James Hetfield says Metallica is not trying ‘influence’ fans like ‘some other entertainers’

Metallica frontman James Hetfield used a break in Saturday night’s show at the Las Vegas Sphere to tell fans the band is not there to push an agenda.

“Metallica’s agenda is love, energy and heavy music, baby,” the 63-year-old said after thanking the crowd for the travel and money spent to see the band, Fox News reported.

“I just gotta say, Metallica is not here, like some other entertainers, to influence you with their bulls—-, OK?,” Mr. Hetfield said, describing the night as a chance to forget about the outside world.

Mr. Hetfield did not name any artists, did not say what he meant by “influence,” and did not refer to any recent controversy.

He has long said he prefers to keep politics out of Metallica’s music. In a 2017 interview with Chile’s La Tercera, he declined to share his view of then-President Trump. He said he hates politics because it divides people, and that he would rather connect them through music.

His comments came amid a broader debate over political statements at concerts. Last month, rapper Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s U.S. stadium tour after calling for a “Free Palestine” from the stage. The tour’s promoter said venues had warned they would not host shows with him on the bill. Sheeran later apologized to fans in Philadelphia and said he has tried not to be a political commentator. Nothing in Hetfield’s remarks ties them to that episode, and neither Macklemore nor Mr. Sheeran has been reported to have responded to them.

The band is four shows into a 24-date residency at the Sphere that runs through March 2027.