This week on The Metallica Report…
 
It’s an early 2026 check-in with James Hetfield! From the big picture to day-to-day, he shares what three years of the M72 World Tour have taught him and what TV shows have been keeping him entertained lately. Meanwhile, Steff and Renée look back on "The Maximum Countdown," which closed out 2025 on SiriusXM’s Maximum Metallica, featuring the top 72 Metallica songs as voted on by fans.
 
The Metallica Report – your official, weekly guide for all things Metallica, straight from the source. New episode every Wednesday.
 
Listen to Maximum Metallica: <a href="http://metallica.lnk.to/MaximumMetallica">metallica.lnk.to/MaximumMetallica</a> 
Become A Fifth Member: <a href="http://metallica.com/register">metallica.com/register</a> 
Music from The Metallica Report: <a href="http://metallica.lnk.to/TMR-music">metallica.lnk.to/TMR-music</a> 
Upcoming Tour Dates: <a href="http://metallica.com/tour">metallica.com/tour</a> 
Wanna be featured in a future fan debate? <a href="http://metallica.com/podcast">metallica.com/podcast</a> Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

This week on The Metallica Report… It’s an early 2026 check-in with James Hetfield! From the big picture to day-to-day, he shares what three years of the M72 World Tour have taught him and what TV shows have been keeping him entertained lately. Meanwhile, Steff and Renée look back on "The Maximum Countdown," which closed out 2025 on SiriusXM’s Maximum Metallica, featuring the top 72 Metallica songs as voted on by fans. The Metallica Report – your official, weekly guide for all things Metallica, straight from the source. New episode every Wednesday. Listen to Maximum Metallica: metallica.lnk.to/MaximumMetallica Become A Fifth Member: metallica.com/register Music from The Metallica Report: metallica.lnk.to/TMR-music Upcoming Tour Dates: metallica.com/tour Wanna be featured in a future fan debate? metallica.com/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Metallica Report…
 
It’s an early 2026 check-in with James Hetfield! From the big picture to day-to-day, he shares what three years of the M72 World Tour have taught him and what TV shows have been keeping him entertained lately. Meanwhile, Steff and Renée look back on "The Maximum Countdown," which closed out 2025 on SiriusXM’s Maximum Metallica, featuring the top 72 Metallica songs as voted on by fans.
 
The Metallica Report – your official, weekly guide for all things Metallica, straight from the source. New episode every Wednesday.
&nbsp;
Listen to Maximum Metallica: <a href="http://metallica.lnk.to/MaximumMetallica" rel="noopener noreferrer">metallica.lnk.to/MaximumMetallica</a>&nbsp;
Become A Fifth Member: <a href="http://metallica.com/register" rel="noopener noreferrer">metallica.com/register</a>&nbsp;
Music from The Metallica Report: <a href="http://metallica.lnk.to/TMR-music" rel="noopener noreferrer">metallica.lnk.to/TMR-music</a>&nbsp;
Upcoming Tour Dates: <a href="http://metallica.com/tour" rel="noopener noreferrer">metallica.com/tour</a>&nbsp;
Wanna be featured in a future fan debate? <a href="http://metallica.com/podcast" rel="noopener noreferrer">metallica.com/podcast</a> Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Episode 129: James Hetfield Checks In

Keep up with all things Metallica by going straight to the source. Now you can get your news directly from those entrenched in the band’s own Northern California headquarters. This weekly report is hosted by Steffan Chirazi and Renée Richardson, two members of the Metallica Camp.

Steffan is a long-time rock scribe and editor of the band’s online mag, So What!, whose days covering Metallica began in the 1980s with the British music magazines Sounds and Kerrang! Renée is the Director of Philanthropy for the band’s foundation, All Within My Hands, and also has a storied background in music as a well-known Bay Area radio personality.

Each week will sound a little different, but you’ll always remain in the loop. Steffan and Renée will keep you posted with the latest news and updates from Metallica HQ and the road as the M72 Tour makes its way around the world. They’ll bring you mini-features for a little peek behind the curtain, and you’ll learn bits of info you won’t find anywhere else through chats with everyone from members of the road crew to poster artists, from fans to band members themselves! 

They won’t just tell you what you need to know; they’ll also get to the bottom of what you want to find out! Listeners can submit questions, and Steffan and Renée will get to work finding answers.

You’ll enjoy all of this and more with The Metallica Report, your quick, weekly fix covering our most relevant topics of the day.
A proud part of Pantheon Podcasts

Produced by Pantheon Media & PopCult
Executive Producers: Marc Reiter, Vickie Strate, Doug Oswandel
Written by: Steffan Chirazi & Renee Richardson
Production Coordinator: Lane Watson

Music

Music Commentary

Music Interviews

Keep up with all things Metallica by going straight to the source. Now you can get your news directly from those entrenched in the band’s own Northern California headquarters. This weekly report is hosted by Steffan Chirazi and Renée Richardson, two members of the Metallica Camp. Steffan is a long-time rock scribe and editor of the band’s online mag, So What!, whose days covering Metallica began in the 1980s with the British music magazines Sounds and Kerrang! Renée is the Director of Philanthropy for the band’s foundation, All Within My Hands, and also has a storied background in music as a well-known Bay Area radio personality. Each week will sound a little different, but you’ll always remain in the loop. Steffan and Renée will keep you posted with the latest news and updates from Metallica HQ and the road as the M72 Tour makes its way around the world. They’ll bring you mini-features for a little peek behind the curtain, and you’ll learn bits of info you won’t find anywhere else through chats with everyone from members of the road crew to poster artists, from fans to band members themselves! They won’t just tell you what you need to know; they’ll also get to the bottom of what you want to find out! Listeners can submit questions, and Steffan and Renée will get to work finding answers. You’ll enjoy all of this and more with The Metallica Report, your quick, weekly fix covering our most relevant topics of the day. A proud part of Pantheon Podcasts Produced by Pantheon Media & PopCult Executive Producers: Marc Reiter, Vickie Strate, Doug Oswandel Written by: Steffan Chirazi & Renee Richardson Production Coordinator: Lane Watson

Keep up with all things Metallica by going straight to the source. Now you can get your news directly from those entrenched in the band’s own Northern California headquarters. This weekly report is hosted by Steffan Chirazi and Renée Richardson, two members of the Metallica Camp.

Steffan is a long-time rock scribe and editor of the band’s online mag, So What!, whose days covering Metallica began in the 1980s with the British music magazines Sounds and Kerrang! Renée is the Director of Philanthropy for the band’s foundation, All Within My Hands, and also has a storied background in music as a well-known Bay Area radio personality.

Each week will sound a little different, but you’ll always remain in the loop. Steffan and Renée will keep you posted with the latest news and updates from Metallica HQ and the road as the M72 Tour makes its way around the world. They’ll bring you mini-features for a little peek behind the curtain, and you’ll learn bits of info you won’t find anywhere else through chats with everyone from members of the road crew to poster artists, from fans to band members themselves!&nbsp;

They won’t just tell you what you need to know; they’ll also get to the bottom of what you want to find out! Listeners can submit questions, and Steffan and Renée will get to work finding answers.

You’ll enjoy all of this and more with The Metallica Report, your quick, weekly fix covering our most relevant topics of the day.
A proud part of Pantheon Podcasts

Produced by Pantheon Media &amp; PopCult
Executive Producers: Marc Reiter, Vickie Strate, Doug Oswandel
Written by: Steffan Chirazi &amp; Renee Richardson
Production Coordinator: Lane Watson

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Episode 129: James Hetfield Checks In

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