Metallica has been honored with the SoundExchange Hall of Fame Award in recognition of being one of the most-streamed artists in the SoundExchange music-tech organization’s 20-year history. The award was presented to the legendary heavy metal band at Ford Field in Detroit earlier this month before one of its final U.S. concerts of its 2023 M72 World Tour.
Videos by American Songwriter
Formed in 2003, SoundExchange has utilized data and technology to collect and distribute performance royalties to hundreds of thousands of music artists and creators.
[RELATED: Metallica Tour 2023/2024: How to Buy Tickets and Remaining Tour Dates]
“Metallica is considered one of the greatest rock bands of all time, and for good reason,” SoundExchange CEO Michael Huppe said in a statement. “They have built and rebuilt themselves, continually honing their epic sound with each album and constantly expanding their appeal without abandoning their roots. Metallica is a once-in-a-lifetime success story. Recognizing Metallica with a SoundExchange Hall of Fame Award is an honor.”
Metallica launched M72 World Tour in support of its latest studio album, 72 Seasons, which was released in April. The album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Set for First Saudi Arabia Performance
The trek, which kicked off April 27 in Amsterdam, Netherlands, has featured the band playing two different sets over two nights—on Friday and Sunday—at each city on the trek. For each show in a city, Metallica brings out a different supporting act, incentivizing audience members to go to both concerts.
Meanwhile, the band has just added a final concert to its 2023 tour schedule, a December 14 performance at the Soundstorm Festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. According to TheNationalNews.com, this will mark the first concert ever that the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers have played in the country.
The three-day event, which runs from the 14th to December 16, will feature sets by various music artists, DJs, as well as interactive performances and art installations. Other acts on the bill include H.E.R., Black Eyed Peas, Calvin Harris, Pharrell & Phriends, J Balvin, Swedish House Mafia, and David Guetta. Tickets are available now at MDLBeast.com.
Metallica’s M72 World Tour will continue on 2024 with a European leg that kicks off with a May 24 show in Munich, Germany, and runs through a July 14 concert in Madrid. The band then will return to North America for a series of dates mapped out from an August 2 concert in Foxborough, Massachusetts, through a September 29 show in Mexico City.
(Featured image by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
