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Their songs have never really been more than surface level politics. A few anti war songs (and limiting that to very old wars so they're not seen as taking a stance on anything current that might be controversial), anti nuke songs, anti corruption (while not going into detail what they mean by that). Stuff they think everyone will agree with.
edit: Fixed typo. That was really triggering me after a while.
Exactly, they’re partly infamous for suing Napster. Not sure why people now think they’re going to jump on a political bandwagon.
It’s good to have a cause that you believe in, but cancelling people just because they don’t want to be a platform for it is just trying to limit pluralism
My husband and I were talking about how the internet was to our 8 year old a few weeks ago and now he “understands” what Napster, Limewire, and BitTorrent is 💀
Yes, it's obvious there is only one side that is okay to be pushed on reddit. This site is nothing more than bots and braindead morons pushing political propaganda now. Long gone is the time of learning new things and intellectual reddit discussion and discourse.
Yeah it’s always been vague “war is hell” type stuff that could still resonate with the kind of people who agree with that generally but still see glory in it. And there’s a reason that most of those songs were on their first four albums, back when they were an actual thrash band, playing to the crossover punk scene as well.
But even then they were basically the Muse of metal bands, making the kind of ambiguous political statements that only Dick Cheney could be upset by.
There’s a bit of truth to the Muse comparison but Muse has songs that are pretty sharp politically. They made songs that were pretty unambiguously against the Bush administration. After the Great Recession, they had a song against corporate greed. They’ve gone after the CIA. They had a January 6 song a few years ago. Metallica is way more vague.
At least war pigs came out during a very controversial war and geezer admit he wrote it out of his anxiety the vietnam war was causing. That's more than metallica ever did. They lightly tapped into the cold war fear of nukes dropping at any moment, that's as "political" as they ever got.
Metallica could have come out during the first gulf war and make a statement song but their response was Don't Tread on Me, an "america fuck yeah" song...
Oh, they were extremely political when it came to using the legal system to go after single mothers whose kids may have downloaded a few Metallica songs and suing them for hundreds of thousands of dollars. I could enjoy some Metallica back in the day but around the was when I stopped supporting them or buying their shit in any way. Fuck Metallica. They’re political as fuck. The politics of classism and oppression.
I don't think anybody would say anything if Metallica didn't say anything. Honestly, Idk why people thought Metallica was metal after the whole Napster thing. Basically sellouts since the early 2000s
This should get upvoted to the top. Are we so desperate for things to get outraged about that now we are aggrieved because Metallica isn't political enough? My goodness, no wonder we can't elect a decent politician. Talk about focusing on all the wrong things.
"Dear Americans, you have important elections coming up soon, focus on that please instead on whether Shane Gillis is evil for joking about women wearing revealing clothes at the gym and an old man being grumpy about political speeches during live shows"
Culture wars are a distraction from the class war pushed largely by bots and trolls.
Idk who these NPC’s are that demand that every artist engage in politics. Nobody’s mind has ever been changed by this bullshit (nor should they, it’s a fucking band). They either want them to say what they already agree with so they can clap or say something they disagree with so they can have an excuse to hate them
Stop engaging with this shit. It’s all bot driven division to make people angry. So many people that unable to think critically take advice from
bot farms and completely miss the subtle differences and nuances. They have never been politically motivated. They were anti government, power and control. They tell stories. They have never pushed politics down our throats. I doubt they are going to start anytime soon with how divisive the US is. Keep that shit as far away as possible. If you need your favorite artist to help guide you through world issues, you are a fool.
I’ve been to several Metallica concerts over the past couple of decades. At each one, Hetfield said some little speech about how everyone is welcome at these concerts and it doesn’t matter what you believe, we’re all here to enjoy it together. I’m pretty sure some people went to a concert and heard that and assumed it was somehow related to Macklemore and that situation instead of just being the same thing they’ve been doing for 30 years.
I understand when people don’t want to support an artist who has beliefs you strongly disagree with. But this whole outrage at Metallica feels completely manufactured.
Every 5-6 days redditors are pissed about something new and screeching about injustices of shit they only know via headlines and here. Maybe they should go to an actual musician before they go to Miss Rachel... where is Hailey Williams!?!?!? Guide the redditors!
