'Nothing else matters': Akhilesh Yadav’s Metallica reel draws attention amid UP development debate

The use of the Metallica track surprised many social media users, with some speculating whether the choice was made by a member of Yadav’s social media team.

• Akhilesh Yadav's Reel uses Metallica's song for expressway promo
• The post highlights SP-built Agra-Lucknow Expressway's utility
• Yadav is known for his interest in rock and metal music

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A week after Akhilesh Yadav shared an Instagram Reel set to Nothing Else Matters by Metallica, the post continues to draw attention for its unusual soundtrack choice in a political context.

The Samajwadi Party (SP) chief used the Reel to counter Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s development pitch. In the nearly one-minute video, camels, referred to as “ships of the desert”, are seen being transported on a truck along a highway in Uttar Pradesh.

The caption of the post, originally in Hindi, read, "From airplanes to ‘ships of the desert’, our [SP]-built Agra-Lucknow Expressway is serving everyone". The message referred to infrastructure built during the SP government’s tenure, highlighting that the expressway was smooth enough for both aircraft and camels.

The use of the Metallica track surprised many social media users, with some speculating whether the choice was made by a member of Yadav’s social media team. However, Yadav has previously spoken about his interest in rock and metal music.

In a 2012 interview with The Times of India’s Crest supplement, after becoming Chief Minister, Yadav described himself as a fan of a wide range of music, including Metallica. “There was no music we didn’t hear. You name it, I’d have heard it,” he said at the time.

He listed several artists and songs he enjoyed, including Queen’s “I Want To Break Free”, Rod Stewart’s “Some Guys Have All The Luck”, as well as Chris de Burgh, George Michael, Duran Duran, Guns N' Roses and Metallica. He had also mentioned listening to “Hysteria” in a loop.

Among other favourites, Yadav had named Pet Shop Boys, Michael Learns to Rock, Milli Vanilli, Bon Jovi and their song “Bad Medicine”, Bryan Adams, Richard Marx and the track “Wherever You Go”, as well as New Kids on the Block and the song “Baby I Believe In You”.

Yadav, a Sydney-trained engineer who was born into a political family, led the SP government in Uttar Pradesh and later emerged as one of the principal challengers to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

His recent Instagram post featuring “Nothing Else Matters” has since circulated widely online, drawing comments over the combination of a global heavy metal track with a video focused on infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh.