Metallica: 2023 Headlines
Metallica’s “72 Seasons” was released amid a very busy year.
NCAA bans Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” during the first round NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament in March. The Virginia Tech Hokies use the song as entrance music. The ban was to keep the Virginia Tech’s Cassell Coliseum venue ‘neutral’. No matter. Virginia Tech fans respond by loudly chanting “Enter Sandman” instead.
As “72 Seasons” debuts at #2 on the Billboard 200, Metallica’s eleventh studio album owns the Top Rock Albums survey (dated 4/29). The album also rules the Top Hard Rock Albums, Top Album Sales and Vinyl Albums charts. “72 Seasons” reached #1 in over a dozen countries.
Metallica’s “72 Seasons,” the title track from the album, is #1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart (dated 7/1).
The band’s All Within My Hands foundation donates $200,000 in August to provide relief to those affected by the wildfires that devastated the Hawaiian island of Maui. The grant goes to the Maui Strong Fund established through the Hawai’i Community Foundation (HCF).
Metallica sets the attendance record for SoFi Stadium in L.A. More than 156,000 tickets are purchased for the two-concert stand as part of Metallica’s “M72” world tour.
Frontman James Hetfield tests positive for COVID-19. That forces the postponement of a 9/3 ‘M72 No Repeat Weekend’ concert in Glendale, AZ.
“Too Far Gone?” tops Billboard‘s Mainstream Rock chart (dated 11/4). It is Metallica’s 13th Mainstream Rock #1.
Two concerts in St. Louis (11/3 and 11/5) sell over 100,000 tickets to set an attendance record at the Dome at America’s Center.
Metallica enters the SoundExchange Hall Of Fame for being one of the most streamed acts in music tech organization’s 20-year history.
Metallica plays the Soundstorm festival in Riyadh (12/14). It’s the band’s first concert in Saudi Arabia.
