'Master of Puppets' got some 'Stranger Things' love. Now Metallica returns the favor

Three men with guitars and one drummer perform on stage.
Metallica reacted Tuesday to how "Stranger Things" incorporated its song "Master of Puppets." (Amy Harris / Invision / Associated Press)
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Kate Bush isn't the only musician getting her world rocked by "Stranger Things." On Tuesday, Metallica shared its reaction to the show using its song "Master of Puppets," saying it was "totally blown away."

The latest volume of Netflix's hit sci-fi series, which touched down at the crack of Friday, features an epic moment for actor Joseph Quinn, who appears in Season 4 as fan-favorite metal head Eddie Munson. In the season finale, Eddie performs "Master of Puppets" on top of the alternate-universe version of his trailer while bloodthirsty "Demobats" swarm around him.

"It's an incredible honor to be such a big part of Eddie's journey and to once again be keeping company with all of the amazing artists featured in the show," the band said in statements posted on social media.

Metallica, currently composed of James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo, first released the song in March 1986.

Hours after the band reacted, the Metallica Instagram page also shared a video of Hetfield playing the edgy "Master of Puppets" opening riff onstage in Prague.

"Master of Puppets" is the second ’80s track to be featured prominently in the fourth season of "Stranger Things." The first half of Season 4 spotlighted Bush's 1985 cut "Running Up That Hill" in a pivotal way for actor Sadie Sink's character, Max Mayfield.

Like "Running Up That Hill," "Master of Puppets" has been reaping the recent benefits of the "Stranger Things" effect.

The Metallica song has since been featured in thousands of TikTok videos and climbed up iTunes charts. As of Tuesday, "Master of Puppets" climbed to the No. 1 spot. Similarly, Bush's track currently sits at the top spot on the iTunes Pop chart. "Running Up That Hill" and "Master of Puppets" took the first and second spots, respectively, on iTunes' top songs ranking on Tuesday.

In response to the newfound love for "Running Up That Hill," Bush said in June, "It's all really exciting!"

“Thanks very much to everyone who has supported the song. I wait with bated breath for the rest of the series in July," the singer said in a statement at the time.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.