I'm gonna have to mention at this point that Babymetal can't sit down and have some pizza without Kerrang, Loudwire and the trio of Team Rock, Classic Rock and Metal Hammer covering it to death. They most certainly have a LOT of hype put behind them and I know of quite a few people who dislike them simply because MH and Kerrang insist on writing about every little thing they do rather than give some attention to other upcoming bands that deserve it, which is honestly fair enough, Metal Hammer in particular give them an absolutely ludicrous amount of coverage.

So, in terms of their international success at least, I do think Babymetal didn't necessarily carve that out all their own, they do have Kerrang and the like to thank, at least partially

I think this is a point missed by the detractors who cry "manufactured" pejoratively and claim they are no different to the likes of One Direction. Boy-bands that produce middle-of-the-road pop and dance music can trace their heritage at least as far back as the 1960's and bands such as the Monkees. Much the same could also be said about various girl groups. There is a long history of success there.

Yet what is the history of popular and financial success for 3 teenage girls (actually aged 12 and under when the project first started purely as a sub-unit of the girls' idol group) fronting a metal band, purveying tunes that combine some very heavy back-drops with a diverse array of other genres and kawaii vocals, performed on stage with some crazy choreography?

I don't think even Japan with its whacky (to Western eyes) pop and idol culture had seen - or heard - anything quite like this. I doubt it was expected at first by Koba-Metal that the idea would go beyond a handful of songs and end when the girls graduated from Sakura Gakuin, nor that it would garner such interest from outside of Japan.

I don't read the music press but do they really have any sway in this digital age? Tiny circulations compared to 20 years ago. Most people got into them via their Youtube creations, the press just followed the crowd - bit of jumping on the bandwagon in the hope of shifting some copies. Gimme Chocolate has amassed some 40m views, Kerrang couldn't shift that in decades.

But I can well understand if some of their readers are now getting fed up of the coverage they give them. Hang on though, don't the old acts of the 70' & 80's (and some 90's) still get more coverage, whenever I do see their publications invariably its the big established bands that get the cover.

This was the point I was trying to make in my original observations. Baby Metal have all these views on Youtube, and have been hyped on the front of respected magazines - to a level not seen by most Metal acts - and they are also seen as a genre crossover (a band that can appeal to Metal fans and Non Metal Fans). Yet despict all this (and backed by great reviews) the album didn't really do anything, plenty of lesser hyped hard rock/metal acts have been getting top 5/10 albums in recent times - yeah they rarely hang round after the first week, but still....

Agree, I don't think they do. They're covering it after the fact, because it gets them page views, but they didn't make the band. The band succeeded on the strength of their first album, live tours and their youtube videos.

I'd listened to that first album to death before I'd even read a single article about them. Most people I know who like them are the same. The second album was always going to be hugely anticipated by the legion of fans they'd built up after the first album, and I think it's that which pushed it into the album chart.

It's mainly after seeing this success that all the hype machines began to whir, but that happened after. I don't think Kerrang and Metal Hammer would still be covering it now if the second album hadn't been as big. I don't think they were trying to push this band, I think they were just covering it because they're metal magazines and it just so happens, Babymetal are one of the biggest recent metal bands right now.

I'm guessing a lot of their fans had known about Babymetal for at least a year before this new album came out and before a lot of the hype started- I actually found out about them in early 2014, after my brother showed me the youtube video of Gimmie Chocolate, and I remember wondering what the hell I was watching I'm guessing the only thing that stopped that first album breaking high into the UK charts was that everyone was discovering it at slightly different times throughout 2014/2015.

I only bought the first album just before Christmas. My first BM purchase was the Budokan blu-ray, which I bought largely off the back of their You-Tube videos, and comments by fans on here and YT. Hadn't read any magazines at that point, although have since seen copies of recent MH and Rock Sound that had features on them.

Shifting significant physical sales is incredibly hard in this day and age, regardless of the style of music. And this style of music will still be rejected by most people - not just because of its J-pop influence but its really heavy metal as well - for example my wife cant stand it mainly cos she doesn't like proper heavy metal (though she can tolerate Metallica or Iron Maiden) and I think that says it all.

Yep its success was more of a ripple that got bigger and bigger rather one big wave of hype so they took a while to get going.

It's all relative though isn't it? I mean sure, if the next Adele album made it to 15, then dropped out of the charts, it'd probably be seen as a flop, but for a quirky Japanese metal act, it is a big achievement- the best in fact for a Japanese act.

What's happened is that they have a loyal, but relatively small fanbase, who all had to get their album the day it came out because they were so hyped for it and now it will quickly leave the charts because they all have it. These aren't casual music fans who just buy a few singles here and there- they were fans who had to get the second album as soon as it came out.

Also, a lot of those 'metal' acts you mentioned who do well in the UK chart come from well established acts or relatively safe rock acts. Babymetal is being talked about because not only did it do well, relatively, but I think there's also a sense of shock that something so quirky and different even had a sniff at the album charts in the first place, let alone charting so high.

