Metallica’s Onstage Tribute to Black Sabbath on 1st Anniversary of Back to the Beginning

Metallica concluded their M72 World Tour Sunday (July 5) in London and did so while including a powerful tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath. The special moment came during the traditional "Kirk and Rob Doodle" during the Metallica set in which the guitarist and bassist usually pay respect to the city they're in with a brief cover of a song tied to the area. In this case, they chose to show their appreciation for "their two favorite bands."

One of those became evident right away as bassist Robert Trujillo stepped to the mic to address the audience. "A year ago today was a very important event. Back to the Beginning, Black Sabbath and so many other people. Someone just gave me this right now and it's pretty powerful," noted Trujilo, holding up a sign and sharing, "It says, 'Do It For Ozzy.'"

"So we've got a little bit of a mashup here. Oh yeah. Ozzy, we love you and we miss you brother. So let's do this. Let's figure it out. It's a mashup of our two favorite bands and you're gonna get it in a minute." As seen in video footage shared by Absolute Radio below, the Kirk and Rob Doodle for the evening was a mashup of Black Sabbath's "Electric Funeral" with Sex Pistols' "Holiday in the Sun."

Metallica's Kirk Hammett + Rob Trujillo Play Black Sabbath's "Electric Funeral" and Sex Pistols' "Holiday in the Sun"

Metallica's History With Playing Black Sabbath

As you might expect, Metallica have covered Black Sabbath on multiple occasions. Setlist.fm lists Sabbath covers appearing in 15 Metallica performances over the years. The Sunday performance of "Electric Funeral" appears to have been the first time that Metallica have taken on that particular Black Sabbath song.

At the Back to the Beginning show on July 5, 2025, Metallica covered "Hole in the Sky" and "Johnny Blade" as their nods to the legendary metal heroes. They've also played "Iron Man" and "Paranoid" at the Rock Hall's 25th Anniversary concert and "Hole in the Sky" and "Iron Man" for Black Sabbath's Rock Hall induction in 2006. But their most frequently played Sabbath cover has been "Sabbra Cadabra," which was part of the band's sets back in 1998.

How Else Did Metallica Conclude the M72 World Tour?

The M72 World Tour has been a successful one and this recent European tour leg has set multiple venue attendance records. During this run, Metallica have been playing two stops in most cities offering "no repeat" setlists that encouraged fans to attend both nights.

The Sunday performance in London followed a Friday show (July 3) at the same venue and the final setlist for the run featured a broad range of Metallica hits and staples from across their career. The full setlist, as provided by Setlist.fm, can be viewed below.

Metallica's Final Show Setlist on 2026 European Tour (July 5 - London Stadium, London, England)

1. "Whiplash"
2. "For Whom the Bell Tolls"
3. "Ride the Lightning"
4. "The Memory Remains"
5. "72 Seasons"
6. "Screaming Suicide"
7. Kirk and Rob Doodle - Black Sabbath's "Electric Funeral" and Sex Pistols' "Holiday in the Sun"
8. "The Day That Never Comes"
9. "Wherever I May Roam"
10. "The Call of Ktulu"
11. "The Unforgiven"
12. "Whiskey in the Jar"
13. "Blackened"
14. "Moth Into Flame"
15. "One"
16. "Enter Sandman"

Does Metallica Have More Shows in 2026?

Yes, you can still see Metallica later this year. The band will resume touring on Oct. 1 when they kick off a residency at The Sphere in Las Vegas that runs through Nov. 7. There are also a pair of shows booked for Nov. 19 and 21 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Ct.

A second Las Vegas residency at The Sphere will kick off Jan. 28, 2027 to start off a new year of touring. Dates are currently booked at The Sphere through March 13. You can stay up to date with all the band's touring and get ticketing information through their website.

Below see the favorite Black Sabbath album of 21 rock and metal legends.