Behind the Numbers: Metallica's Most + Least Played Songs on M72 World Tour

Metallica have finally wrapped up their M72 World Tour, more than three years after its first show.

In all, the tour spanned 99 shows, starting in Amsterdam, Netherlands on April 27, 2023 and ending in London on July 5, 2026.

During that time, the M72 World Tour touched 26 different countries. The U.S., of course, got the most dates with a total of 39 shows, followed by Germany with seven and Canada and the U.K. with six shows each.

Here is a look back at the most and least played songs during each of the years of the M72 World Tour.

2023

The first leg of the M72 World Tour started in Amsterdam, Netherlands on April 27, 2023. Metallica's 11th studio album, 72 Seasons, was released just 13 days before the first show.

With a new album to promote, Metallica leaned more heavily into tracks from 72 Seasons during this leg of the tour. The album's first single, "Lux Aeterna," showed up on setlists more than any other song from the band's catalog during this run.

The song wasn't nearly as prominent during future legs of the M72 World Tour.

Most played: "Lux Aeterna" (15 times); "Master of Puppets," "Nothing Else Matters," "Sad But True," "Creeping Death," "Enter Sandman," "Fade to Black," "For Whom the Bell Tolls," "Fuel," "One," "Orion," "Seek & Destroy" (14 times)

Least played: "I Disappear," "Cyanide" (one time); "Through the Never" (two times); "Fight Fire With Fire" (three times)

2024

The following year saw Metallica play just about as many shows as part of the M72 World Tour, with dates in North America and Europe once again.

The tour's "no repeat" promise remained intact in cities where the band played two shows during the same weekend.

Metallica's reliance on the 72 Seasons album also remained. Both "Lux Aeterna" and the title track joined several favorites for the distinction of being the most played during 2024.

In the same year, Metallica also started dipping more into their favorite cover songs, but rarely would one get played a second time during the same tour leg.

Most played: "For Whom the Bell Tolls," "Lux Aeterna," "Master of Puppets," "Nothing Else Matters," "72 Seasons," "Creeping Death," "Enter Sandman," "One," "Sad But True," "Seek & Destroy" and "Shadows Follow" (16 times)

Least played: "You Must Burn," "Whiskey in a Jar (Cover)," "Through the Never," "Breadfan (Cover)" and "Am I Evil (Cover)" (one time)

2025

Metallica's busiest year for the M72 World Tour came in 2025 with a total of 29 shows. It's also when the band started to pull back from playing 72 Seasons songs and rely more on crowd favorites.

The schedule was yet again a mix of North American and international dates with the band visiting Australia, New Zealand, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates for the first time as part of the tour.

Some expected songs were surprisingly not on the setlist after being featured during 2024. "Until It Sleeps," for example, had been performed eight times in 2024. It was only featured once in 2025.

Most played: "Creeping Death," "For Whom The Bell Tolls," "Master of Puppets," "Enter Sandman," "Fuel," "Nothing Else Matters," "One," "Sad But True" and "Seek & Destroy" (22 times)

Least played: "Until It Sleeps," "The Shortest Straw" and "No Leaf Clover" (one time); "Too Far Gone?," "Inamorata" and "Hit The Lights" (two times)

2026 

The M72 World Tour came to an end in 2026 with 16 shows exclusively in Europe. Metallica fans in the U.S. will have to wait to see them on home soil when they begin their 24-show residency at Sphere in Las Vegas on Oct. 1.

READ MORE: Metallica Break U.K. Stadium Rules + Play Banned Song

The setlists for the final 16 shows of the multi-year tour were fairly standard Metallica fare. The one notable exception was that "The Unforgiven" crept into the "most played" category for the first time during any of the years.

Most played: "Creeping Death," "Enter Sandman," "For Whom the Bell Tolls," "Fuel," "Master of Puppets," "Nothing Else Matters," "One," "Sad But True," "Seek & Destroy," "The Unforgiven" and "Wherever I May Roam" (12 times)

Least played: "The Shortest Straw," "Hit the Lights," "Hardwired" and "Fight Fire With Fire" (one time)

Even with all of those tour dates spread across multiple years, the four members of Metallica have been pretty dependable when it comes to getting onstage each night. The same can be said for many of the band's tours throughout its history.

Below is a look back at the rare times a member of Metallica missed a show and who was brought in as an emergency replacement.