Header illustration courtesy of Bella Gallegos (@byebyebellla)
Last June, Vogue posted an article titled “It’s official: 2024 is the year of the pop girl,” and there’s no doubt that energy has carried over into 2025. While the phenomenon (or should I say “Femininomenon”) of glittery “girly-pop” music is good fun, there are a number of legendary metal albums that are just as fun in surprisingly similar ways. If you’re an avid pop lover and you’re open to a bit more guitars, I highly recommend these classic metal albums as starters for expanding your “Taste.”
If you like Chappell Roan, try KISS’s “Destroyer” (1976)
While KISS doesn’t sing about situationships and sapphic flirting, they do share a key characteristic with the Midwest Princess herself: the element of camp. Like Chappell Roan, KISS each band member plays an iconic character on stage with dramatic, drag-esque makeup. “Chappell is a character,” she told Hollywood Reporter, much like Gene Simmons’s Demon or Paul Stanley’s Starchild. “Destroyer” is KISS’s radio friendly hit machine, released after wild success with “Alive!” It’s jam-packed with fun, fast, sparkly rock tunes that don’t always take themselves too seriously. It drips with flamboyant, youthful anthems that soundtracked the late 70s, just as Chappell soundtracks the 2020s.
If you like Charli XCX, try Van Halen’s self titled (1978)
What sets Charli apart from the other musicians on this list is her aversion to conformity. Van Halen’s self-titled debut does just that. So much, in fact, that its initial release was poorly received before reaching legendary status. Charli’s gritty smash-hit record already has a place in pop history with its iconic green hue and underground club-style music. “There’s plenty of room for the avant-garde on a commercial level in pop music,” the star stated in an interview with Brock Coylar for New York Magazine. If you rock with a mix of experimental and radio-friendly, Van Halen’s self-titled is a beautiful blend of party anthems and an innovative, earth-shaking layer of musicianship that’ll scratch your brain just right. In essence, Van Halen was simply being Van Halen, as Charli xcx is no stranger to being unapologetically Charli.
If you like Lady Gaga, try Judas Priest’s “British Steel” (1980)
Gaga is known for her eccentricity, explosive live shows, and authentic musical identity. It doesn’t get any more metal than that. Like Gaga, Judas Priest was turning their genre on its head in a number of ways: with a thunderous new sound, tremendous vocals, and even contributions to metal fashion. An advocate and idol for the LGBTQ+ community since he came out publicly in 1998, Rob Halford’s popularization of the hardcore leather-wearing look originated from his queer roots. Like Judas Priest, Gaga is a pillar of hope for queer youth, as well as a milestone in exploring how “heavy” pop could get. “British Steel” is a speedy and sleazy metal record with a touch of campiness and a whole lotta badassery, just like Mother Monster. After all, Lady Gaga did sing that she was “in love with Judas.”
If you like Taylor Swift, try Mötley Crüe’s “Shout at the Devil” (1983)
Like there are “Lovers,” the “Reputation” girls, and those that prefer “Red,” there are “Dr. Feelgood” truthers, “Too Fast for Love” superfans, and “Shout at the Devil” fanatics. Mötley Crüe were the faces of many controversies, shaking the music world with starkly split love/hate opinions in the 1980s, something the Swifties are used to by now. But what makes them even more similar are their clearly established “eras,” whether that be in terms of fashion, sound, or lyrical subject matter. For example, “Shout at the Devil,” what many would consider their strongest album (and a great first listen) is characterized by its raw, edgier sound, and some of the Crüe’s most iconic outfits. Whereas “Dr. Feelgood (1989)” includes faster party anthems and stripped down fashion, such as sleek leather and exposed tattoos. If you seek a little something different from each record, fashion statements to go with them, and a die-hard, defensive fanbase like the Swifties, then the Crüe might be the band for you.
If you like Sabrina Carpenter, try Def Leppard’s “Hysteria” (1987)
Blonde bombshell Sabrina Carpenter is known for music that sticks, whether you like it or not. Songs like “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” have simple yet catchy hooks, and you can’t help but dance along. You could say the same for the radio-friendly, glammy rock of “Hysteria,” full of tongue-in-cheek singalongs much like Sabrina’s recent hits. In fact, you probably already know the tune to “Pour some Sugar on Me,” a raunchy tune with a touch of cheesiness (but not too much), like “Juno.” Regardless, Sabrina’s music and “Hysteria” are both dripping with good vibes, feminine flare, and just enough drama to keep you listening.
