Metallica fans have voted "Master of Puppets" the veteran metal act's single most significant song in a knockout tournament called "Some Kind of Bracket." The promotion, instigated by the band, let listeners determine the top Metallica tune in a sporty kind of single-elimination contest.

It all started around a month ago when the legendary Bay Area rockers initially distributed the contest's first-round bracket on social media. On May 28, over 60 Metallica songs — everything from "Enter Sandman" to "I Disappear" — were among the lot that kicked off the challenge. The first round ended on June 4.

The group posited that fans' "fav Metallica songs [would] go head to head in #SomeKindOfBracket. Vote on daily match-ups here on Facebook and in our Instagram stories until we crown the champ!"

The voting played out online as listeners voted for their favorite in each heat. On June 18, the semifinals found "Master of Puppets" going up against "Fade to Black" and "One" battling "Enter Sandman."

By June 22, the tournament had winnowed down to just two remaining Metallica songs. When all was said and done, "One" — the 1989 single from …And Justice for All — went head to head with "Master of Puppets," the title track from Metallica's 1986 album. By the following day, a victor had emerged.

"The people have spoken and [a] single song stands alone above the rest," the band shared Tuesday (June 23). "Your champion is — drum roll please — 'Master of Puppets'! Along the way, it defeated 'Dyers Eve,' 'Atlas, Rise!,' 'Ride the Lightning,' 'Sad but True,' 'Fade to Black' and 'One' in head-to-head match-ups… no wonder that thing is in the Library of Congress! Thanks for playing along with us!"

Indeed, it's the Master of Puppets album centerpiece that ultimately takes the cake in Metallica's bracket. Not bad for the little thrash metal tune that, as Metallica themselves mentioned above, was selected for induction into the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry in 2016.

All Metallica Songs Ranked

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