Dee Snider has criticized the NFL’s approach to Super Bowl halftime entertainment, pointing out that the league relies on classic 80s rock and metal songs during the game but ignores the genre for the halftime show itself. Speaking on The Ball Podcast, the Twisted Sister frontman argued that Metallica should take the stage.
Snider explained the contradiction he saw between how the NFL uses rock and metal during gameplay and what it chooses for halftime. He noted that metal bands have appeal far beyond their original audiences and can reach multiple generations of listeners.
“I was complaining because during the game it’s always ‘Welcome to the Jungle’, ‘Cum On Feel the Noize’, ‘Crazy Train’, ‘We’re Not Gonna Take It’, ‘Enter Sandman’,” Snider said. “It’s always this 80s metal themed stuff, and the crowd gets into it. Halftime, it’s pop paradise at the Super Bowl. And I said, ‘Why aren’t you giving…’ It’s not just Boomers, it’s Gen X, it’s a lot of generations. And when you’re dealing with the AC/DCs, Guns N’ Roses, and Metallicas of the world, they’re bands that have much broader appeal than just the people who grew up listening to them. They cross generations, these bands.”
Snider called for Metallica specifically. “And I said, plain and simple, and it was like a million and a half views and reposts, I said, ‘Give us Metallica. They’re the only band that really could still do it. They’ve got the catalog to do it,!'” he said. “You want to talk about an authentic band’s band that didn’t… I know you want to talk about people turning on their bands when they become famous, but this is a band that just did it their way and won, and they appeal to younger people.”
He offered an example of how metal reaches younger audiences through unexpected cultural moments. “My granddaughter, 16 years old, pop princess,” Snider explained. “I look at her playlist, I’m like, ‘Oh god, what did I do wrong?’ And then one day I look and I see ‘Master of Puppets’ on there. You know why? I know exactly why. Stranger Things. Thank God. Stranger Things. My 16-year-old granddaughter is now a metal fan. And she’s also got Bring Me The Horizon on there and she’s got Falling in Reverse. Just because of that one moment where they saw the right song at the right time, presented the right way. It was a great moment with Eddie, the character playing ‘Master of Puppets’, fighting the demons. But anyway, I said every age group across the board will love a Metallica show. Give us Metallica, and people reacted to that.”
Snider’s comments sparked significant discussion online, with the post gaining over a million views and reposts. His remarks centered on the contrast between the NFL’s use of rock and metal music during the football game itself and its halftime show choices.
The suggestion reflects broader debate about which artists deserve to perform at one of the world’s largest television audiences.
No metal band has ever headlined the Super Bowl halftime show. The NFL has not selected a rock act as its main halftime performer since Coldplay in 2016, extending the streak through performances by artists like Usher in 2024. In the past, the league rejected Metallica for the halftime show, according to band members, because they were considered too heavy for the event.
Interest in Metallica performing at the Super Bowl has grown in recent years. Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich told Howard Stern that the band would be willing to play Super Bowl LX, which takes place in Santa Clara, California on February 8, 2026. Ulrich said that performing in San Francisco would be a dream and the right fit for the band. Even Usher, who headlined the 2024 halftime show, named Metallica as his choice for Super Bowl 60 in 2026.
The band’s cultural presence among younger listeners strengthened after the 2022 Stranger Things finale featured their 1986 track “Master of Puppets” in a climactic scene. The song saw a major surge in streaming following the episode, and Metallica responded with enthusiasm. Speaking on The Howard Stern Show, Ulrich noted that Metallica’s stance on music licensing had shifted over time, moving away from the strict refusals that had defined their earlier approach to such requests.
Snider’s call for Metallica reflects a wider conversation about representation in Super Bowl halftime programming. The debate centers on whether rock and metal deserve a place on one of television’s biggest stages, especially given the genres’ continued appeal across multiple age groups and their established prominence in popular culture.
