9 Times The Grammy Awards Chose Its Metal Poorly
5. 1999: Metallica- Better Than You
By the release of "ReLoad" in 1997, Metallica had strayed far from the path they helped raze, incorporating more contemporary elements into their music. While still heavy per se, their efforts following "And Justice For All" teetered toward hard rock; a shift that was evident enough to grant them a nomination in that category as well.
Of those nominated in 1999, Judas Priest’s “Bullet Train” and Rammstein’s “Du Hast” were the most appropriate nominees, though it is odd to consider whether a song from Judas Priest’s less-than-well-received era fronted by Tim “Ripper” Owens is more deserving of an award over Metallica’s less-than-well-received post-1980s existence.
However arguable it may be, Rammstein taking home the statue may have been best considering the options, though the year had seen several releases that were sorely overlooked (Iced Earth, Black Sabbath and Death come readily to mind).