Especially when it has to be THEIR way and THEIR view only on the issue no wiggle room no discussion. Say exactly what we want how we want it or else. Very tolerant indeed
I don't understand the big deal here. James basically said, "we go to concerts and play music to escape the frustrations of the world. Our shows are for everyone. We put aside everything so we can be here together and have an evening of heavy metal."
The fuck is the problem with that? Their "political" music has always been surface level, war/corruption is bad. That as a general statement, regardless of your stance on specific political issues, doesn't seem like a controversial statement to me.
Metallica as band is generally apolitical. They don't pick sides. They don't express their stances. They just write and play music. If you want something deeper than that, go see Rage Against the Machine, Rise Against, and the many other bands that make their stance clear as day. That's fine if that's what you want. But I go to a show to not be lectured about world events. I go to a show to enjoy music and watch a performance. I'd much rather hear, "this is for everyone. And while we're here, we don't care about anything outside these four walls" than a stance on a political view, EVEN if I agree with it.
I guess this is considered a hot take now adays. But I personally don't give 2 shits abouts the political opinion of celebrities and millionaires. As It has not standing value in my day to day life.
If you want to use your platform or stage presence to speak about what you're fighting for thats awesome and all the power to you for doing it. Though expecting everyone to join that train is ridiculous.
It's the whole 'you're with us or against us' attitude that pisses lots of people off.
If you don't agree with them 100% and are not extremely vocal about it at all times they you're damned as not only wrong but somehow immoral.
I hate Trump and right wing nuts as much as the next guy, but that doesn't mean I don't see how self proclaimed 'progressives' can be as obnoxious as fuck.
Don't care about Metallica and other musicians politics really, but this "you need to take sides" In USA is certainly first world problem, lol. Really feels as "we never do anything but we really like to divide into groups to feel important". Nah, you are not, guys, none of your rants or meetings stopped wars, genocides and other. It's good to see how many of you care about something on a surface level, but it feels too performative at the same time.
Bro, we're on the way to the 4th Reich coming to power in the US, when exactly is the appropriate time to "take sides"? Silence only ever helps the oppressors, and it sure looks like that's the side Metallica had chosen. Imagine saying this to someone in Germany in the late 30s and then looking back. Guys, I know some of you are Nazis and some of you are Jews, but let's all just have a good time tonight, okay? It sounds crazy, doesn't it?
ppl aren’t paying money to go to a concert to hear celebrities/musicians talk about politics
what is the problem with that ?
EDIT - yes I know Metallica has some political songs. This isn’t just about Metallica per se, but there are lots of bands and musicians who don’t have songs like that.
It’s more a comment about just wanting to go out and disconnect from the shit of the world for a night and not have political this and that- largely performative bullshit shoved down your throat all the time
was anyone at any point in time ever listening to metallica for their political takes??? no. does anyone gives two shits about celebrities and their bullshit hot takes? no.. so why do you?
If I'm at a Metallica concert I'm there to listen to Metallica play, not to hear about their political views. Same as if I'm listening to a politician speak, I'm not going to expect him to start playing the guitar. But some people are to thick to get that
Maybe Metallica understands people dont want to be preached at and go to shows to enjoy the music with everyone else. Contrary to what reddit believes Normal people are turned off from celebrity's pushing an agenda or lecturing grown adults about how they should feal about nuanced issues.
Not to mention reddit having some weird hard on for miss Rachel who is a kids influencer who is using her platform to speak on politics. Kids shouldn't be anywhere near it. Its like if steve from blues clues back in the 2000s started going off about the Iraq war its Fucking weird.
Not to mention the dumb stuff she's said recently about that drowning boy or black people not hanging themselves from trees. Some of you need to get out of your weird bubbles and talk to normal human beings.
Saddam used literal nerve agents that Bush Sr. had sold him, on Kurdish villages. Plenty of time to find them if Sr. had finished Saddam the first time around instead.
if metallica just cared about the music and didn't want to be political then they just would have done the show with no stops or comments anywhere,.and if they had no one (aside from fans) would be talking about the show/them now
Instead
They
Stopped their performance to give their take on current events where they said musicians shouldn't stop their performances/comment on politics and it should be about the music
Cool take,
But like sorry who asked them to speak? Sorry I missed audience member who promoted then to say all this???
