Metallica received another recognition for their contribution to music. On Thursday, the thrash metal legends received Polar Music Prize, Sweden’s highest honor for musicians. Drummer Lars Ulrich and bassist Robert Trujillo came in person to collect the award.
Deep Purple’s Roger Glover and Ian Paice were tasked with introducing the band, with Glover using the opportunity to recall the first time he heard the band.
“In the early ’80s, we were kind of riding high, doing a big festival in England,” – said Glover in his speech. “I heard this band backstage — well, they were on stage; I was backstage — and I thought, ‘Umm, who’s this?’ Metallica. I’d heard the name, didn’t know anything about them. I went on the side of the stage to have a look and I thought, ‘Yeah, there’s something happening here.’ I’ll tell you why: because the audience was singing every word they sang. And that’s what impressed me. When you touch that many people with your music, there’s something special going on.”
After the introduction by Glover and Paice, Lars Ulrich and Robert Trujillo took the stage where they were presented with the award by King Carl XVI Gustaf.
“Who would have thought, when Metallica started this musical journey 37 years ago, that one day we would be standing in front of both musical royalty and actual royalty, accepting one of the most prestigious prizes that can be bestowed upon musicians,” said Ulrich upon receiving the award.
The band also revealed that they will be donating the $125,000 prize money to All Within My Hands Foundation.
The ceremony also included several Swedish musicians like Ghost, Candlemass, Vargas & Lagola Dennis Lyxzen, Moneybrother and Tuva Syvertsen covering some of Metallica’s most famous songs.
