Korn

It's understandable that the men of Korn would be thinking about their bank accounts these days. There ain't many other first generation nu-metal groups still standing, and if they sit idly by, they'll be opening for Skid Row at mid-level bars across the country before they know it. Besides, their new profit-sharing partnership with Live Nation and EMI could turn out to be a smart business move -- and if all sides profit, expect it to be widely emulated. But lead singer Jonathan Davis's recent fondness for referring to Korn as a "brand" rather than a band is disheartening, and so was his decision to co-write much of See You on the Other Side, the act's latest CD, with the Matrix, the hit-making squad behind that paragon of rawk authenticity, Avril Lavigne. Granted, nothing on the new disc is quite as hideous as the combo's embarrassing 2004 cover of Cameo's "Word Up," but the material's slick sound makes it clear that commercialism trumps passion these days. No doubt Davis and company (joined here by Mudvayne and 10 Years) still love their fans -- but they seem to be even fonder of their wallets.