Metallica Announce Finalists for Marching Band Competition

Metallica have unveiled the finalists for their inaugural “For Whom the Band Tolls!” marching band competition.

Over 450 colleges and high schools across the US signed up for the competition since its April 10th announcement, with many rolling out Metallica suites during halftime performances.

Marching bands were invited to compete for $150,000 in prizes by crafting “their most exciting, unique, and impressive performances of some of the band’s most beloved songs,” and entrants were given access to official charts for “Enter Sandman,” “Fade to Black,” “Master of Puppets,” and more.

Five finalists have been selected in each division, ranging from the Division 1 collegiate ranks down through smaller high schools. The members of Metallica themselves will choose the winner of each category “at a date to be determined in early January.” Fans will also get to select their favorites, picking separate winners at the Collegiate and High School levels (each netting a separate $10,000 prize).

The winner of each category will win musical instruments and gear for their school’s program, furnished by Metallica and sponsors including Tama, KHS America, Zildjian, D’Addario, and Gator, in partnership with Sweetwater.

Get Metallica Tickets Here

You can view submissions and cast your fan vote via Metallica’s marching band competition website. The finalists in each category are as follows:

• • Collegiate: Division 1 – $75,000 in prizing:
    Auburn University
    Fresno State University
    Iowa State University
    University of Iowa
    University of Texas at Austin

• • Collegiate: Division 2, 3 – $40,000 in prizing:
    Blinn College
    Eastern New Mexico University
    Manchester University
    West Texas A&M University
    Western Illinois University

• • High School: Small, Medium & Large – $15,000 each in prizing:
    Small High School:
    Cleveland High School – Cleveland, AL
    Edinburg High School – Edinburg, TX
    Oakton High School – Vienna, VA
    Oologah High School – Oologah, OK
    Valhalla High School – El Cajon, CA

• • Medium High School:
    Boerne High School – Boerne, TX
    Desert Mountain High School – Scottsdale, AZ
    DeWitt High School – DeWitt, MI
    Kell High School – Kennesaw, GA
    Malverne High School – Malverne, NY

• • Large High School:
    Austin High School – Sugarland, TX
    Dobyns-Bennett High School – Kingsport, TN
    Lambert High School – Suwanee, GA
    Lorena High School – Lorena, TX
    Pell City High School – Pell City, AL