Metallica

Metallica is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1981 by vocalist and guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich. It is later based primarily in San Francisco and remains active.

Line-up

The core line-up consists of Hetfield, Ulrich, lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo. Former members include Dave Mustaine, who later forms Megadeth, along with bassists Ron McGovney, Cliff Burton and Jason Newsted. Mustaine is first recruited as lead guitarist but is dismissed in 1983 and replaced by Hammett.

Style and standing

The band is regarded as one of the leading acts in thrash metal and is associated with hard rock, heavy metal, metal and rock. It is also linked with the “big four” of thrash metal alongside Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax.

Early recordings and breakthrough albums

Metallica’s early recordings include the demo Power Metal and contributions to the compilation Metal Massacre. Its debut album, Kill 'Em All, is released in 1983 on Megaforce Records and helps establish the band in the underground metal scene. Ride the Lightning follows in 1984, broadening its sound and leading to a contract with Elektra Records. Master of Puppets, released in 1986, brings early commercial success and is frequently cited as one of the most influential metal albums.

Commercial success and later work

...And Justice for All appears in 1988 and receives the band’s first Grammy Award nomination. It includes “One”, which is accompanied by the first music video. The 1991 album Metallica, also known as The Black Album, shifts towards a more accessible sound and becomes one of the best-selling albums in the United States. Load and Reload, released in 1996 and 1997, incorporate alternative and hard rock elements and receive mixed responses. Garage Inc. follows in 1998 as a covers album, and S&M appears in 1999 with the San Francisco Symphony.

1990s and 2000s

During the 1990s the band experiments with different musical approaches. In 2000, it files a lawsuit against Napster over copyright infringement, leading to a widely publicised dispute that ends in settlement. Jason Newsted leaves in 2001. St. Anger is recorded during a period of internal difficulties and released in 2003 with a raw production style; it receives mixed reviews but wins a Grammy Award for its title track. The documentary Metallica: Some Kind of Monster documents the tensions and the making of the album. Robert Trujillo joins as bassist the same year.

Return to earlier influences and later releases

Death Magnetic, released in 2008, returns to a more traditional thrash metal sound and debuts at number one in multiple countries. The band is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009. It later releases the collaborative album Lulu with Lou Reed in 2011, and its own label, Blackened Recordings, is founded in 2012. Metallica: Through the Never follows in 2013 as a concert film combining live performances with a fictional narrative. Hardwired... to Self-Destruct appears in 2016 and debuts at number one on the Billboard 200. The live release S&M2 follows in 2020, and 72 Seasons is released in 2023.

Awards and recognition

Metallica receives ten Grammy Awards from 26 nominations and has several studio albums debut at number one on the Billboard 200. It is also among the best-selling music artists, with over 163 million albums sold worldwide as of 2023, and is one of the best-selling acts in the United States since SoundScan tracking begins in 1991.

Other activity

The band participates in joint performances with Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it streams archival concerts and works on new material remotely. Members also indicate ongoing work on new material in the mid-2020s.