The return of nu metal can be accredited to Gen Z’s Y2K re-emergence. 

The return of nu metal can be accredited to Gen Z’s Y2K re-emergence. The sub-genre of metal music—which combines “heavy sounds with elements of hip-hop, funk, and alternative rock”—is experiencing a newfound popularity with Gen Z due to TikTok bringing back late ‘90s and early ‘00s hits. One Millennial father, who grew up listening to this music, is now able to bond with his Gen Z daughter who’s a fellow nu metal lover; he says listening to the same music is “this really magical moment between parent and child where we love the same thing.” The online cultivation of interest in resurfaced music is not a new phenomenon, with YPulse research showing that young people are not only discovering new music on social media, but using it as a primary way to listen (NYT)