It’s official: The “Metallica Marching Band Competition” that saw nearly 500 colleges and high schools across the U.S. create exciting, dynamic and unique performances of METALLICA music, while vying for prizes valued at nearly $200,000, is back for a bigger, bolder and brassier second year. Sign-ups are open at metallicamarchingband.com from June 6 through the week of September 23, with submissions due the week of November 25.
The second annual “Metallica Marching Band Competition”, presented by METALLICA in partnership with Sweetwater, will offer competing bands three times as many chances to win. Each of the five original categories — College (Division 1),College (Divisions 2 & 3),High School (Large),High School (Medium) and High School (Small) — has now been expanded to include awards for first, second and third place, with winners in each category ultimately selected by the members of METALLICA.
Year two of the “Metallica Marching Band Competition” will also feature the return of the Fan Favorite award, this time for a single outstanding performance to be decided by popular vote. Fan Favorite voting opens December 1 and closes December 31.
Winners in all categories will be announced at a date to be determined in early January 2025. All competing schools will have access to free sheet music for 13 METALLICA songs.
“Metallica Marching Band Competition” winners will receive instruments and gear for their schools’ music programs, provided by METALLICA, in partnership with Sweetwater, with sponsorship from TAMA and others to be announced.
For further information, go to metallicamarchingband.com.
This past January, METALLICA announced the winners of its inaugural “For Whom The Band Tolls” marching band competition. High School and Collegiate winners were narrowed down to five finalists by professional judges, furnished by Conn-Selmer. METALLICA then selected the final prize winners in each category.
Last year’s response to our first-ever marching band competition blew us away, with over 500 colleges and high schools in the US submitting their unique interpretations of our songs. And for year two, we’re offering three times as many chances to win!
— Metallica (@Metallica) June 6, 2024
Winners in 5 categories, from small High Schools all the way up to D1 Collegiate bands, will receive instruments & gear for their music programs thanks to our partner, @SweetwaterSound, & generous donations from @TAMAofficial, KHS America, @HalLeonardCorp & others to be announced
— Metallica (@Metallica) June 6, 2024