>> Marilyn Manson

Slicking up Gothic themes with pop hooks and the drive of industrial noise, Marilyn Manson played a major role in Goth’s emergence from an underground subculture to a mainstream style. Though not as sonically devastating as his industrial counterparts nor as complex as dyed-in-the-wool Goths, Manson built a style ominous to project his persona onto while still easy enough for scores of suburban ears. With a personality and attitude calculated to spark controversy, Manson and his work have often been the target of conflict, drawing both charges of obscenity and ire for his anti-religious stance. Most recently, Manson shifted away from his Gothic image to embrace David Bowie-esque glam rock.