There are moments in music history that resonate like intense notes, and on March 14, 1982, the first chord of Metallica . This immense legacy is backed by a rich discography of 13 studio albums and memorable performances across seven continents , earning them a fanbase in every corner of the globe.
Since Metallica is a band that takes many risks with their albums, each record reflects a period in which its members transcended their personal experiences and musical influences into music. Therefore, when it comes to putting together the perfect setlist for a tour, the task becomes as challenging as deciding which riff is the most iconic. With each new cycle of shows, a question arises: which songs from previous albums will give way to the most recent creations?
The difficult choice of which songs to include and which to leave out of live shows is like putting together a musical puzzle. Fans always have their favorite songs, with which they have formed emotional bonds. It's a thrilling mystery not knowing if your favorite song will be the next to emerge from the speakers. However, the stage, like a finite horizon, cannot encompass all the desired songs. With more than four decades of live performances, the curiosity reverberates: what are the songs that Metallica has never performed in their shows?
List of songs that Metallica has never played live.
The website Loudwire conducted a survey on Setlist.fm to discover which songs Metallica has never played live. To create the list, only Metallica's own songs were considered, therefore the albums Garage Inc (1998) and Lulu (2011) were excluded. Instrumental tracks were also not included in the survey.
To the delight of fans, all the songs from the first five albums were played live: Kill 'Em All (1983), Ride the Lightning (1984), Master of Puppets (1986), …And Justice for All (1988) and Metallica/ Black Album (1991).
Here's a look at the list of Metallica songs never played live at concerts, organized by album:
Load (1996)
“The House Jack Built”
“Cure”
“Thorn Within”
“Ronnie”
Reload (1997)
“Better Than You”
“Slither”
“Bad Seed”
“Where the Wild Things Are”
“Prince Charming”
“Attitude”
St. Anger (2003)
“Invisible Kid”
“My World”
“Shoot Me Again”
“Purify”
Hardwired… to Self-Destruct (2016)
“Am I Savage?”
“Murder One”
72 Seasons (2023)
“Crown of Barbed Wire”
“Chasing Light”
“Room of Mirrors”
“Inamorata”
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