I Disappear

This article is about the Metallica single. For the song by The Faint, see Wet from Birth.

"I Disappear"
A square image consisting entirely of fire with the following superimposed thereon, from top-to-bottom: "Metallica", "I Disappear", "From the Motion Picture", "M:I-2", and the silhouette of a bird.
Cover art of the single
Single by Metallica
from the album Mission: Impossible 2
B-side"I Disappear" (Instrumental)
ReleasedJune 2, 2000 (2000-06-02)
Genre
Length4:26
LabelHollywood
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Metallica singles chronology
"No Leaf Clover"
(2000) 		"I Disappear"
(2000) 		"St. Anger"
(2003)
Music video
"I Disappear" on YouTube

"I Disappear" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on June 2, 2000 as the lead single from the Mission: Impossible 2 soundtrack. The music and lyrics were written by frontman James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and they were joined by Bob Rock as producer.[1] The song is the first appearance of the infamous snare drum on their eighth studio album, St. Anger (2003).

The single for "I Disappear" was only officially released in Germany, but reached the top 10 on charts in seven countries, and went to No 1 on US Mainstream Rock.[2] The song's leak on the file-sharing service Napster prompted the band to sue the service. This inspired the song "Shoot Me Again".[3]

Composition

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"I Disappear" is a hard rock and heavy metal song, according to the music sheet published at Musicnotes.com by Universal Music Publishing Group. Set in the time signature of common time and composed in a moderate tempo of 124 beats per minute, the track is set in the key of E minor with Hetfield's vocals ranging from E4 to G5.[4] The song includes a "hey, hey, hey" hook by Hetfield, chugging drums on the chorus by Ulrich, and a guitar solo by Kirk Hammett.[5]

Music video

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Most of "I Disappear"'s music video was shot in Monument Valley atop a sandstone butte on April 13, 2000. After accessing the butte by helicopter, Metallica and their instruments were alone on the plateau, circled by filming aircraft, for over twelve hours. By the end of the shoot, winds were so severe that the drum kit was blown over, footage of which appears in the video. Ulrich was later filmed on a skyscraper in Downtown Los Angeles for "action sequences, explosions, chaos and mayhem".[6]

The 2000 music video also featured a 1967 Chevrolet Camaro driven by Metallica band member James Hetfield. Hetfield was given the car after filming, and in 2003, listed it on eBay.[7] With 77,000 miles (124,000 km) on the odometer, the restored two-door car had an automatic transmission and was bidding at US$70,100 (equivalent to $119,822 in 2024) with seven days remaining in the auction; proceeds from the sale were earmarked for music education programs.[8]

Release

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Performances of "I Disappear" as of October 16, 2024[9]

While still working on the song, Metallica learned in 2000 that a pre-release version was being aired on US radio stations. The band traced the source of the song to the peer-to-peer file sharing service Napster. After finding their entire catalog available on Napster, they became the first musicians to file lawsuit against the service (Metallica v. Napster, Inc.).[10] As of April 2025, "I Disappear" was available for streaming via the Napster streaming music service.[11]

"I Disappear" was formally released with the Mission: Impossible 2 soundtrack on May 9, 2000. The single was released as a CD maxi on June 2, 2000,[12] under the Hollywood Records label. In Belgium and Italy, the song was released by Edel-Mega Records.[1][13] In the chronology of Metallica singles, "I Disappear" was released between "No Leaf Clover" (March 20, 2000) and "St. Anger" (June 23, 2003).[14] Metallica performed "I Disappear" 94 times from June 3, 2000, through May 17, 2023.[9]

On April 23, 2021, Metallica released the two-track Disappear (Leaked and Live) through their Vinyl Club. The first song is "I Disappear (Leaked Napster Version)", and the second is "I Disappear (Live)", a live performance recorded at the West Hollywood House of Blues on July 18, 2000.[15]

Critical reception

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Mike McGuirk of San Francisco Bay Guardian described "I Disappear" as leaning on a reworking of "Enter Sandman" with an incorporation of some grunge aesthetic. He said that following Load (1996), which he called their "country record", this new song with a "mega" riff and "catchy as hell" melodic choruses proved that the band was not afraid to change things up.[11]

The Nu Metal Agenda ranked "I Disappear" at number 91 on a list of the 100 greatest nu metal songs of all time, with Holiday Kirk calling the band's first foray into the genre, "a summer blockbuster of a single."[16] WMMR placed the song at number 13 in their ranking of every Metallica song, with Erica Banas labeling it "undeniable hard rock treasure,"[5] while Loudwire ranked the song at number 26 and stated it holds up "alongside the highlights of The Black Album."[17]

