If Rock n’ Roll is dead, then Metallica brought it very much back to life this past week. With the release of their ninth studio album, Death Magnetic, Metallica has topped the Billboard 200 for the fifth consecutive time. If that doesn’t impress you, maybe this will; They released the album on a Friday, a whole three days after most albums are released, and still managed to pull in sales of more than 490,000. Another thing to point out about last weeks’ Billboard is that three of the top five albums were of the rock genre, Metallica at #1, Kid Rock’s Rock N’ Roll Jesus at #3 and Slipknot’s All Hope Is Gone at #5.
As someone who plays guitar, I am breathing a sigh of relief that there are finally BANDS at the top of the charts… bands that still know how to play their instruments and write their own songs. I have nothing against Kanye West, I admit I bought his last album the first day it came out, or the Jonas Brothers… then again… 
. These guys may have writing credits but how far does that really extend? Brett was telling me earlier that now-a-days all you need to do to get writing credits is to have been in the room when the song was written. As far as I’m concerned Kanye West and Jonas Brothers don’t have the technical musicianship that people need to maintain their stature at the top of the music industry.
All we need to do to show people that music is a lot more than a drum machine and good looks is to give them a little history lesson. With the release of Death Magnetic, Metallica has set a new record with five debut #1 albums, beating out the the Beatles, U2 and Dave Matthews Band with their four debut #1’s. It comforts me to see that these bands, which some consider to be the greatest in the world, have either written or are still writing their own songs and can also play their own instruments.
Tim
In a world where way too many kids are introduced to the guitar through a video game, I am glad that Metallica has stepped up to regain control for the real musicians. Hopefully, kids will now look up to them as the true Guitar Heroes like I did when I was twelve. (Attached photo is of yours truly my senior year.)
Anyway, lets take a second to thank Metallica for reminding us that real musicians still reign supreme.
TIM’S DIGITAL JUKEBOX:
“All Nightmare Long” Metallica, Death Magnetic
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