Metallica is an American heavy metal band formed in 1981 by vocalist and guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrumentals and aggressive musicianship made them one of the founding "big four" bands of thrash metal, alongside Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer. Metallica's current lineup comprises founding members and primary songwriters Hetfield and Ulrich, longtime lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo. Guitarist Dave Mustaine, who formed Megadeth after being fired from Metallica, and bassists Ron McGovney, Cliff Burton and Jason Newsted are former members of the band. The band first found commercial success with the release of its third album, 'Master Of Puppets' (1986), which is cited as the band's best work. The band's fifth album, 'Metallica' (1991), was a turning point for the band that saw them transition from their thrash roots - it appealed to a more mainstream audience, achieving substantial commercial success and selling more than 16 million copies in the United States to date, making it the best-selling album of the SoundScan era. After experimenting with different genres and directions in subsequent releases, Metallica returned to its thrash metal roots in 2008.
 James Hetfield.jpg)
 Kirk Hammett.jpg)
 Dave Mustaine.jpg)
 Cliff Burton.jpg)
 Jason Newsted.jpg)
 Robert Trujillo.jpg)
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 Lars Ulrich.jpg)
 Dave Mustaine.jpg)
13 September 1961
Future Metallica / Megadeth guitarist Dave Mustaine is born in La Mesa, California, U.S.A.
 Cliff Burton.jpg)
10 February 1962
Future Metallica bassist Cliff Burton is born in Castro Valley, California, U.S.A.
 Metallica.jpg)
28 October 1981
Metallica forms in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
14 March 1982
Metallica play their first show at Radio City, Anaheim, California, U.S.A.
 1982-06-14 Various Artists - Metal Massacre [1st Pressing].jpg)
14 June 1982
Metal Blade release the compilation 'Metal Massacre' showcasing the rising L.A. Metal scene. It features the first recording by Metallica.
 Megaforce Records.jpg)
Early 1983
Megaforce Records is founded by husband and wife Jon and Marsha Zazula in New Jersey, U.S.A. The motivation was to release the first recordings by Metallica.
11 April 1983
Dave Mustaine is fired from Metallica due to drug and alcohol abuse, and is replaced by Kirk Hammett of Exodus.
16 April 1983
Metallica perfom their first show with Kirk Hammett on guitar at The Showplace, Dover, New Jersey, U.S.A. Anthrax is the support act, the first time the two bands perfom on the same bill.
 1983-07-25 Metallica - Kill 'Em All.jpg)
25 July 1983
Metallica release their debut album 'Kill 'Em All' on Megaforce Records.
 1984-07-27 Metallica - Ride The Lightning.jpg)
27 July 1984
Metallica release their second album 'Ride The Lightning' on Megaforce Records.
 1986-03-03 Metallica - Master Of Puppets.jpg)
3 March 1986
Metallica release their third album 'Master Of Puppets' on Elektra Records.
27 September 1986
Whilst on the tour for 'Master Of Puppets' Metallica bassist Cliff Burton is killed in a tour bus accident near Dorarp, Sweden.
Discography: (1 December 2021) |
Total: 49 |
Available: M49 F48 |
Soon: M0 F0 |
Later: M14 F14 |
Required: M0 F1 |
![Metal Massacre [1st Pressing]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1982-06-14 Various Artists - Metal Massacre [1st Pressing].jpg)
Album; Selected Tracks; Compilation
14 June 1982
'Metal Massacre' was the first release for Metal Blade Records and was a compilation of unsigned metal bands. It was the first appearance on record of Metallica, with an early demo of 'Hit The Lights'.
FLAC
![Metal Massacre [2nd Pressing]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1982-10-xx Various Artists - Metal Massacre [2nd Pressing].jpg)
Album; Selected Tracks; Compilation
?? October 1982
'Metal Massacre' was the first release for Metal Blade Records and was a compilation of unsigned metal bands. The second pressing updated some songs, with Metallica including a better recording of 'Hit The Lights' from their No Life 'Til Leather (1982) demo.
FLAC
 1983-07-25 Metallica - Kill 'Em All.jpg)
Album
25 July 1983
'Kill 'Em All' is the debut studio album by Metallica, released by the independent label Megaforce Records. It is regarded as a groundbreaking album for thrash metal, fusing New Wave of British Heavy Metal riffs with hardcore punk tempos. The album did not enter the Billboard 200 until 1986, when it peaked at number 155, following Metallica's commercial success with its third studio album 'Master Of Puppets'.
