Metallica Teasing Black Album 30th Anniversary Plans?
Metallica have taken to social media to share a vintage live clip of the band performing “Wherever I May Roam” (from the Live Shit: Bing & Purge box set, if we’re not mistaken), along with the hashtag “#BlackAlbum2021?”.
Noting that August 12 marks the 30th anniversary of the release of Metallica — more commonly referred to as “The Black Album” — The PRP surmises that the band could be hinting at some sort of celebratory plans.
Powered by hits like “Enter Sandman,” “Nothing Else Matters,” and “The Unforgiven,” The Black Album launched Metallica into mainstream superstardom, and remains their most commercially successful record to date, having sold 30 million copies and counting (it reportedly still sells approximately 5,000 copies every week). In 2019, it became one of only four albums ever to spend 550 nonconsecutive weeks (or 10.5 years!) on the Billboard 200 charts. Former bassist Jason Newsted has made it clear that he could live off of royalties from The Black Album alone. Producer Bob Rock sold his share of the album to mega-manager Merck Mercuriadis earlier this year.
In recent years, Metallica have marked the anniversaries of their classic releases with special super-deluxe reissues. It seems entirely plausible they might do the same for The Black Album.
They also have a handful of live dates scheduled for the fall, one or more of which could be some sort of Metallica celebration. The band previously performed the entire album live for its 20th anniversary a decade ago.
Looking forward and not back: Metallica frontman James Hetfield recently revealed that the band has “over ten songs” written for their next album.
Upcoming Metallica live dates:
09/24 Louisville, KY – Louder Than Life [tickets]
09/26 Louisville, KY – Louder Than Life [tickets]
10/08 Sacramento, CA – Aftershock [tickets]
10/10 Sacramento, CA – Aftershock [tickets]
11/12 Daytona Beach, FL – Welcome to Rockville [tickets]
11/14 Daytona Beach, FL – Welcome to Rockville [tickets]
