Netflix’s Stranger Things is the holy grail for ‘80s nostalgia, and now Metallica are reaping the rewards. The costumes, hairstyles, cultural references - and most importantly, music - allow some to fondly recall the decade, while younger generations are being introduced to a whole new world.

The first volume of season 4 sent ‘Running Up That Hill’ by Kate Bush to number 1 on the UK and Irish charts, and number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, 37 years after its release. Now, the second volume’s most iconic needle drop is ‘Master of Puppets’ by Metallica.

Released in 1986, (the year this season takes place) the song is featured during the most pivotal scene of the last episode. Eddie Munson (played by Joseph Quinn) shreds the 8-minute song on his guitar as a distraction while the characters attempt to defeat this season’s villain, Vecna. Quinn didn’t play the guitar riffs on the final track himself, but he stated he was able to play along while filming.

Metallica expressed on their Instagram page how honoured they felt to be featured. The Los Angeles heavy metal band also stated how impressed they have been with the music throughout the entire show. They praised directors, the Duffer Brothers, and wrote they were “blown away” by the scene, and to not only to have their song used at all, but to have such an important scene fully built around the song.

 

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Metallica also shared a video of them performing 'Master of Puppets' live in Prague, with the hashtags '#StrangerThings4 #NotLiveInTheUpsideDown #EddieMunson'.

They even included '#EveryoneIsWelcomeInTheMetallicaFamily', shouting out their new fans following the Stranger Things release.

 

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While some view Stranger Things as too reliant on nostalgia, the majority of the responses have been positive. The proof is in the numbers, as ‘Master of Puppets’ follows Kate Bush up the charts, hitting number 17 on the Spotify top 50, and continues to rise.

Metallica will be performing at the Mad Cool festival in Madrid and Lisbon this July, then heading to the US for late July and August shows.

The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and are primarily based in San Francisco.