I can give a few examples.
For me battery is definitely the main one that I think about. I mean in terms of music I think it has all the makings of what should be a good song. But it's pretty much always been my least favorite song off of master of puppets. The intro was great. I think that the bridge section is also great. I think it probably has to do with the lyrics and not really seeing much meaning or being able to relate to them. I think it probably had more potential than they were able to squeeze out of it.
Creeping death is another example. Don't get me wrong, I love this song. But it seems like a favorite for a lot of fans. I started listening to ride the lightning when I was six or seven years old and it's never been one of my favorite songs off the album. But I do look at it as important because I think it's a kind of transitional song between the early pure thrash fruits, and working towards something like the song master of puppets. I have even heard that when they wrote Master of puppets, essentially they were trying to do a better version of creeping death.
Nothing else matters is a great song, musically, but I also think it's kind of overrated as a Metallica song. It's not a metal song and for some strange reason some people refer to it as a metal song. I don't think I really understand a lot of the lyrics. I won't elaborate on that because this post is long enough.
Otherwise, memory remains is a song that I really don't like at all. I think it's lame. I got to hear it live, which was not in anyway enjoyable. I like a lot of the stuff off load and reload, but this is the song that I think is most overrated from that era. The other three songs I listed our songs that I would be unhappy if I never heard them again. But this is a song that if I never heard again, I don't feel like I would be missing out on anything. I think I would probably rather hear anything else that they've done from 1991 onward.
Enter Sandman
I agree that it’s an overrated song, but not necessarily a bad one. It’s the first Metallica song I ever heard when I was 6 years old.
Happy to hear it live and that’s about it.
100%. Enter Sandman is my generations Stairway to Heaven. I will vomit if I hear someone playing it at a guitar shop. The only time I will stomach it is if I see Metallica live.
It has classic riffs and great bassline. Can't go wrong
I can understand that pic, but I think mainly it’s just played out for a lot of people. I don’t think it’s a bad song. It’s not one of their best songs in my opinion, but I was glad I got to hear them play it live.
It was badass when it came out. Agree it got overplayed.
Enter sandman is my least favorite song . I’d rather listen to the whole st anger album then that song
I like St. Anger 😠
St ANGER would be great if the songs were not so long just make them short and aggressive and it's a great album. Check out st banger on YouTube
I think the live DVD on the st anger album where you watch them play the songs. IS MUCH better than the actual album itself.
Oh hell yeah.
I kind of don't like st anger remakes because songs on og st anger album are built for this exact drum sound and with regular drum songs sound quite plain
That's a fair criticism. I'll check it out. Thanks!
Tryna be different
Nah I back hun tbh and I often do rather listen to load/st anger songs than this.
Only exception is when I’m watching Moscow 91 lol
This
I could die happy if I never had to hear Nothing Else Matters again
I always think that, but then it comes on and I kinda lose myself in it.
I'm just over it. I dislike it for a multitude of different reasons, but I'm sick to death of it, and it's just a downer during a live show. And, of course, they have to play it at every goddamn show, because it's such a huge hit. I always go to the bathroom or go grab a beer as soon as those first few notes hit. Best part of the No Repeat Weekend shows was only having to hear it one night.
A downer! Such a mad take.
What are the reasons you don’t like it??
Yeah dang! The song makes ya feel like you got this shit hang in there
LoL I can’t agree with you but still understand and laugh cuz of it. Not my fav but musically wise I lose myself in the guitar solo plucks/chords and bring out my viola to play it while it’s on the radio
Gotta bump the first S&M Nothing Else Matters more
Same
Exactly
Enter sandman. And pretty much the entire Black Album. For no other reason than just burn out. It got so much airplay that I could die happy if I never hear any of those songs again.
My ‘complaint’ with the black album is that I really just don’t like the way his voice is mixed in it. I love his voice on pretty much every album they have other than that.
Oh wow. That’s an opinion I haven’t really heard before
I really haven’t either, and I only just realized it recently. Otoh, I absolutely love his voice on Justice and on Load. So I’m not even stuck on one specific style
His voice is fine on the record imo but love you can tell it really is a struggle
And then if we listen to Donnington 1995...