FLAC
 1984-07-27 Metallica - Ride The Lightning.jpg)
Album
27 July 1984
'Ride The Lightning' is the second studio album by Metallica, released by the independent label Megaforce Records. Whilst still rooted in the thrash metal genre, the album showcased the band's developing musical maturity and lyrical sophistication, partially because bassist Cliff Burton he had more input in the songwriting. It was the last album to feature songwriting contributions from former lead guitarist Dave Mustaine.
FLAC
 1986-03-03 Metallica - Master Of Puppets.jpg)
Album
3 March 1986
'Master Of Puppets' is the third studio album by Metallica, released on March 3. It was the band's final album to feature bassist Cliff Burton, who died in a bus accident in Sweden during the album's promotional tour. It peaked at number 29 on the Billboard 200 and received widespread acclaim from critics, who praised its music and political lyrics. It is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most influential metal albums of all time, and is credited with consolidating the American thrash metal scene. It was certified six times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2003 for shipping six million copies in the United States, and was later certified six times platinum by Music Canada and platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). In 2015 it became the first metal recording to be selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
FLAC
 1987-04-xx Metallica - Creeping Death, Jump In The Fire [U.K. Compilation E.P.].jpg)
E.P.; Compilation
?? April 1987
'Creeping Death / Jump In The Fire' is a compilation E.P. by Metallica. It combines the Jump In The Fire (1984) and Creeping Death (1984) singles and thier b-sides both released in the U.K.
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 1987-08-21 Metallica - The 5-98 E.P. Garage Days Re-Revisited [E.P.].jpg)
E.P.
21 August 1987
'The $5.98 E.P., Garage Days Re-Revisited' (released on CD as 'The $9.98 CD, Garage Days Re-Revisited') is the first E.P. by Metallica. It consists of covers of late-'70s and early-'80s New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) bands and punk rock music rehearsed in Lars Ulrich's soundproofed garage and then recorded in Los Angeles over the course of six days. It is the group's first release following the death of bassist Cliff Burton and the first to feature his successor, Jason Newsted.
FLAC
 1988-09-07 Metallica - And Justice For All.jpg)
Album
7 September 1988
'...And Justice For All' is the fourth studio album by Metallica. It was the first Metallica album to feature bassist Jason Newsted, following the death of their previous bassist Cliff Burton in 1986. It was acclaimed by music critics for its depth and complexity, although its dry mix and nearly inaudible bass guitar were criticized. It was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1989, controversially losing out to Jethro Tull in the Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Vocal or Instrumental category. It was successful in the United States, peaking at number six on the Billboard 200, and was certified 8? platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2003 for shipping eight million copies in the U.S.
FLAC
 1990-09-24 Various Artists - Rubaiyat (Elektra's 40th Anniversary).jpg)
Album; Selected Tracks; Compilation
24 September 1990
'Rubaiyat (Elektra's 40th Anniversary)' is a compilation album released to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Elektra record label. The concept was to feature present-day Elektra artists covering songs from the historic catalogue of recordings of Elektra Records and its sister label Asylum Records.
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 1993-11-23 Metallica - Live Shit, Binge and Purge [Boxed Set].jpg)
Album; Compilation; Boxed Set
23 November 1993
TheBigBlack:
'Live Shit: Binge & Purge' is the first live album by Metallica. The initial first pressings contained three CDs or cassette tapes, with songs from concerts in Mexico City on the Nowhere Else To Roam tour, as well as three VHS tapes while a newer version contains two DVDs from concerts in San Diego on the Wherever We May Roam Tour and Seattle on the Damaged Justice Tour. It was originally released as a cardboard box depicting the style of a typical tour equipment transport box.
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 - Image Not Available -.jpg)
Album; Compilation; Tribute
1994
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 1994-11-08 Various Artists - Woodstock 94.jpg)
Album; Selected Tracks; Compilation
8 November 1994
'Woodstock 94' is a live compilation album documenting the Woodstock 1994 festival. It was released during November 1994, nearly three months after the event took place. It features 27 performing artists, with one song per artist. The album was certified Platinum by the Music Canada in 1994 and the Recording Industry Association of America in 1995.