But
And even if they had if they WERE neutral
not addressing it is by the far the best course of action,
You think any performances on tour right now would learn from edd Sheeran and how trying to play neutral doesn't work,
Instead we have what they actually did which was a dog whistle for the far right
This is my point. If they had said nothing there’s be no problem. Instead they went out of their way to denounce what someone else as saying calling it “bullshit”, and even if that was just a turn of phrase. It really makes them seem like bad actors. So I get why this is rubbing people the wrong way, they could’ve said nothing. Actively making a statement of being neutral is worse than picking a stance. See Ed Sheeran.
Also, art and music has always been political, because when politics debate human rights everything’s political.
Sincerely. A massive Metallica fan
I completely understand your point about people not wanting to be preached at, but there are other ways to get a message across to your platform than “preaching”. Orators have spoken out to large groups people about their beliefs since humans started congregating together. Your annoyance with this historical tradition is really just setting yourself up for future grumpiness.
Your association with her fans being turned on sexually to a kid’s show/host paints a dirty picture that is pretty fucked to say the least. She spoke up about politics as a Jewish woman and against the mass amounts of children being killed in the war. She never brings kids anywhere near her discussions of politics since those discussions mainly happen on platform where children are not apart of.
The inversion to people trying to do good in this world is mind blowing.
I thought Metallica was calling out someone individually when I saw all the drama and I do guess it was aimed at Macklemore but honestly
I sorta got what they said
We have been paid by you , you have travelled a long way, let’s all leave our politics at the door and just enjoy music
And honestly why not ? Not everyone has to be political, or not everyone has to share their views for you to like them or not.
Like we are already getting so much shoved down our throats from Gaza,Israel, Ukraine, Russia, China, politics around female bodies, immigration and so on and so on it can get fucking exhausting at times
It’s funny that everyone assumes that they are talking about Macklemore instead of someone like Kid Rock who’s doing the same shit from the other side of the aisle. Confirmation bias that you WANT to be outraged because a band says “we’re not going to try to sway you to our beliefs”.
Reddit. Reddit gives a shit because they need the social internet gold stars to give themselves that they're in line and how dare someone not think like them and not use their platform for reddits ideals.
No this is ludicrous. Internationally not using your platform because you're just an entertainer is exactly what I want from them. Not only is it ok to not have an opinion about everything, I don't want to be bombarded by everyone's all the time
If I go to a concert or movie I want to hear the music or watch the show to escape from my current life. If they start talking politics then I’ll just look at the political flyers stack in my mailbox, the political texts, and the endless commercials. I’m not paying for the celebrities political commentary even if it aligns with mine. I just don’t want it.
Saw them in 2017 and James just wants money, back then he was preaching some bs about everybody belonging in the Metallica family. Poser metal for Gen x fuckfaces that sat around and didn't do shit about anything so now we get to deal with it all.
I love how reddit thinks this is the "corporate" response. Y'all got it backwards. Screaming and crying about Palestine or ice or whatever tf if the corporate safe position.
Weird that an artist just playing music is now the edgy extreme take.
99% of ya'll are virtue signaling and it's time people that dont make their twitter feed their personality are able to enjoy shit without being dragged into pointless culture wars that keep the attention off the billionaires feeding you your timeline.
I go to concerts and sporting events to escape reality not engage in it. If I wanted to pay someone to tell me how to feel and what to think I’d turn on cable news.
Songs can be about anything. If it's politically influenced that's fine too. When I pay money to see a band perform, it's just that. I came for the music they wrote that I like and want to hear. If I wanted to listen to people ramble on about politics, I would turn on the news and play Pandora in the background to save money. Honestly, idgaf about a musicians political stand point or opinions. Play the damn guitar, scream into the mic, entertain the crowds that made you what you are.
The politics they sing about are different than what people want, singing about how corruption is bad, war is bad, etc, is not partisan politics. It’s a different kind of activism than saying free Palestine at a concert. I stand with Palestine all the way, but I don’t feel the need for the band I paid to go see to say it at the show. If they did? Amazing, good for them. If they choose to keep their careers about the music? Amazing, good for them. The freedom to express your views must be met with the freedom to keep them personal and private
God forbid you youngs go to a concert and just enjoy yourself without whipping out your phone and proselytizing your every minutiae of hate to the Interwebs. Your lives are so empty, it is really sad.
I went to a concert with my dad a few years ago, Aaron Lewis spent almost half the time just soapboxing about liberals. Like, I'm not exaggerating either.
