Metallica marching band winners for Marching Music Day

Happy Marching Music Day! This year, I'm celebrating For Whom the Band Tolls: The Winners!

Last year, we challenged marching bands at all collegiate levels to come up with the most exciting, unique, and impressive performances of our songs. The submissions are in, we’ve watched the videos, and we’re thrilled to announce that the University of South Carolina has taken the top prize in the 2025 Collegiate Edition of the annual competition. Congratulations Gamecocks! A huge thank you to all the incredible bands who participated this year.

The winners across seven categories listed below will receive more than $165,000 in total prizes. In an exciting twist on our second For Whom The Band Tolls competition, this year’s first-place Division 1 winner will have the opportunity to record a Metallica song and the EA SPORTS™ College Football Theme Song, both to be included in the EA SPORTS™ College Football video game!

The victors in each category will receive instruments and equipment for their programs provided by us with the support of our generous sponsors, including Sweetwater, TAMA, Hal Leonard, KHS America, and more.

And the winners of the Metallica Marching Band Competition Collegiate Edition are…

Follow over the jump for the complete shows of the winners.

Division 1:

1st Place: University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC: The 2025 Carolina Band - Metallica!


Not my favorite, but I'm not surprised, either. They were the most polished.

2nd Place: Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA: : Metallica: VT vs. UVA - 11/30/24.

Our halftime performance from VT vs. UVA on 11/30/24

Songs include:
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Fuel
Fade to Black
Sad But True
Wherever I May Roam
Creeping Death
Lux Æterna
Enter Sandman

Virginia Tech plays "Enter Sandman" when their football team enters the field. That's why Robert Trujillo called them "our very familiar friends and family." That probably contributed to them earning second over 3rd Place and Fan Favorite Winner: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL: Marching Illini Halftime: Metallica - Masters of Metal + Dads Day | ILLINOIS vs Rutgers 11.01.2025.


I could tell they were the most likely to win the fan vote because this video had the most views of all contestants.

Division 2/Division 3:

1st Place: Riverside City College, Riverside, CA RIVERSIDE CITY COLLEGE MARCHING TIGERS 2025 METALLICA CONTEST SUBMISSION. "METALLIC MASQUERADE".

RCC MARCHING TIGERS SUBMISSION FOR METALLICA CONTEST, "FOR WHOM THE BAND TOLLS" RECORDED ON OCTOBER 30TH 2025, AT RIVERSIDE CITY COLLEGE WHEELOCK STADIUM.

This was my fan vote band. They're the most drum-corps style of all the contestants and they pulled off doing a heavy metal show in that style.

2nd Place: Bridgewater College, Bridgewater VA Bridgewater College Metallica Contest Submission.


Metallica wrote "Band director said that he would get his first tattoo if they placed in the top 3." I hope he gets an electric guitar.

3rd Place: Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, IN IWU Marching Wildcats present METALLICA (Official) | 2025.

Official Submission - Metallica's "For Whom the Band Tolls" Contest

The Indiana Wesleyan University Marching Wildcats bring the music of Metallica to the field in a high-energy halftime production featuring:
"Fade to Black"
"Master of Puppets"
"Lux Æterna"
"Wherever I May Roam"
"Enter Sandman"

This performance was recorded October 4, 2025, at Wildcat Stadium in Marion, Indiana, during the Indiana Wesleyan University vs. University of St. Francis football game.

I liked the energy of this group. They also have great hats!

That's a wrap for today and the series of holidays that began with Holi, Purim, and lunar eclipse. Stay tuned for more Saturn Awards coverage.