IoMP 114: LADYBABY - Are They Rock or Metal?
Metal fans love rules… and then love breaking them even more.
In the first Are They Rock or Metal? episode of 2026, Collin and Tom take on one of the most confusing, chaotic, and weirdly heavy bands to ever explode out of Japan: LADYBABY. On paper, this should be a disaster—kawaii aesthetics, idol energy, and a history that includes a massive pro wrestler in a schoolgirl outfit. In reality? It might be way more metal than you’re ready to admit.
This episode isn’t just about deciding whether LADYBABY belongs in the metal camp—it’s about why visuals don’t negate heaviness, how intention matters more than aesthetics, and why metal has always thrived on upsetting people who take it too seriously. Along the way, Collin and Tom spiral into LADYBABY’s origins, the Babymetal comparison, the wrestler-frontman era, and the sheer cultural whiplash that made the band impossible to ignore in the first place.
Expect unfiltered opinions, unhinged tangents, and a verdict that feels obvious by the end—but only after the debate gets gloriously out of hand. If you’ve ever argued about genre labels, rolled your eyes at “novelty bands,” or secretly enjoyed something you swore couldn’t be metal… this episode is absolutely for you.
Hit play. Get uncomfortable. Because LADYBABY is metal, and the explanation is way more fun than the answer.
DISCLAIMER: Copyright Exceptions under the Copyright Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-42), allowance is made for "fair dealing" for the purposes of criticism or review.
Check out more from the Influencers of Metal Podcast!
Sabaton brought tanks, pyro and 18 songs of Swedish power metal to Toronto — but getting through the parking chaos, opening bands and merch prices was a battle of its own.
Collin and Tom dive into their favourite September listens, revisit one massive release that narrowly missed August, and more!
Collin finally saw HammerFall headline Toronto — and somehow walked away loving them even more.
HammerFall and Sabaton are invading the GTA in the same week, so Collin and Tom are building their dream setlists!
Collin and Tom summon a whale and dive into Gojira’s discography to settle one of the toughest Heaviest Songs rankings yet.
Powerwolf has werewolves, vampires, church organs and enough Catholic imagery to make one hell of a Sunday service — but does the gimmick overshadow the music?
Some bands spend decades chasing their masterpiece. Others release it almost immediately, and never top it.
Metal meets the squared circle again as Collin introduces an extremely underprepared Tom to wrestling themes from Killswitch Engage, Fozzy, Code Orange, Megadeth, White Zombie, Metallica and more.
Forget the trade war — we’re heading south of the border to pick six of our favourite American bands!
Deep Purple might sound like hard rock today, but would heavy metal exist as we know it without them?
August may have been an underwhelming month for new metal, but Collin and Tom still found plenty to keep their playlists busy.
The Influencers of Metal Podcast heads to Cambodia to uncover a small but fiercely underground metal scene.
What if you could book ANY five bands for your own metal festival? Also, I thought we escaped the island by now?
Is Pizza Thrash actually a metal subgenre... or did somebody just slap a stupid name on 2000s thrash and call it a day?
We're halfway through 2026, so our duo are joined by Chris Thrash to rank their Top 5 albums of the year so far!
Van Halen helped revolutionize guitar playing, inspired generations of metal musicians and laid some of the groundwork for the hair metal explosion — but does that make Van Halen a metal band?
Is Tool really a metal band? Or are they progressive rock?