Track listing

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The CD maxi single of "I Disappear" has only two tracks, the title song and its instrumental version.[12][18]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I Disappear"James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich4:26
2."I Disappear" (Instrumental) 4:26
Total length:8:52

Charts

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Certifications

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Certifications for "I Disappear"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[41] Gold 5,641[41]
Sweden (GLF)[42] Gold 15,000^
United States (RIAA)[43] Gold 500,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Metallica – I Disappear" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  2. ^ Armstrong, Chuck (May 4, 2000). "Metallica, 'I Disappear' - Official Music Video". Ultimate Metallica. Retrieved July 9, 2025.
  3. ^ "St. Anger by Metallica review". KSUA. October 26, 2021. Retrieved July 9, 2025.
  4. ^ "Metallica "I Disappear" Guitar Tab in E Minor". Musicnotes.com. Universal Music Publishing Group. August 19, 2013. Retrieved July 9, 2025.
  5. ^ a b Banas, Erica (August 7, 2024). "Metallica: All Songs Ranked Worst to Best". WMMR. Retrieved July 9, 2025.
  6. ^ Ulrich, Lars [@larsulrich]; (April 13, 2019). "19 years ago today, April 13 2000, we shot the video for 'I Disappear' out in Monument Valley on The Navajo Nation Reservation". Archived from the original on August 10, 2019. Retrieved December 24, 2021 – via Instagram.
  7. ^ "Own a Piece of Metallica Video History". Metallica. September 22, 2003. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  8. ^ Jones, Sefany (September 26, 2003). "Metallica's Hetfield Auctions Car on eBay; New Year's Eve Gig in Vegas". Los Angeles: KNAC. Reuters. Archived from the original on November 15, 2018. Retrieved August 8, 2019. Metallica's Hetfield Selling Restored Chevy on eBay
  9. ^ a b "I Disappear". Metallica. Archived from the original on October 16, 2024. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  10. ^ Ulrich, Lars (July 11, 2000). "Testimony of Mr. Lars Ulrich, Member and Co-founder, Metallica" (Interview). Interviewed by United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. United States Capitol: United States Senate. Archived from the original on November 29, 2007. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  11. ^ a b "I Disappear by Metallica". Napster. August 22, 2006. Archived from the original on August 10, 2019. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  12. ^ a b c "Metallica – I Disappear" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  13. ^ a b "Metallica – I Disappear". Top Digital Download. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  14. ^ "Releases: Singles". Metallica. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  15. ^ "Disappear (Leaked and Live)". Metallica. April 23, 2001. Archived from the original on December 11, 2022. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  16. ^ Kirk, Holiday (October 1, 2024). "The 100 Greatest Nu Metal Songs of All Time". The Nu Metal Agenda. Archived from the original on October 14, 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2025. The essential guide to the most eclectic genre in heavy music in history.[better source needed]
  17. ^ "Every Metallica Song Ranked". Loudwire. September 23, 2020. Retrieved July 9, 2025.
  18. ^ "I Disappear". Metallica. Archived from the original on August 9, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  19. ^ "Metallica – I Disappear" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  20. ^ "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 7254." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  21. ^ Legrand, Emmanuel, ed. (August 19, 2000). "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 34. London: BPI Communications. p. 23. OCLC 29800226. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
  22. ^ "Metallica: I Disappear" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  23. ^ "Metallica – I Disappear" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  24. ^ "Metallica – I Disappear" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  25. ^ Legrand, Emmanuel, ed. (June 26, 2000). "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 35. London: BPI Communications. p. 9. OCLC 29800226. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 17, 2020. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
  26. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Metallica". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  27. ^ "Tipparade-lijst van week 33, 2000" [Tipparade list of week 33, 2000] (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Archived from the original on December 11, 2023. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  28. ^ "Metallica – I Disappear" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  29. ^ "Metallica – I Disappear". VG-lista. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  30. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  31. ^ "Metallica – I Disappear" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  32. ^ "Metallica – I Disappear". Singles Top 100. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  33. ^ "Metallica – I Disappear". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  34. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  35. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  36. ^ "Metallica Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  37. ^ "Metallica Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  38. ^ "Metallica Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  39. ^ "The Year in Music 2000: Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 52. December 30, 2000. p. YE-87. ISSN 0006-2510. OCLC 732913734.
  40. ^ "The Year in Music 2000: Hot Modern Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 52. December 30, 2000. p. YE-88. ISSN 0006-2510. OCLC 732913734.
  41. ^ a b "Metallica" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  42. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2000" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 17, 2011. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  43. ^ "American single certifications – Metallica". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
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