The New York Daily News is reporting that three of the biggest nu metal acts of the last four years — LIMP BIZKIT, KORN and P.O.D. — have slumped in sales and shrunk in power, hobbled by a trend in rock radio to favor lighter, artier or more retro-oriented bands.
P.O.D. has suffered the most dramatic fall. The San Diego-based mega-metal band's last release, "Satellite", moved 2.7 million copies in 2002. Its previous work, 2000's "Fundamental Elements of Southtown", went platinum. But the foursome's "Payable on Death" CD has fallen to No. 186 after just 13 weeks, selling just over 400,000 copies, without the momentum to go much further.
LIMP BIZKIT's "Results May Vary", is lumbering in the low 80s on the charts. True, in that time the album has slowly sold 1 million copies, but the macho act's last work, "Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water", moved that many copies in its first week. "Starfish" went on to record 6.5 million in sales, keeping pace with BIZKIT's 1999's "Significant Other", which topped off at a staggering 7.4 million.
Tickets sales for last year according to Pollstar are favoring acts like KISS and Aerosmith who were awarded the most creative tour of 2003.
Meanwhile, a host of "baby" bands are breathing down those older groups' necks. Most notable decidedly '70s-style acts, Jet, and The Darkness. The Darkness is the first band to break in 2004, selling steady in the upper quarter of Billboard's Top 200 Album chart.
All rock radio needs now is for a woman to enter the fray. And with Courtney Love's CD just out, this anti-testosterone trend may only increase.