"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, Gold in the United Kingdom on November 29, 2024, 4× Platinum in Canada on March 4, 2023, Gold in Denmark on November 22, 2023, and Platinum in New Zealand on December 15, 2022, making it their most successful single in terms of sales internationally.
Writing and Composition Hail to the King is an anthemic heavy metal track that explores the dark realities of tyranny, systemic oppression, and blind societal obedience to authority. The song tells the story of a tyrannical king who strikes down anyone who opposed him.
The lyrics use dark, violent imagery—such as armored death riding into town, taking rights, and spilling blood—to depict how oppressive rulers enforce absolute submission and fear. The lyric "kneel to the crown" highlights the seductive and dangerous nature of dominance, exposing how easily people surrender their freedom without questioning the power structure above them.
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.UK PREMIERE: Avenged Sevenfold Unleash ‘Hail To The King’ Video! 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
+Accolades for "Hail to the King"RegionYearPublicationAccoladeRankUnited States2015Loudwire10 Best Rock Songs of 20137
Loudwire Music Awards
| 2013 || Hail to the King || Best Rock Song ||
Revolver Golden Gods Awards
| 2014 || Hail to the King || Song of the Year ||
Track listing
Personnel M. Shadows – lead vocals Zacky Vengeance – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Synyster Gates – lead guitar, backing vocals Johnny Christ – bass Arin Ilejay – drums
Charts
Weekly charts + Weekly chart performance for "Hail to the King" Chart (2013–2014) PeakpositionTaiwan (IFPI Taiwan) 5
Year-end charts + Year-end chart performance for "Hail to the King" Chart (2013) Position US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard) 29 US Rock Airplay (Billboard) 19
Certifications
References