Are Metallica bad songwriters?

Are Metallica bad songwriters? We’re about to find out because in this video I’ll be analyzing a live performance of Metallica's "Wherever I May Roam", recorded on November 12th 2023. Using music theory, we’ll analyze the key, scale, chords and structure of this black album hit to see if it lives up to the hype
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[@ShredmasterScott]

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[@tieukhavu8832]

Depends on if you like them or not

[@HarryStyer-rf8gv]

I was a Jazz Major and we would give them props in class just for having wisdom about song construction.

[@ShredmasterScott]

Maybe you could arrange a metalica song in jazz?!

[@Aaron_French]

When I was learning music theory at school and for a long time after I struggled to get it to stick because I wasnt applying it to music I like. Your videos have been really great for seeing theory in action in metal.

[@ShredmasterScott]

that's awesome to hear Aaron! Metal music theory class is now in session!

[@TheNothing6]

Metallica are fantastic songwriters. That's what sets them apart from a lot of metal bands.

[@brpadington]

They were but are not anymore.

[@TheNothing6]

@@brpadington Well, since you say it, it must be true. Nah, opinions are cool, aren't they? I love 72 Seasons. It's heavy and it grooves. I pay zero attention to Metallica hate. It's hilarious and amusing to me.

[@zacharyseibert4526]

​@@TheNothing6Exactly. 72 Seasons is great, especially the back half.

[@TheNothing6]

@@zacharyseibert4526 Hell yeah! Cheers! 👍🏼👊🏼🤘🏼🍻

[@Pullituz]

Lol

[@rww71]

Yeah man they’ve only sold over 120 million records and still sell out anywhere they play today after over 40 years because of Dave Mustaine lol. These comments are crazy.

[@MatthewHopkins69420]

You are my favourite guitar youtuber, please keeping making content your really cool.

[@antoniogianni1761]

Your music knowledge is nuts. I know nothing about my guitar. Just how to play. You’re a wizard!

[@sole__doubt]

I used to be the same way and you probably know more about theory than you realize. I didnt take theory seriously until about a year ago and Im happy with my progress with help from Shredmaster Scott.

[@ShredmasterScott]

@@sole__doubt that’s great news!

[@ryan25jamerson77]

I need to start relearning metallica songs, i had a bunch of their songs down before when I used to practice tabs

[@ShredmasterScott]

Me too, it's crazy how fast you forget!

[@mystic4147]

how could someone even think that they are bad songwriters

[@elrincondelocutre9884]

Because of St. Anger and some songs on Reload and the last album

[@GiantSFaithfuL]

They are phenomenal songwriters. How is this even a serious question?

[@sole__doubt]

My question is what happened to them. How did they go from the black album to where they are now?

[@GiantSFaithfuL]

I would say they evolved. I think the latest album is solid. @@sole__doubt

[@sole__doubt]

@@GiantSFaithfuL Devolved is more accurate.

[@smudge1619]

It's not a serious question. He needs to drive traffic and interest to his channel. His schtick is reverse-trolling to create engagement.

[@sebrura]

Nothing Else Matters is a masterpiece. Absolutely phenomenal song. If you are able to write that song, you are a genius. Same goes for Enter Sandman and all the other classics. All this music theory talk (by everyone) is imo becoming ridiculous. If it sounds good, it sounds good. Experiment, juse you ears. No need to explain everything. Often there are nothing to explain. Today’s KZbinrs are pretty great at shredding and all, but can’t write a decent song even if their life depended on it, despite all this theory talk 24/7. If you can, you do. If you can´t, you teach.

[@MrMullet619]

Most of their albums and songs have some sick solos and riffs, which is what makes their music theirs. And of course you can’t forget the 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0 riffs.

[@ryanrossell8479]

Sold our souls for rock n roll!!!

[@theeventhorizen3671]

I just picked up guitar and funny thing is I got the exact same Epiphone LPS

[@dpelton63]

I was there and it was cold as balls!

