Howard Stern tries to perform Metallica song on air
On his show on Tuesday, Howard Stern said he brought multiple staffers to Metallica’s recent Hamptons show, including Fred Norris, Richard Christy, and Sal Governale. Stern joked he is the ‘fifth member’ of Metallica now. Despite the fun time, Howard got a ‘severe cold’ at the concert, delaying his return to his show. Stern played clips of Richard Christy singing very loudly and poorly.
Stern played guitar live on air as he discussed the Metallica show, with some criticism from fans. He previously failed trying to play The Cult’s “She Sells Sanctuary.” Stern has picked up playing guitar in recent years, so it’s admirable that he’s trying.
Last month on Howard Stern’s show, Lars Ulrich confirmed the launch of Metallica’s exclusive channel, “Maximum Metallica.”
Ulrich was also asked whether Metallica might perform a residency at the Las Vegas Sphere. He didn’t confirm anything but left the door wide open, saying he was blown away by U2’s 2023 show there and would love to do it—though he emphasized that nothing is finalized yet.
On top of that, Lars responded positively to the idea of Metallica playing the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show in their hometown, San Francisco. He called it a “dream come true,” while also stating the decision is ultimately the Halftime Show organizers.
Metallica’s history on The Howard Stern Show
Metallica have become recurring guests on The Howard Stern Show, building one of the longest-running relationships between the radio icon and a hard rock act. In September 2016, the band appeared on Stern’s SiriusXM program to promote Hardwired… to Self-Destruct, performing “Master of Puppets” and “Sad but True” live in the studio. Four years later, in August 2020, Metallica returned for a remote broadcast from their California headquarters, delivering a stripped-down version of “Nothing Else Matters” that quickly went viral across social media.
In September 2021, Stern hosted the group again to mark the 30th anniversary of The Black Album. That appearance included performances of “Wherever I May Roam,” “The Unforgiven,” and “Enter Sandman,” with the band discussing the record’s enduring impact and the massive Blacklist tribute compilation released that year. Most recently, in December 2023, Metallica returned to the Stern Show ahead of their 72 Seasons world tour, playing live renditions of new tracks while revisiting classics like “Lux Æterna.”
These repeated visits have solidified Metallica as one of Stern’s favorite rock guests, with Howard having a knack for decades for getting some of the greatest interviews in rock.