Oh shit his voice kicks ASS on black album songs that come up in the set.
Ooh very interesting
I agree and if I have to pick one it would be NEM then Unforgiven then Sandman, then Sad. Such waste of 72 Seasons songs this tour for these.
Enter sandman
Seek and Destroy
Whiskey in the jar
Fuel
And a few others (…)
God I can't stand Whiskey in the Jar.
Especially when they play it on the radio. Like come on, if you're going to play Metallica, play one of their original songs for fucks sake, even if it is Enter Sandman.
Add Sad but true for me ...
Seek and Destroy. I think it’s one of their weakest songs.
I’m glad they at least shortened the fan sing-along portion at the shows in recent years. The live version from the 90’s on the binge and purge album is 18 minutes long! (and I remember seeing them during that era… it got boring after a minute or two and I was just wishing they’d used some of that time to play some additional songs)
Yeah I always hated that.
Just seek and destroy or were they doing the kill em all medley at the time?
Yeah this is song only fun to listen to if you’re hearing it live and singing along. That’s the case with Enter Sandman and Nothing Else Matters too
I think they play it because it's from KEA but one of the easier songs to play
It’s definitely one of their easiest. First one I learned on guitar- the riffs anyway.
Unforgiven and Nothing Else Matters.. Skip over them every time.
Seek and Destroy is good, but it suffers from “overplayed till it’s boring” syndrome.
for whom the bell tolls - yeah it's got an iconic bass lead and great lyrics, but it's quite repetitive
The Memory Remains
That’s the only song I like on Reload.
I like the first five seconds and the last 60 seconds 🤣
Fuel
Recently, it has grown on me a little bit, but I understand where you’re coming from.
THIS is the answer…
Song just plods along...boring.
Dang really? I feel like the tempo keeps it pumping
As much as I love to play and listen to the beginning of For Whom the Bell Tolls, I don’t care much for the entire rest of the song as it seems slow and long, but studio version only. Live is cool to watch, especially Day on the Green, 1985 or whenever Jason would add is own spin to it, like when he uses the wah in the end if the intro.
What the f**k is this post…?
What the f**k is this comment…?
Fuel
My least favorite Metallica song. Good call.
Don’t know if it ranks as super popular but The Day that never comes. Can’t stand it. It’s like they sat around and thought ”Okay, let’s make a song like Fade to black and One”. It’s just not creative or original, and has some of James dumbest lyrics. ”Love is a four letter word”, ok then… But hey, if you like it that’s awesome and the reason I bring it up is because it was a pretty big song when it was released. Was all over radio, just wish it was a better song.
It’s far from my favorite song so I’m not necessarily defending the song but the four-letter word part gets a pass from me. It’s not just James counting the letters. It’s an expression for a word being rude of offensive that’s been censored like on tv.
So comparing love to one of those taboo words is at least kind of clever to me.
Yes. I agree 100%
I was coming here to say Day That Never Comes as well.
It's not a bad song, but I wouldn't complain if they stopped playing it live. They have plenty of songs that could fill the same slot in a set list
i remember it being the first single released and i ended up thinking it was one of the weakest songs on the album. at least one i never feel the need to listen to
Memory Remains
I'm gonna get tons of hate for this but... sad but true.
That's sad...
...but it is true 😔
It's a cool, good, heavy song.
I'm down to have them play something else live in its place. Please.
At least have it be sometimes played on a no repeat weekend, or a one night show. And not one of the guaranteed songs
This. Not completely gone. Just... sometimes.
The Unforgiven (all of them). I’m just not a ballad guy, I prefer the thrashier, galloping riffs stuff
The video and sequel songs sucked too.
Hop off II and especially III
Whiskey in the Jar. In fact, most of their covers are not my favorites. But that one is the one I could never hear again and be good.
Fuel.
It has grown on me a little bit, but I understand where you’re coming from.
For Whom The Bell Tolls easily
I stopped reading the second you said battery
The Unforgiven. It's a well put together song from a structure standpoint, and it has good hooks. It just doesn't do it for me, though. Doesn't have a groove that appeals to me.
