Metallica has set a new attendance record for Germany’s biggest-ever stadium concert, according to The Berliner. The record had stood for over 17 years.
The report highlighted the historic scale of the May 30 performance at Berlin’s Olympiastadion, which surpassed a long-standing benchmark previously held by U2.
“Saturday evening saw Germany’s biggest ever stadium concert at Berlin’s Olympiastadion: Metallica played there in front of 94,000 people,” The Berliner reported. “The record previously belonged to U2, who drew a crowd of just over 90,000 to Olympiastadion in 2009.”
The Berlin show is just the latest milestone in what has become a record-breaking European run for the band. It underscores Metallica’s continued dominance as one of the world’s most powerful live acts.
The record-breaking turnout was made possible in part by Metallica’s distinctive in-the-round M72 stage setup. As Loudwire noted, the configuration allowed more seats to remain usable compared to a traditional end-stage setup — a key factor given that the Olympiastadion’s permanent post-renovation capacity stands at 74,475 seats.
The Berlin concert was part of the ongoing M72 World Tour, with the band’s European leg showing no signs of slowing down. Setlist.fm recorded that Metallica played a 16-song set on the night, opening with “Creeping Death” and closing the main show with the iconic “Enter Sandman.” The band then moved on to their next scheduled stop in Bologna, Italy, on June 3.
The Berlin record was not the first time Metallica made headlines for attendance figures during this European run. Loudwire reported that the band had already drawn over 90,000 fans to the Olympic Stadium in Athens on May 9. This signaled that the Berlin milestone was part of a broader pattern of record-setting performances across the continent.
Metallica themselves acknowledged the achievement on social media, expressing gratitude to their fanbase. “Night after night, city after city, the #MetallicaFamily is bringing it! Yesterday, over 94,000 of you helped break the record for the biggest EVER show at Olympiastadion. Thank you!” the band wrote in an Instagram post, as quoted by Loudwire.
