The Metallica Blacklist
{{Short description|2021 tribute album to Metallica}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox album
| name = The Metallica Blacklist
| type = compilation
| artist = various artists
| cover = TheMetallicaBlacklist.jpg
| alt =
| released = September 10, 2021
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = {{hlist|Rock|heavy metal|pop metal|country|blues rock|hardcore punk|rap metal|Latin trap{{cite web|url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/every-metallica-blacklist-cover-ranked-from-worst-to-best|title=Every Metallica Blacklist cover ranked from worst to best|last=He|first=Richard S.|date=August 12, 2022|website=Louder Sound|access-date=September 4, 2022}}}}
| length = 245:31
| label = {{hlist|Blackened Recordings|Universal}}
| producer = {{hlist|Giles Martin|Metallica|Eleni Psaltas|Marc Reiter|Grant Weil}}
}}
The Metallica Blacklist is a various artists tribute album featuring covers of every track from Metallica's 1991 self-titled album (commonly known as The Black Album). The collection was assembled in conjunction with the original album's 30th anniversary. Most of the songs are covered multiple times, with 53 artists participating. The album was released in digital formats on September 10, 2021, and in physical formats on October 1, 2021.{{Cite magazine|title=All-Star 'The Metallica Blacklist' Tribute Hits Top 10 on Billboard's Top Album Sales Chart|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9644432/metallica-blacklist-top-10-top-album-sales-chart|access-date=October 13, 2021|magazine=Billboard|date=October 13, 2021|language=en}}
Background
The Metallica Blacklist tribute album is part of a larger celebration of the 30th anniversary of The Black Album, and was released on the same day as a deluxe remastered version of the original album.{{Cite web|date=June 22, 2021|title=Metallica Covers Album to Feature Phoebe Bridgers, Moses Sumney, St. Vincent, Mac DeMarco, and More|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/metallica-covers-album-to-feature-phoebe-bridgers-moses-sumney-st-vincent-mac-demarco-and-more/|access-date=October 13, 2021|website=Pitchfork|language=en-US}} The tribute album was envisioned as an illustration of how The Black Album influenced musicians from many different genres, and was inspired by the existence of several previous tributes to the album, by artists in genres ranging from electronica to classical.{{Cite magazine|last=Grow|first=Kory|date=September 9, 2021|title=Metallica's Black Album Transcended Metal. A New Covers Album Extends Its Reach|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/metallica-black-album-blacklist-1221964/|access-date=October 13, 2021|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US}}
In preparation for the project, Metallica invited some musicians who had gained notice for covering other Metallica songs in the past, such as the Warning, the Hu,{{Cite web|last=Hartmann|first=Graham|title=The Hu Transform Metallica's 'Sad But True' Into Mongolian Folk Music|url=https://loudwire.com/metallica-sad-but-true-the-hu/|access-date=October 13, 2021|website=Loudwire|date=December 4, 2020 |language=en}} and Rodrigo y Gabriela.{{Cite web|last=Blabbermouth|date=September 8, 2021|title=Hear METALLICA's 'The Struggle Within' Covered by RODRIGO Y GABRIELA|url=https://blabbermouth.net/news/hear-metallicas-the-struggle-within-covered-by-rodrigo-y-gabriela/|access-date=October 13, 2021|website=BLABBERMOUTH.NET}} Metallica then invited artists from a variety of genres to contribute unique interpretations of the songs.{{Cite web|last=Erel|first=Eray|date=September 6, 2021|title=Lars Ulrich Explains Why Metallica Invited Miley Cyrus And J Balvin To Blacklist|url=https://www.metalcastle.net/lars-ulrich-explains-why-metallica-invited-miley-cyrus-and-j-balvin-to-blacklist/|access-date=October 13, 2021|website=MetalCastle – All about Rock and Metal|language=en-US}} The invited artists were permitted to choose which song to cover. According to a statement made by the band, "The Metallica Blacklist offers up new dimensions of the record whose gravitational pull first drew the mainstream to Metallica – and provides new insights into the universal and timeless appeal that kept it there: the boundary-smashing influence these 12 songs have had on fans and musicians of all stripes."{{Cite web|last=Roche|first=Sam|date=June 22, 2021|title=Metallica reveal The Metallica Blacklist, a 53-artist tribute to The Black Album, announce remaster of iconic 1991 record|url=https://www.guitarworld.com/news/metallica-blacklist-album|access-date=October 13, 2021|website=guitarworld|language=en}}
For each song on the album, half of the proceeds are donated to Metallica's All Within My Hands Foundation, and the other half are donated to a charity of that artist's choice.
