Metallica’s ‘Lux Æterna’ Has Huge First Week on Rock Radio, Streaming
Metallica – Story by Anne Erickson, photo by Ken Settle
Metallica have a No. 1 hit on their hands with “Lux Æterna”
Metallica released their first new song in six years earlier this month, and it’s already a hit. The thrash-y track, “Lux Æterna,” has already reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart in its second week of release. The song already has more than 10 million streams on Spotify, to boot.
“Lux Æterna” marks the first single from Metallica’s much-anticipated new album, “72 Seasons,” which hits stores on April 14. Following debuting at No. 2 in its first week of release, the song took over the No. 1 spot, booting out Ozzy Osbourne’s “One of Those Days,” on the Mainstream Rock chart this past week.
“Lux Æterna” is Metallica’s 11th No. 1 on the Mainstream Rock chart. The band’s first No. 1 was “Until It Sleeps” off 1996’s “Load.” If you haven’t caught it yet, listen to “Lux Æterna” below.
Metallica performed “Lux Æterna” for the first time live at their annual “Helping Hands” charity concert this past Friday (Dec. 16).
In other news, Metallica will embark on a massive, 2023-2024 North American tour. The run will have the metal greats performing two different sets over two nights in each city and offer support from Pantera, Five Finger Death Punch, Mammoth WVH, Ice Nine Kills and Greta Van Fleet.
Regarding the title of Metallica’s upcoming album, “72 Seasons,” Hetfield explains, “72 seasons. The first 18 years of our lives that form our true or false selves. The concept that we were told ‘who we are’ by our parents. A possible pigeonholing around what kind of personality we are. I think the most interesting part of this is the continued study of those core beliefs and how it affects our perception of the world today. Much of our adult experience is reenactment or reaction to these childhood experiences. Prisoners of childhood or breaking free of those bondages we carry.”
- One-Hit Wonders With Follow-Ups Better Than the Hits - March 26, 2025
- One-Hit Wonders for Metalheads - March 22, 2025
- Best One-Hit Wonders That Were Really Cover Songs - March 20, 2025
Related Posts
- Metallica Send Heartfelt Message After Loss of a Friend
- Metallica Send Strong Message on California Fires
- Metallica’s James Hetfield Gives His Real Thoughts on Green Day
- The Greatest Thrash Metal Album of All Time
- Metallica Remind Fans of ‘Last Chance’ Opportunity
