Hail to the King (song)

"Hail to the King" is a song by American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold and the lead single from their sixth studio album of the same name, released on July 15, 2013. The song was premiered live on July 17, 2013, at the Ford Festival Park in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The single was certified 3× Platinum in the United States on August 23, 2023, Silver in the United Kingdom on December 11, 2020, 4× Platinum in Canada on March 4, 2023, and Platinum in Denmark on November 22, 2023, making it their most successful single in terms of sales internationally.

Release
The song was released on July 15, 2013, as the lead single for their sixth studio album, Hail to the King. On July 31, 2013, a limited edition CD version of the single was released, with a live version of "Nightmare" performed at The Palace of Auburn Hills attached.

Appearances in media
The song appears in video games Rock Band 4, WWE 2K17, and Fortnite Festival, and as one of the official theme songs for WrestleMania 32. The song also appeared in the Netflix film Metal Lords.

Music video
The official music video premiered on the Metal Hammer website on August 16, 2013. The video depicts the band playing together, as well as shots of the king referenced in the song. The video is in black and white and is the first to feature drummer Arin Ilejay, as well as being the first Avenged Sevenfold video to feature a drummer since the video for "So Far Away", which contained archive footage of late drummer The Rev.

Accolades
Loudwire Music Awards


 * 2013 || Hail to the King || Best Rock Song || Won
 * 2013 || Hail to the King || Best Rock Song || Won

Revolver Golden Gods Awards


 * 2014 || Hail to the King || Song of the Year || Nominated
 * 2014 || Hail to the King || Song of the Year || Nominated

Personnel

 * M. Shadows – lead vocals
 * Zacky Vengeance – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
 * Synyster Gates – lead guitar, backing vocals
 * Johnny Christ – bass guitar
 * Arin Ilejay – drums

Personnel

 * M. Shadows – lead vocals
 * Zacky Vengeance – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
 * Synyster Gates – lead guitar, backing vocals
 * Johnny Christ – bass guitar
 * Arin Ilejay – drums