Reception
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-metallica-blacklist-mw0003548306|title=The Metallica Blacklist – Various Artists|website=AllMusic|last=Thomas|first=Fred|access-date=November 7, 2021}}
| rev2 = Clash
| rev2score = 7/10{{cite web|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/va-the-metallica-blacklist|title=V/A – The Metallica Blacklist|website=Clash|last=Walker-Smart|first=Sam|date=September 8, 2021|access-date=November 7, 2021}}
| rev3 = The Independent
| rev3Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/metallica-blacklist-review-common-album-b1916443.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/metallica-blacklist-review-common-album-b1916443.html |archive-date=June 18, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Album reviews: The Metallica Blacklist and Common – A Beautiful Revolution Pt 2|website=The Independent|last1=O'Conor|first1=Roisin|last2=Aubrey|first2=Elizabeth|date= September 9, 2021|access-date=November 7, 2021}}
| rev4 = The Line of Best Fit
| rev4score = 7/10{{cite web|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/reviews/albums/metallica-the-blacklist-album-review|title=Metallica – The Metallica Blacklist {{!}} Album Review|website=The Line of Best Fit|last=Lampiris|first=Steve|date=September 8, 2021|access-date=November 7, 2021}}
| rev5 = Metal Hammer
| rev5score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/the-metallica-blacklist-thrash-icons-landmark-album-gets-covered-across-the-musical-spectrum|title=The Metallica Blacklist – Review|website=Metal Hammer|last=Daly|first=Joe|date=September 6, 2021|access-date=November 7, 2021}}
| rev6 = Metal Injection
| rev7 = Mojo
| rev7score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite magazine |last=Agarwal|first=Manish|date=October 2021 |title=Overblown tribute to their 'Black Album' on its 30th. Profits to charity! |magazine=Mojo}}
| rev8 = NME
| rev8score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/various-artists-the-metallica-blacklist-review-black-album-3042648|title=Various artists – 'The Metallica Blacklist' review: a sprawling tribute|website=NME|last=Beaumont|first=Mark|date=September 10, 2021|access-date=November 7, 2021}}
| rev9 = Pitchfork
| rev9score = 6/10{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/metallica-the-metallica-blacklist/|title=Metallica: The Metallica Blacklist Album Review|website=Pitchfork|last=Sanders|first=Brad|date=September 10, 2021|access-date=November 7, 2021}}
| rev10 = Rolling Stone
| rev10score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/the-metallica-blacklist-1221950/|title=Review:'The Metallica Blacklist'|magazine=Rolling Stone|last=Gross|first=Joe|date= September 10, 2021|access-date=November 7, 2021}}
}}
At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album has an average score of 66 based on 10 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/the-metallica-blacklist/various-artists|title=The Metallica Blacklist by Various Artists Reviews and Tracks|publisher=Metacritic|access-date=November 7, 2021}} The album received reviews that were generally favorable toward the project's wide variety of genres and often surprising selection of contributors, but with some qualms about its repetitive or inconsistent nature as a listening experience. Metal Hammer noted that there are too many versions of some songs, especially "Enter Sandman" and "Nothing Else Matters", but concluded that the tribute album "underscores how, unlike any other band in history, Metallica have transcended heavy metal and emerged as one of music's greatest cultural exports." Metal Hammer also endeavored to rank all 53 songs on the album, concluding that the best is the version of "Nothing Else Matters" by Miley Cyrus, who was supported by Elton John, Yo-Yo Ma, Andrew Watt, Chad Smith, and current Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo.{{Cite web|last=He|first=Richard S.|date=September 10, 2021|title=Every Metallica Blacklist cover ranked from worst to best|url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/every-metallica-blacklist-cover-ranked-from-worst-to-best|access-date=October 13, 2021|website=Metal Hammer|language=en}}
Pitchfork also gave the album a mixed review, calling it "enormous and uneven" and criticizing some predictable covers by the hard rock and heavy metal artists, but praising genre-jumping contributions like those by Japanese-British pop singer Rina Sawayama and Ghanaian-American musician Moses Sumney. Rolling Stone made note of some of the more eclectic covers, such as the contributions from jazz musician Kamasi Washington and punk rock supergroup Off! In a separate review, Rolling Stone concluded that the album is a fitting tribute to the ongoing influence of The Black Album.