[@waghah2212]

Bro one question Is patreon free for a limited time or it is forever? Its because i can't pay the subscription :( not that I want but in the moment i can't

[@BegetterVIIEVEN]

Depends

[@mudwiser1391]

Puppets and Lightning are my favs.

[@justanish6966]

Wrong... it was almost 50 degrees today

[@prchise]

They have lost it a long, long time ago...

[@R2I2C2K]

I think they are very incrypted song writers like most and I do think they fit their lyrics together quite well. Dave's influence although can be heard on some Metallica tracks quite a bit but he has his own also. I never hear Metallica on anything from Dave besides Metallica songs

[@loukola5353]

Metallica made it as big as they did because they are great songwriters. No one in metal is better songwriter than Hetfield/Ulrich.

[@xKisukeX96]

Would love to see you react to their live performance of frayed ends of sanitiy. Its a super rare live song but super complex and musical interesting. I am curious to hear your thoughts on that one

[@thegoatriderfromthesands2646]

Eh, it's not that they're bad songwriters, they're just not really songwriters at all. It's mainly just heavy metal nursery rhyme and bedtime prayer covers.

[@IndependenceGuitar]

I think they are great songwriters. I’m in the minority of people that don’t like their music from the Black Album and on. But even the stuff I don’t like, if I’m being objective, still have great structures and pacing. Metallica is one of the biggest bands that ever existed, and it’s for a reason.

[@jeremysiron9622]

I feel that, the black album is nowhere near my favorite album of theirs, but as far as musical structure, and even the order of songs go, it is a master class in songwriting

[@Nuhanii]

No! Any other question?

[@iceyywuu]

is that a peavey vypyr vip 3 behind u

[@kombijr]

LOVE IS A FOUR LETTER WORD

[@billhinsperger8120]

James wrote that middle harmony part before the solo nit Kirk

[@betolicks4071]

Would this intro not be considered a signature and the riff

[@XXIII_89]

Don't they just write the same 7 songs over and over, thats what kirk said in the rick beato interview.. they found a formula that works, and that's a good thing, I guess?

[@mistersunshine1330]

So has every single great songwriter you can think of.

[@XXIII_89]

@@mistersunshine1330 yeah? Bohemian Rhapsody? What's that based off of, what copies it?

[@mistersunshine1330]

@@XXIII_89 Opera dipshit, religous chants that were played in churches. Music is a lot older than you think. That piano alone resembles a simplified sonata.

[@mistersunshine1330]

@@XXIII_89 also one song that happens to be unique in the grand mainstream scheme, that uses a formula they never use again literally proves my point. If anything that song is moreso a flex of production rather than of musicianship and songwriting (which can be said for literally any Queen song worth a damn)

[@Ansgar74]

I was at this concert!

[@tryndemisha6719]

yes

[@gareginasatryan6761]

in the thrash era, I would say lot of their riffs aren't that good. same with a lot of testament riffs too. even slayer complained that Metallica songs drag on for too long and recycle the same riffs over and over.

[@yakuzsa1]

CLASSIC SONG!!!!! ghostbumps on my skin and more...muahhaaaaaa

[@XXIII_89]

When you said mustache can't claim he wrote this song.. I disagree.. it still follows the same formula, so they are using the formula they knew worked when they had others helping write.. but this structure formula could also be Lars' doing since structure is so drum oriented.. well never know without having been there during the process..

[@loc7909]

I'd say it's their forte! All great players but not the best, any of them, but together? They write great ALBUMS decade after decade & I personally don't care for James' voice.

[@John-wl3hu]

They have been for the last 3 decades

[@IbanezDom]

Its more like Cliff Burton was an amazing songwriter

[@angelcordova9305]

Yes

[@brydon07]

its so funny he acts like hes never even heard this song like bro u act way to surprised

[@kiillabytez]

Basically, a verse and a chorus riff. Simple, but matybe too simple. I guess the neophytes love it. Find something simple and play it to death and the commonfolk will eat it up.

