Fuel (Metallica song) explained

Fuel
Cover:	Metallica - Fuel cover.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Metallica
Album:	Reload
Released:	^[1]
Genre:	Heavy metal^[2] hard rock
Length:	4:26
Label:	Elektra
Lyricist:	James Hetfield
Producer:	Bob Rock
Prev Title:	The Unforgiven II
Prev Year:	1998
Next Title:	Better than You
Next Year:	1998

"Fuel" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica. It was written by James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, and Kirk Hammett, and was released as the third single from their seventh album, Reload (1997). The song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance in 1999 but lost to Jimmy Page and Robert Plant for the song "Most High". It was moderately successful on the music charts, peaking at number two in Australia, number three in Hungary, number five in Finland and number six on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.

"Fuel" is one of the songs Metallica perform most live. It has featured on the live albums Cunning Stunts, S&M, Français Pour une Nuit, , Live at Grimey's and Through The Never.

A demo version of the song called "Fuel for Fire" (with different lyrics) was used as the theme song for NASCAR on NBC from 2001 until the 2004 Daytona 500.^[3] The song was also featured in the video game Fortnite Festival.^[4]

Track listings

All live tracks were recorded on April 20, 1998, at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane, Australia.UK and Australasian CD1^[5]

1. "Fuel" – 4:29
2. "Sad but True" (live) – 6:23
3. "Nothing Else Matters" – 6:08

UK and Australasian CD2^[6]

1. "Fuel" – 4:29
2. "Wherever I May Roam" – 6:48
3. "One" – 8:06

UK and Australasian CD3^[7]

1. "Fuel" – 4:30
2. "Until It Sleeps" (live) – 4:25
3. "Fuel" (live) – 4:40
4. "Fuel" (demo) – 4:25

European CD single^[8]

1. "Fuel" – 4:29
2. "Sad but True" (live) – 6:23

Japanese EP^[9]

1. "Fuel" – 4:30
2. "Sad but True" (live) – 6:24
3. "Until It Sleeps" (live) – 4:26
4. "One" (live) – 8:07
5. " Fuel" (demo) – 4:26

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1998)	Peak position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[10]	54
Hungary (Mahasz)^[11]	3
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)^[12]	6

Year-end charts

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label
United States	March 10, 1998	Alternative radio	Elektra	^[14]
United Kingdom	June 22, 1998	CD		^[15] ^[16]
Japan	August 26, 1998		Sony	^[17]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Fuel . Metallica.com . 2 August 2023.
2. Web site: 50 Best Songs About Driving & Racing Cars (2023 with Videos) . audiotips.com . September 9, 2023.
3. News: NBC, TNT have tough act to follow. The Times. Newspapers.com. June 30, 2001. October 17, 2023.
4. Web site: Brkljač . Bhernardo Viana, Ryan Galloway, Slobodan . 2024-05-25 . All free Fortnite Festival songs today (May 2024) . 2024-05-26 . Dot Esports . en-US.
5. Fuel. Metallica. 1998. UK & Australasian CD1 disc notes. Vertigo Records, Mercury Records. METCD 16, 568 413-2.
6. Fuel. Metallica. 1998. UK & Australasian CD2 disc notes. Vertigo Records, Mercury Records. METDD 16, 568 415-2.
7. Fuel. Metallica. 1998. UK & Australasian CD3 disc notes. Vertigo Records, Mercury Records. METED 16, 568 417-2.
8. Fuel. Metallica. 1998. European CD single disc notes. Vertigo Records. 568 412-2.
9. Fuel. Metallica. 1998. Japanese maxi-CD single disc notes. Sony Music Entertainment Japan. SRCS 8748.
10. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 15. 28. 11. July 11, 1998. June 8, 2020.
11. Top National Sellers. Music & Media. 15. 27. 12. July 4, 1998. June 8, 2020.
12. Web site: Tipparade-lijst van week 29, 1998. Dutch Top 40. March 13, 2023.
13. Web site: ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1998. ARIA. June 1, 2021.
14. Be on the Lookout. Gavin Report. 2195. 22. March 6, 1998.
15. Web site: Fuel. metallica.com. December 29, 2022.
16. New Releases: Singles. Music Week. 25. June 20, 1998.
17. Web site: Metallica. Sony Music Entertainment Japan. https://web.archive.org/web/20010124065100/http://www.sme.co.jp/Music/International/Arch/SR/Metallica/. January 24, 2001. August 25, 2023. Click on Discography.