Exclaim! also noted that not all of the 53 songs are fully satisfying, but praised the project for its contributions to charity while ranking Washington's version of "My Friend of Misery" as the album's best track.{{Cite web|title=All 53 Covers on 'The Metallica Blacklist,' Ranked {{!}} Exclaim!|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/metallica_blacklist_every_cover_ranked|access-date=October 13, 2021|website=exclaim.ca|language=en-ca}} Metal Injection called the album "a complete reimagining of one of the most iconic records of all time." NME called it "a fitfully thrilling hodgepodge" that forces the listener to choose their own favorite version of each song, but concluded that the album is "a fantastic tribute to one of metal's sacred texts."
Track listing
{{Track listing
| headline = Disc one
| extra_column = Artist
| title1 = Enter Sandman
| writer1 = James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett
| extra1 = Alessia Cara and The Warning
| length1 = 4:24
| title2 = Enter Sandman
| writer2 = Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett
| extra2 = Mac DeMarco
| length2 = 5:46
| title3 = Enter Sandman
| writer3 = Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett
| extra3 = Ghost
| length3 = 3:51
| title4 = Enter Sandman
| writer4 = Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett
| extra4 = Juanes
| length4 = 4:53
| title5 = Enter Sandman
| writer5 = Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett
| extra5 = Rina Sawayama
| length5 = 5:34
| title6 = Enter Sandman
| writer6 = Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett
| extra6 = Weezer
| length6 = 5:34
| title7 = Sad but True
| note7 = live
| writer7 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra7 = Sam Fender
| length7 = 3:51
| title8 = Sad but True
| writer8 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra8 = Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
| length8 = 4:30
| title9 = Sad but True
| writer9 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra9 = Mexican Institute of Sound featuring La Perla and Gera MX
| length9 = 4:31
| title10 = Sad but True
| writer10 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra10 = Royal Blood
| length10 = 5:29
| title11 = Sad but True
| writer11 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra11 = St. Vincent
| length11 = 4:12
| title12 = Sad but True
| writer12 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra12 = White Reaper
| length12 = 5:23
| title13 = Sad but True
| writer13 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra13 = YB
| length13 = 4:03
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Disc two
| extra_column = Artist
| title1 = Holier than Thou
| writer1 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra1 = Biffy Clyro
| length1 = 5:10
| title2 = Holier than Thou
| writer2 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra2 = The Chats
| length2 = 2:26
| title3 = Holier than Thou
| writer3 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra3 = Off!
| length3 = 3:04
| title4 = Holier than Thou
| writer4 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra4 = PUP
| length4 = 3:56
| title5 = Holier than Thou
| writer5 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra5 = Corey Taylor
| length5 = 4:11
| title6 = The Unforgiven
| writer6 = Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett
| extra6 = Cage the Elephant
| length6 = 5:54
| title7 = The Unforgiven
| writer7 = Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett
| extra7 = Vishal Dadlani, Divine, Shor Police
| length7 = 4:21
| title8 = The Unforgiven
| writer8 = Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett
| extra8 = Diet Cig
| length8 = 4:47
| title9 = The Unforgiven
| writer9 = Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett
| extra9 = Flatbush Zombies featuring DJ Scratch
| length9 = 4:37
| title10 = The Unforgiven
| writer10 = Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett
| extra10 = Ha*Ash
| length10 = 4:06
| title11 = The Unforgiven
| writer11 = Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett
| extra11 = José Madero
| length11 = 4:01
| title12 = The Unforgiven
| writer12 = Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett
| extra12 = Moses Sumney
| length12 = 5:34
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Disc three
| extra_column = Artist
| title1 = Wherever I May Roam
| writer1 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra1 = J Balvin
| length1 = 2:39
| title2 = Wherever I May Roam
| writer2 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra2 = Chase & Status featuring Backroad Gee
| length2 = 3:07
| title3 = Wherever I May Roam
| writer3 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra3 = The Neptunes
| length3 = 3:57
