Heavy metal has long had a following of fans known as or . Although early heavy metal bands such as and attracted large audiences, they were critically reviled at the time. As the original wave of metal bands began to wane, the late 1970s brought the ,
Heavy metal became broadly popular during the 1980s, when many now-widespread subgenres first evolved.
Variations more aggressive and extreme than metal music of the past were mostly restricted to an audience; others, including and, to a lesser extent, went on to mainstream commercial success. In recent years, new styles such as have further expanded the definition of the genre.
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