The Beautiful People was released by Marilyn Manson in 1996 as the lead single from Antichrist Superstar, and it became one of the band's most recognisable songs thanks to its stomping riff and confrontational chorus. The track's industrial rock sound helped define late-nineties alternative metal, and its title phrase entered wider pop culture through radio, films and sports broadcasts. Short clips are still shared online because the riff is instantly recognisable even without vocals, making it a useful shorthand for menace, confidence and rebellion.