Fuel
Don't Tread On Me. That song just grinds my gears.
Wow. One of my faves and yet it's generally forgotten.
The Thing That Should Not Be. It's boring.
Agreed with this. It’s sonically heavy but it just kind of trudges along. I’ve seen it live a few times, and they play so few songs nowadays that I hope I’m never stuck with it again.
I love playing that song on guitar because it’s so heavy but I think I just like the riff. It does get repetitive….
Not popular.
I don’t agree, but I see how someone could pick it. The song was put together at the last minute in the studio. All the other songs were already written when they put that together. And I think it has one of Kirk’s shortest solos that he’s ever done. I really like the song, but I can see how others might find it boring.
The memory remains is probably the most popular one that I don’t really care for
Thingy and Seek
I can agree.
Honestly I hear master of puppets way to much
I hear it so much and never get bored of it
I understand where you’re coming from but I do think it’s essentially one of their best songs in terms of composition. The bridge part that James Road is one of the most beautiful things he’s ever written.
I mean I don’t hate it I just get tired of it very easily and I totally agree with you
This is why you have to alternate between the album version and the S&M version — you can never tire of it that way!
King Nothing. It's not bad, just doesn't do it for me.
I used to like the song more, but I’ve come to view it as kind of generic. And I don’t know what the lyrics are really talking about. I think it’s an OK song. I wouldn’t mind hearing it live, but I think it’s far from their best during the load era.
They played this when I saw them on their M72 Tour back in April and I was like.... really? The song isn't bad, but there are so many others that are better setlist material.
For Whom The Bells Toll. Don't find it interesting but I appreciate its simplicity and bass intro. But the S&M version is AMAZING
Disappointing that it has basically no solo too. Just some whammy bar dives at the end. Kind of uncharacteristic for Metallica of that era.
The Unforgiven
Unforgiven or Enter Sandman, take your pick.
I understand where you’re coming from but I’m glad I got to see them perform those songs live. Especially seeing them perform unforgiven kindled a renewed interest in a song.
Fuel
Whiskey in the Jar. Technically, it's a cover, but still
Sanatarium.
Easily my least favourite on Master. Possibly my least fav on the 3 album run RTL MOP AJFA.
The rest of Master is sooooo good. My Altima favourite album.
Leper Messiah
Sooooo good
Whiskey In The Jar-o is a stupid song.
It’s not their song, but ok
It’s on a Metallica album, they play the song in concert, and it’s a stupid song.
It’s on a Metallica album, they play the song in concert, and it’s a stupid song.
for whom the bell tolls. SO AWFUL. i have no clue how no one has put this yet… clearly such a weak song
Good stadium chant song but other than that theres almost no reason to play it on it's own. The bass riff is cool though
It’s sad but true that mine is Sad But True
I could go the rest of my life without hearing Sad But True and Nothing Else Matters.
Nothing else matters just sucks to me.
Those ones
I got burnt out on Nothing Else Matters.
Beautiful piece of music, but when it first came out, it was so oversaturated on FM radio & MTV, that to this day I won’t listen to it intentionally.
Enter sandman i love, but have heard far too many times
I won’t take Battery personally, I won’t take Battery personally, I won’t take Battery personally 😂😂
To each their own for sure! I’m not a fan of anything after death magnetic, can’t explain why. But def not a hot take.
Nothing Else Matters. Hate it, especially since they play it on every fucking live show. If I wanted to listen to some pop shit that makes girls wet, I'd go see Justin Bieber.
Orion. Overrated song just because it was Cliff's last. Kthulu is much better music-wise.
Nothing else matters.
I fucking despise The Memory Remains.
The Memory Remains. So meh, but I always see it ranked highly not just in regards to Reload, but in general.
Hero of the Day
Fuel. Can't stand that song.