[@jeremysiron9622]

They’re good song writers who write a lot of bad songs also…… Personally, I think everything from “ride the lightning” through “reload” is excellent songwriting, and I didn’t even really like load and reload, but those albums were very well written, and the tracks were very professional and good for alt-metal/hard rock if you happened to like that genre.

[@sadjesuschrist]

Ух ты, зарубежный ответ фредгитаристу

[@BenBreeg1138]

No, they are amazing song writers, I just think (and it’s a major part of song writing) that the arranging has taken a turn for the worst.

[@grahamd8356]

You're always saying how much you worship them and you rate them as the best metal band that's existed 😂 you clearly don't think they write bad songs...

[@karolmetal4256]

Only Lenon and McCartney were worse songwriters

[@drryanmorris]

Yeah!!

[@brentrodriguez8915]

I LOVE SHRED!! plz respond moohahahaha

[@pulkit9159]

I guess u could say they SHREDed songwriting hahaha

[@herbertsandla4444]

Lars is a fantastic Songwriter, always in the Credits, not bad for a Drummer 🤔😅

[@sgt.grinch3299]

Do they write their own songs? Imagine that? I never knew they even played their instruments, kinda like Nikki Sixx.

[@careful...Icarus]

Not really. It just seems to get lost when they hit a studio. Oddly tho,their studio covers are always on point.

[@wagsbass]

Lars is a bad drummer, no doubt about it.

[@Nizzon.]

Lars is butchering this. :(

[@brydon07]

this guy picks to much with his stupid theory it gets annoying kinda hes awesome but so confusing for ppl that dont understand music theory at all!!

[@WRDNK]

Good or bad, their discography takes a decidedly commercial, almost pop rock turn after the Black Album. They lost me there.

[@JeffSmith-it4tm]

Their new album sucks.

[@texasboy5527]

Are Metallica bad songwriters? Yes, in the last 30 years they definitely are. And Kirk and Lars suck ass as the players nowadays.

[@oubliette862]

they got lazy, pampered and spoiled with success. they don't want to make a good heavy album because it's too much work, and that's why everything since the black album sucks. at this point they've made more bad albums than good ones. plus, they don't care enough about the fans they're only concerned about themselves. I have real doubts they could even play their old material true and not take the easy chord out. I'm not a musician but I'm tone sensitive enough to notice the slackery.

[@user-yk4gd1fl4z]

cool story bro

[@slashertrav]

Personally….no. Watching them in the studio since SKoM and it seems like they try really hard to write songs around a gimmicky line. I still love Metallica but I don’t think they’ve written anything real catchy since Load era.

[@nybsfp7486]

Considering how many years they have been around and talking modern line-up…no, they really don’t have many epic songs. The number of people who wear their-shirts far exceeds the number of people who bought their last album.

[@voncheddar4319]

If Dave Mustaine wrote that it would be a lot faster. :)

[@birdsteak9267]

Not everything need to be fast

[@dustybottomstx3040]

Didnt have to watch the video - no they're not

[@GhettoFabulous99]

Yep. Cliff Burton and Dave Mustaine wrote all their good (and great) music.

[@AT-5000_Autodialer]

Dave had nothing to do with master of puppets even if he cries he did. And justice and the black album are legendary albums where cliff and Dave have nothing to do with.

[@cunningstunt69]

literally not true

[@luandeoliveira1983]

Nop. Not even Mustaine says that, he always cries about four songs, even though he is credit for it

[@willroland9811]

Metallica was great.. metallic-ish (ie the blank album and beyond) is basically bullshit riding the wave of actually mattering.... FYI... Kurt was always bullshit.

[@edwinf.8354]

First

[@sgt.grinch3299]

At what.

[@marc___zkz]

At being an idiot

[@fowler_samuel]

Second

[@sgt.grinch3299]

At what?

[@marc___zkz]

At being an idiot

[@stvalue3]

They were great songwriters whom stole some of their more popular riffs from many lesser known bands like Excel.

