Featured Image Credit: Sipa US / Alamy / Netflix
Topics: Stranger Things, Film and TV
Lisa McLoughlin
Fans of Stranger Things are divided online as a number of viewers declared that they want to ‘cancel’ Metallica after looking into the rock band’s past.
The band’s song Master Of Puppets was included in the final episode of the Netflix series, and ever since then, the metal legends have been enjoying a fresh crop of fans streaming their music.
Despite the outpouring of support, they're now being scrutinised by many of those younger fans after a TikTok video alleging their ‘problematic’ behaviour went viral.
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TikTok creator Serena Trueblood is known for uploading videos discussing musical acts, and the historical controversies associated with them – and her most recent topic is Metallica.
In a video shared over the weekend, Trueblood shows video footage of former bassist Jason Newsted appearing to do a Nazi salute onstage in Moscow in 1991, as well as band members making jokes onstage about the then-recent death of Nirvana's Kurt Cobain.
Metallica frontman James Hetfield was also accused of racism in the video, with Trueblood including a clip of Guns ‘n’ Roses backing singer Roberta Freeman speaking on the Appetite for Distortion podcast in 2020 and alleging Hetfield used the N-word to describe Ice-T while the two rock acts toured together in 1992.
The TikToker’s video also featured an MTV News segment from yesteryear that reported that Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose accused Metallica of racism in regard to Ice-T and his band Body Count.
The post has since gone viral, and some are demanding that the quartet be 'cancelled' in the comments, which have now been turned off on the video, while others ask that they be given grace as they are historical allegations.
One user argued 'there isn't a single non problematic band/artist out there in existence. when y'all realise that, you can finally have peace'.
The furore has since spilled over to Twitter with a flood of fans sharing their takes on it, including one fan admitting: "I wish I watched this before I bought my Metallica shirt.”
Another said: "There’s no way ppl are trying to cancel metallica bro LMFAOOOOOOOOOOOOO im sorry but gen z can never just let themselves enjoy anything. don’t look up any other metal bands from the 80s or you’ll give yourselves a heart attack."
A third tweeted: "If people are really trying to cancel Metallica I hope they never catch word of Motley Crue".
Metallica recently wrapped up the latest European leg of their Worldwired world tour.
UNILAD has contacted a representative for Metallica for a comment.