Although a shock-rock persona made Marilyn Manson a target of criticism in the '90s and early '00s, the hard rocker today is a highly respected, Alice Cooper–like figure. That comparison holds for Manson's flamboyant, aggressive music — combining influences from industrial, metal and glam — and flashy live shows, which boast ornate costumes, dizzying light shows and impressive staging. Appropriately enough, Manson toured with Cooper in 2013 on the Masters of Madness Tour, although that trek was simply one of his many well-suited live gig pairings. Back in the '90s, he opened for fellow metallic electro-rockers Nine Inch Nails, while in 2018 and 2019, Manson toured with Rob Zombie on a trek dubbed Twins of Evil. Around his own tours, Manson has also performed at major rock festivals such as Louder Than Life, Aftershock, Download and Rock on the Range.

Marilyn Manson in Concert

Born Brian Warner, Marilyn Manson grew up in Canton, Ohio, and later moved to Florida and studied journalism in college. Life had other plans, though. The aspiring musician formed the group Marilyn Manson & the Spooky Kids in 1989. In 1993, the group signed a record deal with the Trent Reznor–owned Nothing Records, which released the landmark 1994 debut album, Portrait of an American Family. In the years after, Manson was nominated for four Grammy Awards on the way to releasing 1996's alternative-music totem Antichrist Superstar and releasing singles that dabbled in glam ("The Beautiful People"), sludgy grunge ("The Dope Show," a cover of Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams") and sizzling industrial ("mOBSCENE"). Manson also expanded his empire beyond music, dabbling in art, acting (including on Sons of Anarchy) and soundtrack work. In fact, albums such as 2015's The Pale Emperor even have a cinematic bent, courtesy of a collaboration with noted film composer Tyler Bates.