Hardwired (song)

"Hardwired" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released as the lead single from their tenth studio album, Hardwired... to Self-Destruct (2016), on August 18, 2016 as a download.^[1][2] The song was first played live near the end of the band's show at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on August 20, 2016.^[3] The song received a nomination for Best Rock Song at the 2017 Grammy Awards.^[4]

"Hardwired"
Single by Metallica
from the album Hardwired... to Self-Destruct
Released	August 18, 2016
Recorded	June 2016
Studio	Metallica's HQ (San Rafael)
Genre	Thrash metal
Length	3:11
Label	Blackened
Composer(s)	James Hetfield Lars Ulrich
Lyricist(s)	James Hetfield
Producer(s)	Greg Fidelman
Metallica singles chronology
"Lords of Summer" (2014) "Hardwired" (2016) "Moth into Flame" (2016)

Background

The band detailed on the song's debut at The Howard Stern Show that it was a rather late addition to the album. Lars Ulrich explained that after finishing the other songs "we decided that we needed a short, fast opener", leading him and James Hetfield to compose "Hardwired" in about a week in June 2016.^[5]

Music video

The music video was released on August 18, 2016. Filmed in black-and-white, it features the band performing the song in the dark under rapidly flashing strobe lights, as the camera continuously rotates around the band members.

Personnel

• James Hetfield – vocals, rhythm guitar
• Lars Ulrich – drums
• Kirk Hammett – lead guitar
• Robert Trujillo – bass

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Hardwired" Chart (2016) Peak position Australia (ARIA)^[6] 70 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)^[7] 15 Canada Digital Songs (Billboard)^[8] 32 Canada Rock (Billboard)^[9] 17 Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)^[10] 99 Finland Download (Latauslista)^[11] 17 France (SNEP)^[12] 164 Hungary (Single Top 40)^[13] 37 Mexico Ingles Airplay (Billboard)^[14] 34 New Zealand Heatseekers (Recorded Music NZ)^[15] 7 Portugal (AFP)^[16] 51 Scotland (OCC)^[17] 63 Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)^[18] 87 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[19] 72 UK Singles (OCC)^[20] 186 UK Singles Downloads (OCC)^[21] 72 UK Singles Sales (OCC)^[22] 72 UK Rock & Metal (OCC)^[23] 3 US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)^[24] 19 US Digital Song Sales (Billboard)^[25] 39 US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)^[26] 9 US Rock Airplay (Billboard)^[27] 13 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)^[28] 1

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Hardwired" Chart (2016) Position US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)^[29] 65 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)^[30] 26

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)^[31]	Gold	35,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

1. "Hardwired…To Self-Destruct Available November 18, 2016". Metallica. August 18, 2016. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
2. "METALLICA To Release 'Hardwired…To Self-Destruct' Album In November". Blabbermouth.net. August 18, 2016. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
3. "Metallica turns it up to 11 in sold-out U.S. Bank Stadium show". StarTribune.com. August 21, 2016. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
4. "Grammys 2017: The Full Nominations List". Pitchfork. December 6, 2016. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
5. https://www.howardstern.com/show/2016/9/26/video-metallica-live-stern-show/ VIDEO: METALLICA LIVE ON THE STERN SHOW
6. "CHART WATCH #383". auspOp. August 27, 2016. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
7. "Metallica – Hardwired" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved November 5, 2016.
8. "Metallica Chart History (Canadian Digital Songs Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
9. "Metallica Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
10. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 201647 into search. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
11. "Metallica: Hardwired" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
12. "Metallica – Hardwired" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
13. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
14. "Paramore Chart History (Mexico Ingles Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
15. "NZ Heatseekers Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. August 29, 2016. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
16. "Metallica – Hardwired... to Self-Destruct". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
17. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
18. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201647 into search. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
19. "Metallica – Hardwired". Singles Top 100. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
20. Chart Log UK: "CLUK Update 20.08.2016 (wk33)". UK Singles Chart. Zobbel.de. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
21. "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
22. "Official Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
23. "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
24. "Metallica Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 30, 2016.
25. "Metallica Chart History (Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
26. "Metallica Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
27. "Metallica Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
28. "Metallica Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
29. "YEAR-END CHARTS: Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (2016)". Billboard. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
30. "YEAR-END CHARTS: Mainstream Rock Songs (2016)". Billboard. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
31. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved March 8, 2024.