Did Queen inspire Metallica? How did Queen influence Metallica?

Queen is one of the most influential bands in rock history, and their impact can be felt in many genres, including metal. Metallica, one of the biggest metal bands of all time, has acknowledged Queen as one of their inspirations and has covered one of their songs.

According to Metal Hammer, the song “Stone Cold Crazy” from Queen’s 1974 album Sheer Heart Attack has been cited as an influence on thrash metal, the subgenre that Metallica helped pioneer. The song features a fast tempo, heavy riffs and aggressive vocals that foreshadowed the sound of metal bands to come. Metallica performed a cover of “Stone Cold Crazy” at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in 1992, and also released it as a B-side and a bonus track on their 1998 album Garage Inc.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich said that Queen was one of the bands that made him want to be a musician. He praised their diversity, creativity and experimentation, saying: “They were never afraid to do anything musically. They would try any idea, any combination of styles or sounds or whatever. And they always made it work.” He also mentioned that he was a fan of Queen’s drummer Roger Taylor, who he called “a very underrated drummer”.

Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett also expressed his admiration for Queen’s guitarist Brian May, who he called “a genius”. He said that May’s guitar playing was “so melodic and so well thought out” and that he learned a lot from listening to his solos. He also said that May’s use of harmonies and effects was “mind-blowing”.

Therefore, it is clear that Queen inspired Metallica in many ways, from their songwriting and performance to their individual skills and styles. Queen influenced Metallica’s musical direction, attitude and ambition, and helped them become one of the most successful and respected metal bands in the world.