FLAC
 1997-07-29 Soundtrack - Spawn, The Album.jpg)
Album; Selected Tracks; Compilation; Soundtrack
29 July 1997
'Spawn, The Album (Soundtrack)' is a soundtrack to the film Spawn. It features popular rock and metal bands at the time including Metallica, Korn, Slayer, Marilyn Manson, Stabbing Westward, Filter, Soul Coughing, Silverchair and Mansun in collaborations with well-known electronica / techno producers such as The Crystal Method, Roni Size, The Prodigy, D.J. Greyboy, Atari Teenage Riot, Moby, Orbital and 808 State. The album debuted at #7 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and stayed on the chart for 25 weeks. The album is certified Gold in the United States, Australia and New Zealand, as well as Platinum in Canada.
FLAC
Album; Compilation; Tribute
1998
FLAC
 1999-10-19 Various Artists - Woodstock '99.jpg)
Album; Selected Tracks; Compilation
19 October 1999
'Woodstock '99' is a live album recorded at the Woodstock '99 festival. It was released three months after the event took place. Each disc was also released separately.
FLAC
 1999-11-16 Various Artists - WCW Mayhem, The Music.jpg)
Album; Selected Tracks; Compilation; Soundtrack
16 November 1999
'WCW Mayhem, The Music' is an album of songs related to World Championship Wrestling (WCW) during the late 1990s. While many of the songs were performed by professional musicians, others featured wrestlers on vocals.
FLAC
 1999-11-23 Metallica with The SSO - SandM.jpg)
Album; Live
23 November 1999
FLAC
Album; Compilation; Tribute
2000
FLAC
 2000-05-09 Soundtrack - M-I 2.jpg)
Album; Selected Tracks; Compilation; Soundtrack
9 May 2000
'M:I-2 (Music From And Inspired By)' is the soundtrack album for the 2000 film 'Mission: Impossible 2'.
FLAC
Album; Compilation; Tribute
2002
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 2003-02-11 Various Artists - We're A Happy Family.jpg)
Album; Selected Tracks; Compilation
11 February 2003
'We're A Happy Family, A Tribute To Ramones' is a tribute album to the Ramones by Various Artists. It started when Johnny Ramone was presented with the idea of a tribute album and was asked if he wanted to participate, to which he agreed, as long as he would have full control over the project. He was able to get Rob Zombie as a co-producer, and call upon high profile bands to participate. Rob Zombie also did the cover artwork, and Stephen King, a Ramones fan, wrote the liner notes.
FLAC
 2004-08-03 Various Artists - Metallic Attack.jpg)
Album; Compilation; Tribute
3 August 2004
FLAC
Album; Compilation; Tribute
2006
FLAC
Album; Compilation; Tribute
2006
FLAC
 2007-02-20 Various Artists - We All Love Ennio Morricone.jpg)
Album; Selected Tracks; Compilation
20 February 207
'We All Love Ennio Morricone' is a tribute album honoring noted film composer Ennio Morricone. It features a diverse lineup of artists including Andrea Bocelli, Metallica, Bruce Springsteen, Roger Waters, and Celine Dion. The album sold over 120,000 copies in Italy alone.
FLAC
 2008-07-16 Various Artists - Kerrang, Maiden Heaven.jpg)
Album; Selected Tracks; Compilation
16 July 2008
'Kerrang! Maiden Heaven, A Tribute To Iron Maiden' is a tribute album to Iron Maiden. It was released with issue #1219 of Kerrang! magazine.
FLAC
![Six Feet Down Under E.P. [A.U./N.Z., Part I]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2010-09-20 Metallica - Six Feet Down Under E.P. [A.U. E.P., Part I].jpg)
E.P.; Live
20 September 2010
FLAC
 2010-10-29 The Big 4 - Live From Sofia, Bulgaria.jpg)
Album; Selected Tracks; Compilation
29 October 2010
'Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth & Anthrax - The Big 4, Live From Sofia, Bulgaria' is a live album with performances by Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax, 'The Big Four' of American thrash metal. The concert took place on June 22, 2010, at the Sonisphere Festival at Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria. The performance was shown at 450 movie theaters in the United States and over 350 movie theaters across Europe, Canada, and Latin America on June 22, 2010.
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![Six Feet Down Under E.P. [A.U./N.Z., Part II]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2010-11-12 Metallica - Six Feet Down Under E.P. [A.U. E.P., Part II].jpg)
E.P.; Live
12 November 2010
FLAC
Album; Compilation; Tribute
2011
FLAC
Album; Compilation; Tribute
2012
FLAC
 2012-09-25 Various Artists - Re-Machined.jpg)
Album; Selected Tracks; Compilation
25 September 2012
'Re-Machined, A Tribute To Deep Purple's Machine Head' is a tribute album that features a variety of hard rock and heavy metal bands covering songs written by Deep Purple. Picking up some commercial success, the work hit the #41 slot on Billboard Top Independent Albums chart and additionally received critical praise from publications such as Allmusic.
