METALLICA Block U.S. Department Of Defense From Using “Enter Sandman” In Drone Promo Video

Metallica have moved to prevent the use of their 9x platinum 1991 hit “Enter Sandman” in a promotional video recently shared by the U.S. Department Of Defense. The track was initially featured in a clip posted on July 10th via the social media accounts of United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and the Department of Defense. The footage highlighted advancements in U.S. military drone technology.

In the now-deleted original video, Hegseth was shown standing outside The Pentagon, with “Enter Sandman” playing in the background as he detailed new drone initiatives the military has been undertaking. However, the clip was quickly pulled offline after what appears to have been a copyright claim from Metallica’s camp.

Following its removal, the video was reuploaded—this time without any music from Metallica. Representatives for the band confirmed to Rolling Stone that the use of the track was unauthorized. Known for being fiercely protective over how and where their music is used, Metallica’s decision here is in keeping with their long-standing stance on controlling the rights to their catalog.

The band themselves have historically stayed clear of political endorsement or commentary. Speaking on this in a 2017 interview with Latercera, vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield explained:

“I’m an artist, a singer who plays the guitar in a band. I hate politics, I don’t want to talk about politics. That separates people and I want to connect them with music. I prefer to stay away from all of that, because it polarizes people, because if I say, ‘I hate Trump’ or ‘I love Trump,’ someone will think, ‘I don’t like his music anymore.’ It’s silly. So I like to keep it about music.”

Despite Metallica’s clear intent to distance themselves from political discourse, the removal of “Enter Sandman” has been interpreted by some online as an indirect political statement. Predictably, discourse around the band’s action has erupted across social media.

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