Hetfield + Trujillo's Favorite Metallica Songs to Play Live

On the latest episode of The Metallica Report podcast, James Hetfield and Robert Trujillo reflected on their year on the road, chatting about the in-the-round stage design and what songs — new and classic — they like playing live the most. The two looked ahead to 2024 with personal ambitions as well.

On the M72 world tour, Metallica have been playing two shows in each city as part of a "No Repeat Weekend," with setlists being entirely different each night and with no duplicates.

So far, the band has played eight of the 12 songs on 72 Seasons and, below, Papa Het and Trujillo name which new tracks they've had a lot of fun playing. They each select one classic song that they've particularly enjoyed on the 2023 tour too.

James Hetfield's Favorite 72 Seasons Songs to Play Live

"It depends on the gig, it depends [on] how I'm feeling sometimes," Hetfield admits before dialing in on the new album's first single, which the frontman says is "one of my new favorites off 72 Seasons. "I love playing those [new] songs."

"'Shadows Follow' is kind of the next one that I really enjoy," he adds, explaining, "It's just a forward moving, pushing song and it's not your typical song. You need to pay attention to it because there's little things here and there you've got to remember. It's just bouncy and pushes. I like that a lot."

Metallica, "Lux Aeterna" —Nov. 10, 2023

Robert Trujillo's Favorite 72 Seasons Songs to Play Live

"'Shadows Follow' is a lot of fun to play because it's great balance between backup vocals that are throughout the song and that's always a challenge for me. It just sort of grooves and it was a lot of twists and turns that I like," Trujillo says of the 72 Seasons song he co-wrote with Hetfield.

"The other song for me is 'You Must Burn.' That's a fun song," Trujillo continues, shouting out another song he co-wrote with Hetfield and, this time, also with Lars Ulrich. "James and I have sort of a nice harmonized vocal moment in that one too."

Being able to contribute as a backing vocalist is something Trujillo enjoyed about the creative process with 72 Seasons and he's just as excited to get his opportunity behind the mic onstage. "Vocally some of the new challenges are exciting for me," he says, "and it keeps me on my toes."

Metallica, "Shadows Follow" — Aug. 4, 2023

Metallica, "You Must Burn!" — April 29, 2023

James Hetfield's Favorite Classic Song to Play Live

As for the classics, Hetfield mentions the song Elton John called "one of the best songs ever written."

"'Nothing Else Matters' is always a song that I enjoy playing. I see people - they're hugging each other, they're crying... whatever. It's a very different emotion in the show from just lose your mind and mosh and go crazy. It's like that, but [that energy] goes inward," he assesses, "So I love seeing that. I like seeing peoples vulnerability to emotion during that song."

Metallica, "Nothing Else Matters" — Aug. 25, 2023

Robert Trujillo's Favorite Classic Song to Play Live

For Trujillo, who joined Metallica in 2003, playing material off the band's first three albums is an act of reverence. When he auditioned for the role, he was staying at his Ozzy Osbourne bandmate Mike Bordin's house and looked at a poster of Cliff Burton on a wall and made a promise not to let him down.

The bassist says, "I've been enjoying 'The Call of Ktulu.' I feel like I kind of found my stride with this classic song and it's the ultimate statement to Cliff Burton — both 'Orion' and 'The Call of Ktulu' — so I've enjoyed that song live."