10 Biggest Rock + Metal News Stories of 2022

From Metallica on Stranger Things to some highly-anticipated reunion tours finally happening despite a global pandemic, these were some of the most talked about moments of 2022.

“Master of Puppets” was given new life in 2022 thanks to Stranger Things and an epic performance by character Eddie Munson. We all joined the Hellfire Club in 2022, and Metallica themselves welcomed a hoard of Stranger Things fans into the metal masses. Beyond that, Metallica capped off 2022 by releasing a new song and announcing a 2023 album.

The death of Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins seemed to send the entire music world into mourning in 2022. Succumbing to a drug overdose at the age of 50, Hawkins left behind one of the most celebrated legacies of any drummer in rock history. The backbone of the Foos was memorialized with two massive tribute concerts, filled to the brim with music royalty across all popular genres. It was as touching a tribute for any musician since perhaps the death of George Harrison.

The return of Pantera also ended up being one of the biggest stories of 2022. Original members Philip Anselmo and Rex Brown continued the legacy of Pantera after more than two decades of dormancy. Zakk Wylde was recruited on guitar, while Charlie Benante was tapped to take over drums, and from the band’s very first show, they sounded incredible.

Check out the biggest rock and metal stories of the year in the gallery below.