FLAC
Album; Compilation; Tribute
2013
FLAC
 2013-09-20 Metallica - Through The Never (Soundtrack).jpg)
Album
24 September 2013
FLAC
 2014-03-31 Various Artists - Ronnie James Dio, This Is Your Life.jpg)
Album; Selected Tracks; Compilation
31 March 2014
'Ronnie James Dio, This Is Your Life' is a tribute album to Ronnie James Dio. The album features many of Dio's contemporaries performing songs originally recorded by Dio, Black Sabbath, and Rainbow. Tenacious D won the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance at the 57th Grammy Awards for their cover of "The Last In Line", and Anthrax were nominated in the same category for their cover of "Neon Knights". Dio died in 2010 from stomach cancer, and album proceeds were targeted for Dio's Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund.
FLAC
![No Life 'Til Leather [Reissue]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2015-04-18 Metallica - No Life 'Til Leather [Demo Reissue].jpg)
E.P.; Demo; Reissue; Remasters
18 April 2015
FLAC
 2016-03-03 Various Artists - A Tribute To Master Of Puppets.jpg)
Album; Compilation; Tribute
3 March 2016
FLAC
![Kill 'Em All [Deluxe Reissue]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2016-04-15 Metallica - Kill 'Em All [Deluxe Reissue].jpg)
Album; Reissue; Deluxe Edition; Remasters
15 April 2016
FLAC
![Ride The Lightning [Deluxe Reissue]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2016-04-15 Metallica - Ride The Lightning [Deluxe Reissue].jpg)
Album; Reissue; Deluxe Edition; Remasters
15 April 2016
FLAC
![Master Of Puppets [Deluxe Reissue]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2017-11-08 Metallica - Master Of Puppets [Deluxe Reissue].jpg)
Album; Reissue; Deluxe Edition; Boxed Set; Remasters
11 November 2017
FLAC
![The $5.98 E.P. Garage Days Re-Revisited [Reissue]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2018-04-13 Metallica - The 5-98 E.P. Garage Days Re-Revisited [E.P. Reissue].jpg)
E.P.; Reissue; Remasters
13 April 2018
FLAC
![...And Justice For All [Deluxe Reissue]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2018-11-02 Metallica - And Justice For All [Deluxe Reissue].jpg)
Album; Reissue; Deluxe Edition; Boxed Set; Remasters
2 November 2018
FLAC
 2019-02-01 Metallica - Helping Hands, Live and Acoustic At The Masonic.jpg)
Album; Live
1 February 2019
FLAC
Album; Compilation; Tribute
2020
FLAC
Album; Compilation; Tribute
2021
FLAC
![Metallica [Deluxe Reissue]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2021-09-10 Metallica - Metallica [Deluxe Reissue].jpg)
Album; Reissue; Deluxe Edition; Boxed Set; Remasters
10 September 2021
TheBigBlack:
FLAC
 2021-09-10 Various Artists - The Metallica Blacklist.jpg)
Album; Compilation; Tribute; Remasters
10 September 2021
FLAC
 2023-06-14 Metallica - The Amsterdam Sessions (Amazon Music Presents) [E.P.].jpg)
E.P.
14 June 2023
'The Amsterdam Sessions (Amazon Music Presents)' is a live E.P. by Metallica. The tracks were performed live in the studio in the Netherlands.
FLAC
![Load [Deluxe Reissue]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2025-06-13 Metallica - Load [Deluxe Reissue].jpg)
Album; Reissue; Deluxe Edition; Boxed Set; Remasters
13 June 2025
TheBigBlack:
'Load [Deluxe Reissue]' is a reissue boxed set by Metallica. It features the Load (1996) album remastered, plus a range of b-sides and complete concerts.
FLAC
 2025-11-14 Various Artists - No Life 'Til Leather, A Tribute To Metallica's Kill 'Em All.jpg)
Album; Compilation; Tribute
14 November 2025
'No Life 'Til Leather, A Tribute To Metallica's Kill 'Em All' is a tribute album to Metallica featuring various hard rock and heavy metal bands.
FLAC
Album; Reissue; Deluxe Edition; Boxed Set; Remasters
26 June 2026
FLAC
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