Funk metal is a relatively small subgenre of alternative metal, it is a fusion genre which has origins in the 1980s, though came into prominence in the 1990s. A typical funk metal composition usually incorporates elements of various funk styles, with elements of heavy metal styles. Groups considered funk metal are often described as playing ''hard-driving heavy metal guitar riffs, groove based bass rhythms characteristic of funk, and occasional hip hop-style vocal rhymes'', producing an alternative approach to songwriting.

Some artists who are used as typical examples of funk metal include: Faith No More, Primus, Living Colour, Extreme, and Electric Boys and Infectious Grooves.

Due to the inherent diversity in both funk and heavy metal, there is seldom a stereotypical, unified sound associated with funk metal, instead the tag is more collectively used to represent bands that explore funk metal concepts, as well as funk bands who experiment heavy metal elements, and heavy metal bands that experiment with funk elements, rather than bands that explore both concepts in a balanced fashion.

This style gained some popularity in the late 80s and early 90s thanks to band's such as Primus, Faith no More and Red Hot Chili Peppers, however in recent years the genre has faded into obscurity, with very few new funk metal band's emerging after the 1990s, with most new funk metal bands formed around the mid 1990s and late 1990s eventually branching out to nu metal and other styles by the beginning of the new millenium.