Brian Hugh Warner, known professionally as Marilyn Manson, is an American rock musician who rose to prominence as the lead singer (and only constant member) of the band he formed in 1989 with Daisy Berkowitz. The band members created their stage names by combining the first name of an American female sex symbol with the last name of a male serial killer, like actress Marilyn Monroe and cult leader Charles Manson.
In the 1990s, the band released the albums Portrait of an American Family (1994), Antichrist Superstar (1996) and Mechanical Animals (1998). In the U.S. alone, three of the band's albums have been awarded platinum status and three more went gold, and the band has had eight releases debut in the top 10, including two No. 1 albums. Manson has been ranked at No. 44 on the list of the "Top 100 Heavy Metal Vocalists" by Hit Parader and, along with his band, has been nominated for four Grammy Awards – Manson himself earned an additional Grammy nomination for his work on Kanye West's Donda (2021). Manson made his film debut as an actor in David Lynch's Lost Highway (1997), and has since appeared in a variety of minor roles and cameos. In 2002, his first art show, The Golden Age of Grotesque, was held at the Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions center.
His music and stage personality have earned Manson a reputation in mainstream media as a controversial figure and negative influence on young people. He is widely considered one of the most controversial figures in heavy metal, and has been involved in numerous controversies throughout his career. His lyrics were criticized by American politicians and were examined in congressional hearings. Several U.S. states enacted legislation specifically banning the group from performing in state-operated venues. In 1999, news media falsely blamed Manson for influencing the perpetrators of the Columbine High School massacre. His work has been cited in several other violent events; his paintings and films appeared as evidence in a murder trial, and he has been accused of inspiring several other murders and school shootings. In 2021 former partner Evan Rachel Wood accused Manson of psychologically and sexually abusing her, allegations he denied. Four other women followed with similar accusations. He sued Wood for defamation (but later dropped the lawsuit and paid her legal fees).
