Lars Ulrich reveals why Metallica let Stranger Things use “Master of Puppets”
By Daniel Roman
While Stranger Things 4 had no shortage of amazing moments, one that’s sure to become iconic is the fateful scene where Eddie Munson picks up his trusty guitar and shreds to Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” in the Upside Down as a way of distracting Vecna’s swarm of demobats.
The influence of that scene went way beyond Hawkins. Just like when the show featured “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” by Kate Bush earlier in its season, the appearance of “Master of Puppets” led to a huge surge in interest in Metallica. Almost 40 years after the release of “Master of Puppets,” the song climbed all the way to the number 35 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100, the first time it’s ever cracked that particular chart.
Deciding to license their music for Stranger Things was clearly a brilliant move for the veteran rock band. It’s fortunate that it all came together the way it did; a few years earlier, the band might not have given their blessing to the use of the song at all.
Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich breaks down the “mindfuck” of Stranger Things success
“It used to be, with Metallica, we were always the ‘no’ guys,” Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich said in a recent interview with Howard Stern, explaining how Metallica had a general policy of turning down offers to license their music in shows and movies. In recent years though, they’ve changed their mind.
“We did a 180,” Ulrich said. “We just said, ‘You know what? This is stupid. Why are we hanging onto these [songs] like they’re so important, like they’re the crown jewels?’ We started saying yes to everything. Let’s share our music with the world.”
Following the release of the Stranger Things 4 finale, “Master of Puppets” climbed the charts and got a huge bump in streaming numbers. Metallica has been enormously influential since the 1980s, but their latest crossover with Stranger Things introduced them to a whole new generation of potential fans.
“It was such a mindfuck to see how that became a phenomenon,” Ulrich continued. “It was totally unexpected. Who would’ve thought 40 years later that these songs could still have that impact? We were psyched to be part of it.”
Stranger Things’ fifth and final season is currently in the early stages of production. As for Metallica, you can find their entire, excellent catalogue of music on your streaming platform of choice.
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