Metallica Keep Breaking Records — 76,000 in Cardiff, 58,000 in Glasgow

It is a run remarkable even for a band of this size: on the current European leg of their M72 world tour, Metallica are setting one attendance record after another.

On 25 June they played Barclays Hampden Park in Glasgow in front of more than 58,000 people — the largest concert in the history of Scotland's national stadium, a venue that has hosted the Rolling Stones, Oasis and Eminem. Three days later, Cardiff went bigger still: 76,000 fans at the Principality Stadium set not only a new venue record but the largest concert ever held in Wales. The previous best belonged to Ed Sheeran, with 75,000 in 2022. It was Metallica's first show in the Welsh capital in 30 years; before the gig the band donated £20,000 to the Cardiff Foodbank.

Two things above all make these numbers possible: the in-the-round stage, which frees up considerably more space around the pitch, and sheer demand. Records have already fallen on this tour in Bologna, Bucharest, Chorzów, Frankfurt, Zurich and Berlin — where 94,000 people attended, toppling a 17-year-old U2 record.

The European leg spans 16 stadiums in total, with support from Pantera, Gojira, Knocked Loose and Avatar. A residency at the Las Vegas Sphere follows in October.

Sources: Planet Rock, Metallica.com.