James Hetfield Reveals Turnstile Turned Down Metallica Tour Invitation

Turnstile turned down an invitation to open for Metallica on the road because the Baltimore hardcore group is already doing well on their own, Metallica frontman James Hetfield revealed, NME reported.

Tour Rejection and High Praise from Metallica

The metal legends approached the punk rock band about joining the M72 world tour, but the offer was declined. Speaking on a recent episode of his SiriusXM radio show Riff Life, Hetfield explained the refusal. “We wanted to get them on tour, and they said no. They’re doing good on their own already,” Hetfield said, as noted by Louder. Despite the rejected invitation, Hetfield offered strong praise for the band’s live shows. “But man, what a vibe they bring. They are so fun. Go see them play if you can,” he continued. “Just like many, many bands, they sound great on their records and recordings, but man, when you see them live, you totally get it.” Hetfield also noted that the groups have hung out together and mentioned British guitarist Meg Mills, who joined Turnstile’s touring line-up in 2023. Hetfield’s admiration for the group dates back to 2024, when he was spotted watching them perform at Norway’s Tons Of Rock festival alongside Rob Halford of Judas Priest.

Commercial Success and Live Milestones

The turned-down tour slot coincides with a high-profile period for Turnstile following the June 2025 release of their fourth studio album, Never Enough, which reached No. 9 on the US Billboard charts according to Louder. NME awarded the record five stars for its bright, eccentric sound, and the band followed it with a reimagined version featuring contributions from Elton John, Hayley Williams, Blood Orange, and A.G. Cook. Last weekend, Turnstile played a free concert on the National Mall in Washington DC, drawing an estimated 60,000 fans to the Washington Monument and raising more than $220,000 for humanitarian efforts in Palestine, Sudan, and Lebanon. The group also won Best Rock Album for Never Enough and Best Metal Performance for “Birds” at the 2026 Grammy Awards.

Diverging Road Schedules

While Turnstile continues on their own path—recently tapping death metal veterans Obituary to open for a US show—Metallica is maintaining its own heavy touring schedule. Metallica has been playing dates on the M72 world tour supporting their album 72 Seasons, which included bringing Knocked Loose on the road for UK and European stadium shows earlier this year. Metallica is currently performing their Life Burns Faster residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas. They have announced further North American stadium dates for 2027 that will feature Limp Bizkit and Avatar, beginning in May in Vancouver, with Turnstile absent from the bill.