embrace and mock pop culture. Children of Bodom’s approach showed how metal could use irony and technical chops to twist even the most commercial pop songs into something unrecognizably heavy.

2 Halestorm’s Metal Makeover of Daft Punk

Hard rock outfit Halestorm grabbed Daft Punk’s disco-infused hit “Get Lucky” and transformed it into a high-octane metal track for their 2014 covers EP ReAniMate 2.0. Lzzy Hale’s powerful vocals took over from Pharrell Williams’ smooth delivery, while the band injected heavy guitar riffs and a pounding rock beat into what was originally a dance floor filler. The cover showed off the band’s ability to reimagine current pop hits through a hard rock lens without killing the original’s catchiness. Halestorm’s version highlighted the hidden connections between different genres, showing how good melodies and rhythm can work in any style. While keeping their rock cred intact, the band created an accessible entry point for pop fans curious about heavier sounds.

1 Within Temptation’s Symphonic Imagine Dragons Cover

Dutch symphonic metal veterans Within Temptation brought orchestral grandeur to Imagine Dragons’ alt-rock hit “Radioactive” in 2014. Their version layered in operatic harmonies from vocalist Sharon den Adel while maintaining the apocalyptic energy of the original. The cover appeared on the band’s The Q-Music Sessions EP, showcasing how they could blend symphonic metal elements with contemporary rock production. Within Temptation’s take ramped up the drama already present in the original, demonstrating how metal’s theatrical side could enhance already powerful songs. The cover helped introduce the band to folks who might find traditional metal too harsh while giving symphonic metal fans a familiar bridge to mainstream rock.