[@jondickenson8068]

Derp

[@stevencooper3202]

The answer is yes. The only reason craptallica are famous is because they knew how to market themselves. This is their greatest strength. Their music sucks, especially post Cliff albums.

[@sloppiejoe87]

Found Dave Mustaine’s burner account

[@bobbydills6980]

Terrible song writers Dave Mustaine however is a great song writer metallic is exactly what they said they wasn't posers

[@AT-5000_Autodialer]

Dave is not that great lmao why is he always chasing what they do. And justice for all and the black album had nothing to do with Dave or cliff. Hell Master of puppets had nothing to do with Mustaine even if he's always crying that he wrote some chord progression.

[@marc___zkz]

@bobbydills6980 in what language did you wrote that?

[@cecilia_mackie]

Fantastic! Let’s be friends?

[@sole__doubt]

I think the fact they wrote the black album proves they at least were great songwriters.

[@isaiahneilguitaristofficia549]

Are Metallica bad songwriters,Lately yes😂. I don’t care for any of their latest material..I just don’t get the same, Oh Yeah that’s awesome ,that I did with their older material.I think their older material was fresher, more creative, and more interesting their newer material 72 seasons, The one before that and Death Magnetic was good, just nothing grabbed me… I just didn’t want to hear it again… anyway Black Album and backwards for me.

[@sirdacier7159]

The first three albums are some of the best thrash metal albums ever released. To this day they remain quintessential for just about everyone trying to get into metal. The songwriting for a lot of those songs are top notch (Master of Puppets, Fade to Black, and Sanitarium come to mind as some of my favorites). However as of recent they just seem to be a bit...meh. I don't think it's a talent but more of a lack of hunger that they haven't had since the 80's.

[@sethprice241]

Absolutely some of their best work.

[@arshadjamal7125]

Black load death magnetic are master pieces

[@styrenebuilds6851]

Shred riding Jaymz's jack strap for life

[@thegoatriderfromthesands2646]

The playing style, well, they kind of good - OFTEN MOST WHEN THEY ARE PHRYGIAN (EXCUSE MY DARK THREATENING EXOTIC LANGUAGE) STEALING FROM DAVE!!

[@mrmogensen]

Don't forget how kirk says he took the intro to the solo from little wing. That's one great steal haha. Just search "kirk Hammett where wherever I may roam" for the clip

[@usertube140]

They r bad everything

[@michaelhansen8959]

Black album is Bob Rock

[@Kanelipulla420]

No.

[@eweng903]

If you go on sales then Led Zeppelin have outsold Metallica, and could therefore be considered as better song writers. But if you are looking at technical virtuosity on the guitar then it is hard to beat Yngwie Malmsteen, whose neoclassical style is technically more advanced than anything demonstrated by either James Hetfield or Kirk Hammett either live or on records to date.

[@jeremysiron9622]

Good songwriting can be simple too, you’re dividing it into two categories unnecessarily

[@eweng903]

If you look to the history of music you may note that many of the greatest composers were also virtuoso musicians, eg Frédéric Chopin, Franz Liszt, Niccolò Paganini, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johann Sebastian Bach…etc.

[@PhantomDeth]

They havent written a song well in well over 30 years now... I think failing to deliver for that long answers the question for everyone.

[@carmichael3594]

I don't know what happened to them but when load, and reload came out i recognized their song writing went downhill.

[@Kawabongahlive]

Just because Load isn't metal doesn't mean the composition is worse. I would agree Reload is worse though but again not for that reason.

[@therealikitclaw8124]

2 banger albums

[@sgt.grinch3299]

I am so sick of Wah peddlers.

[@sole__doubt]

For real the only one who can pull it off is Buckethead

[@eerosoots]

"Listen to Lars drumming there, that's really good". Haha! Let's just stick to talking about the guitars why-don't-we? 🤣 Great vid tho! I'll see you on Patreon!

[@SunBro01]

Are metallica a bad songwriters? Yes, except their first 3 albums