GIMMEFOOGIMMEFARGIMMEDABAJABAZAAA
Sandman, nothing else matters, and maybe seek and destroy although seek is way ahead of the other 2
Seek and Destroy. I like the opening riff but then the repeated chorus just drags it down for me. I always groan when I hear it live cause I know that means it’s one less song that I might’ve gotten to hear
Nothing Else Matters. Don't get me wrong, NEM is a musical masterpiece. But whenever it comes on, I just feel like skipping it
I know it’s a cover but I can’t stand Whiskey in the Jar
Nothing else matters
Sad But True. Truly an awful song.
To Live Is to Die
Idk, it just doesn't quite fit in with AJFA.
Whiskey in the Jar
Wow, you’re getting a lot of hate for this one, but I agree with you.
The Thing that Should Not Be. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a great go to the bathroom/merch stand/concessions song.
Enter Sandman, Sanitarium, The Four Horsemen
Anything on the black album to present
2/3rds of the Black Album.
Anything on the Black album, specifically Enter Sandman. What a bunch of lyrically dumb songs that Bob Rock made super glossy with production. The Black albums sounds great, but it sucks.
Nothing Else Matters, Battery.
NEM for me. Its a good song, but ive heard it so much…
Nothing Else Matters. My second least favourite their song
Any unforgiven, sanitarium, hero of the day, anesthesia.
I personally never got all of the praise for Hero of the Day… to me it’s one of the least Metallica-like songs they’ve done
Hero of the Day. Starts out nice, but once the tempo picks up I'm out.
Mama said
honestly? might get a lot of hate for it but that's okay cause that's what is music is abt but pretty much the entirety of Ride The Lighting.
easy answer for me: Wherever I May Roam.
Well, I've listened to 100+ Metallica concerts and this is probably the only song I got tired of very quickly and was happy whenever they replaced it with something else in the setlist.
Harvester of Sorrow. It’s a 6 minute long song but it’s rather slow.
However, it’s way better live than it is on the studio version.
Harvester of Sorrow and Blackened. I think both are very overrated
Nothing Else Matters and The Unforgiven
They're great songs, but if you ask me, overhyped.
I like the 3rd the most out of The Unforgivens and then I would take Devil's Dance in place of NEM.
One. Fade To Black. Sanitarium. Enter Sandman.
Anything after Justice.
I've never really cared for their instrumentals 😬
The Four Horsemen
Wha-
Fight fire with fire & Trapped under ice.
Only songs from RTL I don't listen to often, don't really jump out at me like the others.
Most of the first three albums.
Don't get me wrong, they are great songs but there is not a song from the first three albums in my top 20.
This is probably the craziest and most controversial answer that somebody can give. I’m guessing that you’re probably younger? I find that younger people generally like the newer stuff.
I'm younger, I LOVE the first albums and can't get into it as much after the Black Album. This is definitely an interesting take.
While I would say that younger fans are more accepting of their later albums, the original comment you replied to is still absolutely insane to me unless they’re more a fan of more mainstream genres over metal (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it would make sense given how much “poppier” Load and Reload are compared to the first 4 albums)
Fuckin blasphemy dude
This is insane for me personally because I’m the exact opposite. There’s only 1 song post-black album that’s in my top 20 (it’s Outlaw Torn) and the vast majority of the rest of that top 20 is taken up by the first 4 albums.
For me personally that period in between TBA and Death Magnetic is either just boring (Load/ReLoad) or bad (St. Anger).
King Nothing, Fuel. There are much better songs on each record imo.
Sad But True. But I think my issue with it is more that it's an every show staple. It's a good song that I enjoy, but hearing it every love show is too much.
Creeping Death and Sad But True should swap setlist priorities IMO. Give me Creeping Death every show and Sad But True like 75% of the time instead of vice versa.
Popular in this sub or popular in the mainstream?
If it’s this sub I’ve gotta say it’s Fixxxer, the song just puts me to sleep (along with the rest of Load/Reload honestly).
If it’s the mainstream it’s absolutely the “radio trifecta” of Sandman, Sad But True, and Nothing Else Matters. I’ve just heard all 3 way too many times.
I don't like One very much. It's basically waiting for most of the songs to get to the good part. My opinion is a bit hypocritical, though, because Sanitarium is one of my favorites, and it's basically the same thing.