| title4 = Wherever I May Roam
| writer4 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra4 = Jon Pardi
| length4 = 6:45
| title5 = Don't Tread on Else Matters
| writer5 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra5 = SebastiAn
| length5 = 5:54
| title6 = Don't Tread on Me
| writer6 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra6 = Portugal. The Man featuring Aaron Beam
| length6 = 4:14
| title7 = Don't Tread on Me
| writer7 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra7 = Volbeat
| length7 = 3:39
| title8 = Through the Never
| writer8 = Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett
| extra8 = The Hu
| length8 = 4:07
| title9 = Through the Never
| writer9 = Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett
| extra9 = Tomi Owó
| length9 = 3:06
| title10 = Nothing Else Matters
| writer10 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra10 = Phoebe Bridgers
| length10 = 4:35
| title11 = Nothing Else Matters
| writer11 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra11 = Miley Cyrus featuring Watt, Elton John, Yo-Yo Ma, Robert Trujillo, Chad Smith
| length11 = 6:37
| title12 = Nothing Else Matters
| writer12 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra12 = Dave Gahan
| length12 = 5:09
| title13 = Nothing Else Matters
| writer13 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra13 = Mickey Guyton
| length13 = 4:31
| title14 = Nothing Else Matters
| writer14 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra14 = Dermot Kennedy
| length14 = 3:01
| title15 = Nothing Else Matters
| writer15 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra15 = Mon Laferte
| length15 = 5:56
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Disc four
| extra_column = Artist
| title1 = Nothing Else Matters
| writer1 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra1 = Igor Levit
| length1 = 5:12
| title2 = Nothing Else Matters
| writer2 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra2 = My Morning Jacket
| length2 = 3:26
| title3 = Nothing Else Matters
| writer3 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra3 = PG Roxette
| length3 = 3:49
| title4 = Nothing Else Matters
| writer4 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra4 = Darius Rucker
| length4 = 6:53
| title5 = Nothing Else Matters
| writer5 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra5 = Chris Stapleton
| length5 = 8:15
| title6 = Nothing Else Matters
| writer6 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra6 = Tresor
| length6 = 6:24
| title7 = Of Wolf and Man
| writer7 = Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett
| extra7 = Goodnight, Texas
| length7 = 3:24
| title8 = The God That Failed
| writer8 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra8 = Idles
| length8 = 3:56
| title9 = The God That Failed
| writer9 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra9 = Imelda May
| length9 = 4:04
| title10 = My Friend of Misery
| writer10 = Hetfield, Ulrich, Jason Newsted
| extra10 = Cherry Glazerr
| length10 = 3:31
| title11 = My Friend of Misery
| writer11 = Hetfield, Ulrich, Newsted
| extra11 = Izïa
| length11 = 4:25
| title12 = My Friend of Misery
| writer12 = Hetfield, Ulrich, Newsted
| extra12 = Kamasi Washington
| length12 = 6:47
| title13 = The Struggle Within
| writer13 = Hetfield, Ulrich
| extra13 = Rodrigo y Gabriela
| length13 = 4:00
| total_length = 245:31
}}
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Chart performance for The Metallica Blacklist ! scope="col"| Chart (2021) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| {{album chart|Austria|6|artist=Various Artists|album=The Metallica Blacklist|rowheader=true|access-date=October 13, 2021}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardCanada|44|'''M|title=Billboard Canadian Albums Chart|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/canadian-albums/2021-09-25|work=Billboard|rowheader=true|access-date=October 13, 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Finland|17|artist=Various Artists|album=The Metallica Blacklist|rowheader=true|access-date=October 13, 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Poland|19|id=1395|rowheader=true|access-date=October 14, 2021}} |
| scope="row" | Spain (PROMUSICAE){{Cite web|date=October 17, 2021|title=Discos Más Vendidos en España|url=https://www.elportaldemusica.es/lists/top-100-albums/2021/40|access-date=October 17, 2021|website=El Portal de Música}}
| 77 |
|---|
| {{album chart|UKComp|4|artist=Various Artists|date=20211008|rowheader=true|access-date=October 13, 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Billboard200|103|'''M|title=Billboard 200 Chart|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/2021-10-16|work=Billboard|rowheader=true|access-date=October 13, 2021}} |