I wasn't a huge fan of butt rock to begin with, but (didn't know this going in) now he's a wanna be country boy, so it was even worse. It might have been tolerable without the politics
We don't really need politics at concerts. I don't want the rich people telling me how they think I should feel
Aaron Lewis has become insufferable. I used to love his music. But when he started using his shows to ride Trump's ass & trash liberals, I literally walked out of one of his shows & quit listening to his music.
This is retarded. I have NEVER gone to a concert by any band and said “I sure hope they get political during the show”. People making an issue with this are shit.
Metallica have only about protecting themselves since the whole napster thing. Gave up listening to them years ago for their egos got in the way of enjoying
People cannot wrap their heads around this. You’re an artist, do your art for your message, if you have to parrot some dumbass Reddit phrase on stage for attention, it just means you’re no longer relevant and you’re pandering to boost your image again.
Who fucking cares if they don't want to use their platform to speak about world issues. There are a lot of people who just want their entertainers to perform. Their opinions are not what we pay for.
Considering the medium they are in (music) singing about injustice seems appropriate...
It's so bizarre that humanity needs all their celebrities to chat about issues; as long as they say what the mob wants - if not then it tells them to stfu because they are musicians and know nothing of politics.
What a time that we expect celebrities and artists to be the voice for politics. If they share our opinion then we are right (and happy about it), if they dont we cancel them.
As Jürgen Klopp (german football coach) said: let him be the expert on soccer and ask political experts about politics. In this sense, let Metallica make music and stop forcing them to be part of the political discussion.
You can sing about general injustices but not need to speak about current political events. There's quite a difference. Arguably, taking a general, indirect stance is better than soap-boxing to appease a particular crowd. Nobody needs to validate themselves or their beliefs to others by doing so, either.
Only 20-30% killed are hamas? You're just digging the hole deeper. So 80% of the people they just "accidentally" killed were Palestinian civilians. You can't say you're going after one group then kill 4 times as many of another. Just because they don't say what they're doing doesn't mean they're not doing it. It's genocide.
Their 2nd album plays heavily with themes of a broken criminal justice system, their 3rd album is about the abuses of war, their 4th album is also about a broken criminal justice system. So since about 1984
I feel like a lot of folks defending Metallica in this thread are missing context. James Hetfield made a speech on stage calling out other musicians who make speeches on stage and saying that they're just pushing their bullshit. He could've just shut up or went with a "No speeches today, we're just here to forget about the world and have a good time" and I think people would've been on board.
Metallica already has pretty political, anti-war songs. If they want to express their opinions purely through their art form, that's totally fine. The issue is that they're being hypocritical when they call other artists out for using their platform to continue to express their opinions.
IMO, concerts are probably the most innocuous place for someone to push their opinions. Only people who go to concerts are fans. It's basically just a giant rally for the band. Most people know what they're getting themselves into
We're in this shit show because too many people can't make their own informed decisions because they refuse to live in reality and expect to be rewarded in the afterlife.
I’m still mad at Lars over Napster, I know I gave my computer AIDS but he wanted to make sure we bought an entire album for two songs and that grift was getting bad with some albums. (I’m looking at you Shaggy, the single was sold out and the cd didn’t even have the radio version of Boombastic).
Anybody that would pay all the money they do to see artists complain about politics and social injustices during their sets, instead of playing another song is a fucking idiot. Hetfield is right. End of story.
You’ll get downvoted because Reddit is brainwashed but you are 100% correct. I paid to be entertained, say whatever bullshit message you have on social media
If you go to see RATM then you expect a political rant, fine. But Metallica aren't like that. Yes there are political themes in their songs, but that doesn't mean they'll give you a sanctimonious lecture on top of it. They let their music and lyrics speak for themselves.
I'm literally angry at them for the third time. Which also makes me mad at me for even giving them any more of my time. First, Napster (the biggest one, and also the greatest stab in the back to fans of all time...f*ck you Lars). Then that whining and embarrassing doc with their therapy sessions, and now this. It's not so much about his political thoughts this time, per se, it's just why do they have to sound like such a bunch of cry baby bitches? He has every right to say hey, we're here to have fun and take you away from the world for a bit. It's honestly why I like concerts- taking a break from the day to day. But there is no need to call out others for using their platform they way they choose. Especially coming from a band that sued their own fans. Sorry, I ranted. Napster strikes a nerve with me.
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