Metallica's Master of Puppets vaults into Official Singles Chart Top 40 following Stranger Things' Eddie Munson's guitar solo scene
The Stranger Things effect looks creates another success story this week, as Metallica's Master of Puppets sees a huge uplift following its feature on the Netflix series.
Last month, Kate Bush smashed three Official Charts records simultaneously as Running Up That Hill reached Number 1 on the Official Singles Chart some 37 years after its release. The song's unprecedented surge in popularity was thanks, in large part, to its inclusion during one of Stranger Things Season 4, Volume 1's pivotal scenes.
And today, Metallica's 1986 track experiences similar success as it makes its UK Top 40 debut. The song becomes the rock legends' first Top 40 in 14 years; their last being 2008's The Day That Never Comes.
Why? Well, it's all down to character Eddie Munson's guitar solo scene.
MORE: See Metallica's full Official Charts history
Why is Metallica's Master of Puppets on the rise following its inclusion in Netflix's Stranger Things?
Viewers have been left in awe of character Eddie Munson's - played by actor Joseph Quinn - guitar solo scene in Stranger Things Season 4 Volume 2. So much so, the song has jumped to Number 22 on this week's Official Singles Chart.
The track becomes the band's first UK Top 40 hit in 14 years.
The group, comprising James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo, are loving the audience's rediscovery of the song, too.
What have Metallica said about Master of Puppets and Eddie Munson's guitar solo scene?
In a recent statement, the band praised Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer for the 'next level' ways in which they've incorporated music into the show.
They said: "[We're] beyond psyched for them to not only include Master of Puppets in the show, but to have such a pivotal scene built around it’.
"We were all stoked to see the final result and when we did we were totally blown away.
"It’s so extremely well done, so much so, that some folks were able to guess the song just by seeing a few seconds of Joseph Quinn’s hands in the trailer!! How crazy cool is that?"
Metallica even 'duetted' with Eddie on the song as part of a viral TikTok trend recently. Iconic scenes.
When was Metallica's last Official Singles Chart Top 40 entry?
Metallica's last UK Top 40 single was 2008 release The Day That Never Comes, lifted from their Number 1 album Death Magnetic released the same year.
Master Of Puppets now becomes Metallica's 20th Top 40 hit to date.
Tell me more about Metallica's Master of Puppets single...
Master of Puppets was released in the UK in July 1986, and served as the only single from the group's album of the same name. The album peaked at Number 41 upon its release.
See this week's full Official Singles Chart Top 100 here from 5.45pm.
Article images: Metallica/Shutterstock/Netflix
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R
RyanT
excellent! I am glad the streamer gen of today...are discovering these classics and sending them up the charts
NN
Nu No
Great that they got their 20th TOP 40 Hit!
This is huge for a metal band!
CP
Courtney Puzzo
it's 36 years after Master Of Puppets song was released on July 2nd 1986 and it's been used in other media previously like the 2003 movie Old School using old songs in pivotal scenes of shows/movies isn't a rare occurrence
J
JK
Nobody said that it was rare to use an old song in a pivotal scene of a show or movie, what is rare is that the use of the song translates into chart success like in the case of Master of Puppets or RUTH.
Your example of the past use of the song in Old school with irrelevant impacto on the charts is the clear evidence that the current chart success of the song is a rare occurrence
David Eve
Sounds like the record company may have requested and received a reset to SCR.on this....Hopefully it can climb into the top 20....
NN
Nu No
"Masters of Puppets" single never reached the UK TOP 100 so it will enter the charts for the first time 36 years after the initial relase! Reaching TOP 40 it will be Metallica 20th song to reach this chart region.
Küll
Kate and Metallica 😍
AUCF
Angry UK Chart Fan
Hooray, more Stranger Things effect. All the more reason not to care about it because it's being spoiled through famous scenes and discussions at school, work and wherever, meaning I don't have to spend several hours on a probably uninteresting supernatural/science fiction involving kids and grown-ups to know what happened.
AsparagusTrevor
"I don't care about this! I must leave a comment!"
I'd say anything that is bringing a new audience to classic songs/artists is a positive thing, whether you're interested in the show or not, or even so disinterested you have to rush to let everyone know you're not interested.