Battery is a fundamental song without a particularly deep meaning, imo. It just doesn't need to be looked into that hard.
I think Creeping Death does a better job of feeling like a big musical adventure than Master of Puppets does, most because it ends stronger instead of fading off
Fuel
Enter Sandman. I would have preferred the song about crib death.
Not crazy about Fuel, I disappear…to not like Creeping Death is insane to me
Fuel.
Never liked it.
It’s a douchey song. Cool! Fast cars! Burning gasoline! Whoa!!! I love Metallica but have always just found this song to be lame. (Just my opinion)
The entire AJFA , minus One, TLITD and Blackened. The rest is just boring, over complicated songs, hence why they don't play them live.
I hate their version of Turn The Page
I also hate it
Purify
the entire black album. i dont like james' voice after ajfa
Battery has a weak vocal melody, it's my least favourite on puppets too. Creep is fun live but i never listen to recordings of it.
My pick would be fuel, if that counts as popular. Not a fan of ride the lightning or fixxxer either.
Everything that's not on the black album.
Literally. Everything.
Wherever I May roam. I just dont get it
Turn The Page.
Gimme the original.
As for original music, I'm not a huge fan of The Thing That Should Not Be. To me it's one of those album filler songs that either becomes background noise while waiting for Sanitarium or skipped entirely.
Sandman, Sad but true.
That's go get a beer time for me.
Anything of the Black Album. Don’t get me wrong the songs are super fun to play on the drums, but if I have to hear Unforgiven or Nothing Else Matters one more time live 😅😅😅
They haven't put anything good out since master of puppets...... after cliff passed away they just became some whiny ass bitches that aren't worth shit
All of them. They have always been very mid in my mind for whatever reason.
Rtl title track it’s just slow the chorus is uninspired
Ride the Lightning; by all accounts I should be gushing over it. I love the longer more intricate stuff, like Puppetz and Fixxxer, but Ride never sat right with me. Which is strange since it’s one of the first songs of theirs I listened to. The first five I put into a Spotify playlist were Sandman, One, Puppetz, Fuel, and Ride. I definitely have fun playing it on guitar, but I never care for listening to it that much. I can’t really explain it.
It took a LONG time for me to finally get into most of AJFA. I liked Blackened and One only for the longest time and the rest was muddy, way too long dookie. I’m still not crazy about it, but I’ve come to like Straw and Harvester. Same goes for The Outlaw Torn, but then I just listened to it more and grew into it. Most of Reload as well.
That’s my thing with most music: I can come to like almost any song by just listening to it more. There’s very few songs I will still despise after a handful of listens.
Everyone’s allowed their opinions but I just don’t understand this take. What accounts are we talking about? It’s the third longest song on the album, and not even in their top 50 (fifty) longest songs, according to this post, and half of those are ones you said it took you a long time to like. I’m not disagreeing (and I think RTL is probably in the bottom half of songs on the album), but I’m just confused.
Not much meaning around Battery??? Read about it. It's the best song ever written (along with Whiplash) about being at a show and thrashing about.
When I was little I genuinely thought they were singing about batteries, would make a good soundtrack for a Duracell commercial LOL
Well, that’s exactly my point. They already did a song about moshing with whiplash, so I kind of find it redundant that they did another song about the mosh pit. And not only that, but they put it on master puppets, which is essentially a concept album. I feel like lyrically the song doesn’t really fit well with a lot of the other songs. A lot of the Bay Area, thrash bands had at least one mosh pit song, and whiplash is one of my favorite songs of theirs. Like I said, I just think that there was a lot more potential with the song.
Where did you hear Master of Puppets was a concept album? Or did you hit your hippocampus.
Battery is about the clubs they used to play on Battery St in San Fran. So moshing is going to be in there
I've never thought of the song lyrically as a sequel to whiplash but rereading them again I can understand that line of thinking.
I always thought of it more as an army general's pre war speech to his troops... Same thing I guess haha
Whiplash is on Kill Em All, Battery opens up Puppets. They aren’t on the same album, so this is a weak argument. The album is a loose concept, not so strict it can’t have anything else.