And frankly, if you call a decent chart entry in not just the UK but the rest of Europe, the US and Japan, a worldwide tour, a record number of merch sales at Wembley arena, hype from numerous tabloids and tv appearances proof that the album 'didn't do very much' then I'm not sure what planet you are on.

That's the point i'm trying to make - all the stuff you've written i'd expect a bigger impact from the album. Again i'm not having ago at the band or their music, i'm just surprised at all the hype the album got and all the stuff i've seen on the band leading up to it's release (and I wasn't looking for it) that it didn't chart much higher.

I'm not sure what 'impact' you're expecting. As far as I'm concerned, it did make an impact. It got some coverage, it's being toured worldwide, it broke some chart and merch records... to me, that is making an impact.

Like I said earlier, it's perspective. It's a fantastic achievement considering the type of music they make, for them to be bothering the charts at all. I'm sure most can see that, which is why it got the hype it got.

I first saw BM @ Sonisphere. I knew of them because of the stir they were making on YouTube and the "controversy" over the way they were formed but I deliberately avoided seeing any of their videos online, I wanted to make up my own mind based upon what I saw live.

I don't think anyone connected with BM ever envisaged they would have the success they have in Japan and they were very much caught "on-the-hop" with their overseas success, especially in the UK which is by far their largest market outside of Japan.

Given the lack of mainstream media coverage, although that is changing after Wembley and the second album reaching #15, to get that high with what would have been called an "underground" record released on an independent label is a remarkable achievement.

Any fans here of New Years Day ?. I have just finished listening to their album "Malvolence" and loved every track.

Have also been getting into Greywind & Against The Current

Babymetal aren;t that heavy

I wouldn't say Babymetal are good or crap, but just does nothing for me at all

The stuff I don't get at all are bands like Bring Me The Horizon or those US bands like My Chemical Romance or Avenged Sevenfold, just leave me totally cold. Nothing against their fans though of course, each to their own and all that.

In fact, I can list the British metal bands I like on one hand. Almost all my favourite bands are from elsewhere in Europe.

Not sure if it cos i am getting old, but i find it really hard to get into the newer bands, maybe that is how it should be. But all this metalcore or whatever it is leaves me cold,i suppose older people said the same when i was screaming slayers reign in blood

Haha, they probably did. I do like some newer bands, just not most of the ones that are popular- and no, I'm not one of those who can't like anything that's popular, it's just that most of the big metal bands aren't for me.

I have started getting into blues/retro type bands at the moment,all slowed down and cheap gigs, bands like Purson, Blues Pills, Raveneye, Rival Sons

I'm relatively young still and it's definitely not an age thing, BMTH and all the US metalcore bands just happen to be a tiny bit wank

Blues Pills though, that band are going places, for sure, same with Rival Sons, I genuinely think those bands will get to arena level at some point or another in the future.

It is a weird thing, you want these bands to be successful and get everything they deserve, but selfishly you want to keep them to yourself playing gigs where you get to chat with them after

I know exactly what you mean, having just come off a weekend with The Amorettes, I felt odd about all the people praising them being booked for Download Festival. I mean, I want them to get all the success, but at the same time I want them to keep at a level where I can just meet up with them without having to fork over hundreds of pounds to do so

Go and see them live and you might changer your opinion. Songs like Babymetal Death are very heavy live.

I think you're right about both bands. I first saw Rival Sons when they supported Black Stone Cherry in @ 2008 (?), somewhere around then, and it is great to see how they have grown with each album. They headlined the Saturday at Planet Rockstock last year and are at Download again this year, their next album could really launch them to Arena level I think.

I absolutely love Blues Pills!!! I've seen them a couple of times and I think it is 'when' rather than 'if' they become huge! We saw them at the Bristol Bierkeller on their last tour, one of the smallest venues in the city and even though they only have one album out it was obvious they are destined to much, much, greater things. We met them afterwards and they were really nice, Elin is a lovely lady with a truly remarkable voice. You wonder how someone so tiny can have such a powerful voice!! Their second album is due out soon so I'm sure there will be a tour later in the year.

A couple of other bands in a similar "blues rock" vein worth checking out are King King and Tax The Heat.

For a more traditional "classic rock" sound, The Dead Daisies are well worth checking out. They're great live!

As my wife will tell you, I'm always happy for a "band stalk" if there's a meet-and-greet on offer!!

But I do find it annoying that when a band is up-and-coming they are grateful that anyone goes to see them that they are more than happy to chat and sign things, but as soon as they become successful fans are then expected to pay for the "privilege" of meeting them. Although I wonder if that is the band or their accountants who are behind this phenomenon, because it is a very recent one.

A perfect recent example are Black Stone Cherry. They always used to do a meet and greet after every gig but now they have moved to arena sized venues you need to buy a rip-off VIP ticket to meet them. Thanks, but no thanks.