Metallica in the UK Singles Charts

 

Picture taken by Raph_PH under the Creative Commons License

Metallica are one of the most famous metal bands of all time. Formed in 1981, James, Lars, Kirk, Robert and former members have released 11 studio albums and a lot of singles during their time.

It took them 6 years to finally achieve a top 40 hit in the UK. Since then, Metallica have amassed 20 top 40 hits. This is how they managed to achieve them.

The band's first appearance in the top 40 was with their E.P. "The $5.98 E.P. - Garage Days Re-Revisited". It contains covers of songs from british rock bands such as The Killing Joke, Diamond Head, Holocaust and Budgie and one cover of a song from American band Misfits.

In order for it to chart in the UK, Metallica's cover of "The Wait" by Killing Joke was taken off the E.P. in order to comply with chart rules at the time. 

As a result, the E.P. would chart at #27 in August 1987. None of their earlier songs, such as "Master Of Puppets" and "To Whom The Bell Tolls, ever charted in the top 100.

One year later, Metallica gained their first top 20 single. "Harvester Of Sorrow" was the first single off their 4th album 'And Justice For All'; a more political and angrier album.

"One" would surpass the success of their last single a year later in 1989. It's lyrics and videos would stick in the memories of many and resulted with the single peaking at #13. 

At that point, "One" was their highest charting single. On the week of its peak, The Bangles' "Eternal Flame" was at #1.

The anticipation for Metallica's next album was at an all time high. When "Enter Sandman" was released in 1991, it would surprisingly debut in the top 10.

Thanks to its music video, the song peaked at #5 in August 1991, a higher position than in the USA where it only made it to #16.

When "Enter Sandman" entered the charts, Bryan Adams' "Everything I Do (I Do It For You)" was at its 5th week at number one.

Four more singles were released from their 5th album. 

"The Unforgiven" made it to #15 in November, the ballad, "Nothing Else Matters" got to #6 in May 1992, "Wherever I May Roam" got to #25 during Halloween and "Sad But True" reached #20 in 1993 (not bad for a 5th single released almost two years after the album it came from).

Fans would have to wait three more years for more Metallica material.

Finally, in May 1996, the first single from the 6th album was released. It was named "Until It Sleeps" and charted at #5 in its first week; matching with "Enter Sandman" as their highest charting single.

Unfortunately, the rest of the singles from 'Load' and 'Reload' (Metallica's 7th album) never entered the top 10 in the UK or USA.

"The Memory Remains" would chart the highest in November 1997 at #13. This was around the time when pop music and R&B were more favoured than rock.

In 2000, Metallica recorded the song "I Disappear" for the 2nd Mission Impossible movie. Despite the movie's success, the song would only make it to #35. 

This was also the year when the band sued Napster for copyright infringement and Jason Newsted, the bassist, would leave the band.

Three years later, Metallica returned for their eighth album 'St. Anger'; they would then release their first single for the album, named "St. Anger". 

The song would miss out on the US hot 100. However, in the UK, it made it all the way to #9 in May 2003. This was due to their advertising as Metallica performed the track on Top Of The Pops and was played heavily on radio.

#"Bring Me To Life" by Evanescence was at #1 when "St. Anger" was in the charts. After that, Metallica would never have a top 10 hit in the UK again.

The second single, "Frantic", charted at #16 and "The Unnamed Feeling" missed out on the top 40 by two places.

The album was divisive. There were no guitar solos and the drumming was unconventional, yet a lot of people liked it for being adventurous.

Metallica would go back to their roots for their next album "Death Magnetic". Its first single would be "The Day That Never Comes" and would enter at #36 in the UK.

In its second week, the song climbed up to #19, only for it to fall off the top 40 in its third week.

Metallica would never achieve a top 40 hit after this. "My Apocalypse" only made it to #51 and "Cyanide" fell short at #48.

Only one single was released for Metallica's collaboration with Lou Reed."The View" did not chart.

The album 'Lulu' stalled at #36 and is regarded as Metallica's worst album.

After 'Lulu', no songs from their next albums 'Hardwired To Self Destruct' and '72 Seasons' would chart in the UK Singles Charts. Physical singles died out in the late 2000s and the band had been around since the 1980s.

Recently, there was a surprise for Metallica. "Master Of Puppets" would finally chart in July 2022 after it appeared in the 4th season of Netflix's Stranger Things.

In its second week, the song charted at #22 and stayed in the Top 40 for three more weeks. Not only did Stranger Things make the song popular again, it proved that Metallica are still respected in the music industry.

As of 2024, the band are set to tour Europe and the USA. And, in any circumstance, one of their many songs could enter the charts again; either through social media or any movie set for release.