Unlike, say, Nine Inch Nails, which has embraced every facet of the Internet and exploited it to great reviews and returns, the band Metallica carries a reputation for hating the web. Not only did they single-handedly ruin Napster by suing it into obliteration (slight exaggeration?), but they have refused to put their music on iTunes, effectively ignoring an entire youth fan base that more than happily downloads their tracks on BitTorrent.
Now, with a new album out, it's only appropriate that Metallica find a new reason to hate all those 1s and 0s floating around.
After inviting music critics in London to listen to six tracks from their upcoming album, those critics published reviews of what they heard on various websites. There was no non-disclosure agreement they were asked to sign, no press embargo they were asked to maintain.
But as soon as the reviews did pop online, Metallica's management began complaining, demanding the write ups be taken offline — even though some of them were quite complimentary. So goes the argument: The songs that were screened were early mixes, not final products, and thus not open for public review. No matter that they invited journalists to review listen to them.
One music blog, The Quietus, eventually agreed to pull the review, but by its own account it did so not because of Metallica's ridiculous demands, but because they wanted to protect the career of the review's author. (Nevermind that the review was published anonymously, though Metallica knows the person's identity, having issued the invitation in the first place.) In its place, The Quietus posted this:
Seeing as we’re not allowed to tell you that Metallica’s new album sounds like . . . And Justice For All, we’re not supposed to mention that one of the songs on the album may or may not be called Flamingo and we’re certainly 100% most definitely not supposed to suggest that the new record might possibly be good, we thought we’d treat you to an interview with the group back when they released . . . And Justice For All. Which the new album may or may not sound like. We really couldn’t comment.
Cute.
[Ars Technica, WPN]
Editorial Director
I seriously HATE Metallica, and wish they would just stop making music. I used to love those guys, and then after the Napster thing, and the crappy music, I really could care less anymore!
Ya, Metallica sure hates the internet. That's why you can get MP3s or FLACs of every concert they've played for the past 3 years on their website (including about 20 entire concerts for free download) AND why they have an entirely new website designed specifically for updates on the new album.
People need to get over the Napster thing already…
You can get every Metallica album off itunes, along with bonus tracks. Who ever wrote this is a complete idiot who has done no research before writing this piece of shit.
Yeah, I have to say I think they are a bunch of whiny babies, all-in-all, and I absolutely cannot figure out how a band can so poorly treat its fans and still make any money. That said, damn you do think you could have taken all of 1.5 seconds to open iTunes and search for Metallica. Hell, I didn't even have to type in the whole word, the auto-complete had it in 2 letters.
To the athor of this article, do you even know Metallica or did you just decide to jump on the "lets hate metallica because they are popular" bandwagon? Seriously, this is one of the most ignorant articles I have read in some time. First off, Metallica hating the internet? Have you seen their multiple websites? Yes, go count the,, they got a website for just about everything including free and pay downloads, videos and one of the most interactive connections to the fans with their new website and their fanclub. Jesus Christ get your facts straight! I swear to god, these idiots who criticize Metallica over everything only show their ignorance and stupidity. And for the record, Metallica suing Napster was a damn good thing, it's called protecting what you own. Anyone who says otherwise must love to get robbed everyday, joe bless them but not everyone agrees with piracy, just us ordinary folk who have a little bit of intellifence left in this greedy corporate world.
Looks like they've now retracted
http://boredofdictators.wordpr.....new-twist/
Metallica apologise, on behalf of their management, for killing early reviews!
http://drownedinsound.com/articles/3461200
“lets hate metallica because they are popular” …
Uh … Metallica hasn't been popular for about 15 years now lol … bunch of washed-up crybabies.
“lets hate metallica because they are popular” …
yeah, i love that one.
Metallica hasn't been good (forget popular)in forever.
popular? because a bunch of brain dead fools like yourself still like them?
just because something has been around a long time doesn't make it good.
AIDS has been around about the same amount of time as Metallica and it's just about as popular.
"Uh … Metallica hasn’t been popular for about 15 years now lol … bunch of washed-up crybabies."
Sure, that's why they are constantly selling millions of albums, sold out shows and their name pops up on just about every metal magazine on earth. Where the hell have you been? Even their most unpopular albums still sell more albums than most other bands do in a lifetime. And for the record, it seems the haters are the cry-babies. Ex-fans who have been bitching about Metallica for 15 years, yeah I think those people have a little problem letting go. Face it, Metallica are the only metal band still relevant after 25 years. Name one other band that still is. Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeth - all those bands can only play club shows while Metallica are literally selling out stadiums world-wide. Get it now?
Metallica hasn’t been good (forget popular)in forever.
Good is only relative, purely an opinion. But tell that to the mass legion of fans who STILL listen to their stuff, or the kids who are just getting into their stuff. They must be doing something right to be attracting fans.
popular? because a bunch of brain dead fools like yourself still like them?
As opposed to what? The typical crap you probably listen to? The screaming emo hogwash that comes out these days? Please, I'd rather be brain dead than listen to that crap.
just because something has been around a long time doesn’t make it good.
True but if something is truly bad, it's going to be noticed. As I said, Metallica are the ONLY metal band from the 1980's that are still relevant. Just because you don't like their music does not automatically mean they are crap, that is purely your opinion only and not necessarily shard by the millions who do actually like them.
AIDS has been around about the same amount of time as Metallica and it’s just about as popular.
That's a moronic analogy and you know it. Why even bother, I guess stupidity really does run rampant in today's society. What a bunch of ingorant naive fools, sheesh I'm glad I'm not from todays generation. A scary thought indeed.
Metallica are interested in only one thing…$. They don't give a crap for their fans which is why they charge a fortune for entry to their site and fan club. Quite simply every decision they make is about how much money they can fleece out of their loyal and deeply manipulated fans.
iam a pirate but hate metallca so much i wouldnt waste bandwidth downloading there crap these pricks dont even realise most us have sent the cd player to the museum i couldnt play a cd even if i wanted to
elvis his left the building and isnt coming back.
I have been a fan of Metallica for a long time, a good 15 years i think, I own every album but am far from the sterotypical "metal" head I have always loved the band I even purchased St Anger and out of every album I own that is the only one that collects dust
Yeah the sound has changed because the fan base has I mean we all do things to earn cash to live, this is what they do, you either embrace it and enjoy or not like it and leave them alone and get on with you lives instead of complaining about it, seriously all those out there that dont like the music…..its quite simple really, dont listen to it….and those like me after all these years still enjoy them, embrace the changes.
f*** it, they were good n there time, & still could B. They just need 2 realize that not everyone agrees w/ their now over-stated hate for the inter-net. Just get back 2 what u do best!!! MUSIC!!!!! Shut up & sing!!!
The band protects their intellectual property and you people bitch about it.. They look after their own best interests, rather than sell out their dignity to poular demand, and you bitch about it… You claim they aren't popular, and haven't been popular for, what, 15 years!? Are you living under a damned rock??? Shit man!! pay attention to the world around you… Metallica outsells ANY other heavy band on the plant, they outsell a helluva lot of the so-called "popular" bands regularly.. They haven't lost their popularity and they're slowly and steadily building on their fanbase…
Long after Metallica are all rotting in their graves and this Napster bull is forgotten, they'll still be outselling most of the bands you guys claim allegience to.. Get a life
oh, comom guys!!
jus only because their suid napster then the're becomes a web hate band??
million people in the world can download without napster!!!
Idiot think!!
..think so clear my friend!
Shut up you bitches! If you don't like metallica you just have to stay with your mouths shut ok?!