Last week, before the last instalment of Stranger Things dropped, Netflix released an “Upside Down Playlist” on Spotify featuring iconic ’80s tracks from the series set among a personalised and rotating selection of each users’ favourite songs.

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Posts on the series’ social media accounts encouraged fans find their “saviour song” in the playlist and discover “what songs would save YOU from Vecna” (both of which are references to plot points in the show).

Master of Puppets features heavily on the daily rotation in this playlist, meaning many new fans have been listening to the track without ever actively seeking it out.

Metallica is understandably “beyond psyched” to have been included in the hit series.

In a post on their Instagram, the band praised the show’s creators for how music has been included in the show and said they were “blown away” by the way their song was used.

The band has also made a point of welcoming new fans who have discovered their music through the show.

“FYI everyone is welcome in the Metallica Family,” they wrote in a comment on TikTok. “Whether you’ve been a fan for 40 hours or 40 years, we all share a bond through music.

“All of you started at ground zero at one point in time.”

The statements are being celebrated by many as a strong stand against gatekeeping; a reaction against rusted-on fans who feel like young people have to prove their credentials to engage with particular kinds of music.

And, it’s true, Metallica’s statements will go a long way to helping new fans feel welcome. But it would also be wildly against the band’s best interests to say anything otherwise. Since Running Up That Hill was featured on Stranger Things, Kate Bush has made an estimated $3.3 million in streaming revenue.

If this trend continues, musicians from all genres and eras will be falling over themselves to be featured on Netflix’s next hit.

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