[1] The music could be typified as "heavy country rock", and possibly as a rowdier version of ZZ Top or Status Quo.

In 2019, they reached number 9 in the annual Top 2000 hit list with "De boer dat is de keerl" (translates to "The Farmer, that is the man") due to a viral social media campaign to vote for it as a means of protest against increased hardship for farmers in the country caused by the tightening of nitrogen-emission laws.

Usually, however, the highest-ranked Normaal song is, "Oerend hard", ranging from a chart position of 82 in 2005 to 371 in 2023; it has appeared on the Top 2000 list every year since this was inaugurated in 1999.

[citation needed] The band was founded in 1974 by guitarist and lead vocalist Bennie Jolink and drummer Jan Manschot.

In the early days, the concerts were mainly focused on consuming large quantities of alcohol, and partying (for which they have come up with the umbrella term 'høken') rather than sound quality, although this has changed over the decades.

[citation needed] In October 2007, organizers of two hugely successful concerts by Normaal enabled the band to donate $11,000 to Woodstock General Hospital Foundation.