Sometimes bands change their genre to draw in a different audience. Here are some bands that pulled it off successfully!
My Ticket Home
Strangers Only (video on the right) musical style is a drastic departure from the metalcore and post-hardcore sound of the band's previous releases (on the left), instead showcasing a nu metal sound with grunge elements. It was the band's final album with Rise Records, after the band left the label and would later sign with Spinefarm Records.
Memphis May Fire
Memphis May Fire started off as a southern metal band but why stick to something you're good at when there's trends to hop on? Their current output sounds a wee bit djenty but This Light I Hold is a still a banger of a song.
All That Remains
You know what? I'm about to say it; The Fall of Ideals is the of the best metalcore albums of all time. A War You Cannot Win was a bit of a departure from their metalcore roots, with plenty of ballads to piss of the casual ATR fan. It still remains (no pun intended) their highest charting album to date, peaking at #16 on the Billboard Top 200 on its release week.
Deftones
Deftones have always been a great band. Their early work was a little too nu metal for my tastes, but when White Pony came out in '00, I think they really came into their own, commercially and artistically. The whole album has a clear, crisp sound, and a new sheen of consummate professionalism that really gives the songs a big boost.
Bring Me The Horizon
It goes without saying that anyone who grew up listening to Bring Me The Horizon circa '06-07 had a very different experience than fans just getting to know them present day. BMTH were gods of thrashy, death-metal at the time, but the band has truly evolved into something much larger than before. The band has cleaned up their sound in every way possible, with less chaotic shredding and with clean vocals being the main focus. Their glow-up was well-received and they transcended into mainstream music with their latest album.
Turnover
Turnover has yet to put out music that fails to impress me, but they have definitely dramatically changed their sound over the years. Magnolia features a more traditional pop-punk sound with upbeat riffs and bouncy tunes but Peripheral Vision changed the game for them and made them stand out above the crowd. Peripheral Vision has been noted to be "dreamcore" with a much more whimsical and lucid sound than their previous album. This album was a milestone for the band and for the genre as they had truly made something that no one had quite done before.
Title Fight
Title Fight, similarly to Turnover have turned onto a much more mellow leaf as the band ages. Shed and Floral Green feature a more aggressive tone, featuring harsh yells for vocals and gritty, bouncy guitar parts; but Hyperview is much more serene in nature featuring entrancing clean vocals and much more docile instrumentation. Fans widely received the latest album and embraced the changes within the band.
Paramore
Don't get me wrong, we loved young, angsty, punk-rock Hayley Williams crushing some powerful vocals over top of those classic guitar riffs but Paramore's transformation has been one for the books. They have branched into the pop world and they held nothing back on After Laughter. The album features much more laid-back and clean vocals than prior albums and they have added a very 80's-esque synth-pop/electronic vibes to some of their more upbeat songs on the album making it a powerhouse of an album. They be topping the charts for this sound change.
Hundredth
Hundredth has very recently released a new song off of their upcoming album Rare that has proven to be a big change in sound for the band. Hundredth have been known for melodic hardcore, bringing heavy hitting topics to light with heavy ass music. But the new song "Neurotic" is showing a softer side to the band with solely cleans vocals and much more laid-back, hypnotic instrumentals. The transformation has of course received some slack from a few pretentious fans, but no one can deny that "Neurotic" is brilliantly put together!