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)
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 Cliff Burton.jpg)
 Jason Newsted.jpg)
 Robert Trujillo.jpg)
 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.
 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.
 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.
![Nothing Else Matters (Live) [U.K.]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1999-11-23 Metallica with The SSO - Nothing Else Matters (Live) [U.K Single].jpg)
Single
23 November 1999
 1999-11-23 Metallica with The SSO - SandM.jpg)
Album; Live
23 November 1999
![No Leaf Clover (Live) [A.U.]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2000-03-20 Metallica with The SSO - No Leaf Clover (Live) [A.U. Single].jpg)
Single
20 March 2000
![Orgullo, Pasion, Y Gloria, Tres Noches En La Ciudad De Mexico [M.E.]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) - Image Not Available -.jpg)
Video
30 November 2009
Album
24 September 2013
![Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite, Metallica! (Live At Le Bataclan, Paris, France - June 11th, 2003) [2016 Record Store Day]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2016-04-16 Metallica - Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite, Metallica [2016 Record Store Day].jpg)
Album; Live
16 April 2016
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 Metallica.jpg)
![...And Justice For All [A.U. Edition]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1988-09-07 Metallica - And Justice For All.jpg)
![One [U.K. Edition]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1989-04-10 Metallica - One [U.K. Single].jpg)
![Kill 'Em All [A.U. Edition]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1983-07-25 Metallica - Kill 'Em All.jpg)
![Ride The Lightning [A.U. Edition]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1984-07-27 Metallica - Ride The Lightning.jpg)
![Master Of Puppets [A.U. Edition]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1986-03-03 Metallica - Master Of Puppets.jpg)
![Enter Sandman [U.K. Edition]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1991-08-01 Metallica - Enter Sandman [U.K. Single].jpg)
![Metallica [A.U. Edition]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1991-08-12 Metallica - Metallica.jpg)
![The Unforgiven [U.K. Edition]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1991-12-12 Metallica - The Unforgiven [U.K. Single].jpg)
![Nothing Else Matters [U.K. Edition]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1992-04-20 Metallica - Nothing Else Matters [U.K. Single].jpg)
![Live At Wembley Stadium, April '92 [U.K.]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1992-04-27 Metallica - Live At Wembley Stadium, April '92 [U.K. Single].jpg)
![Sad But True [A.U. Edition]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1992-07-xx Metallica - Sad But True [A.U. Single].jpg)
![Wherever I May Roam [U.K. Edition]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1992-10-19 Metallica - Wherever I May Roam [U.K. Single].jpg)
 1992-11-17 Metallica - A Year And A Half In The Life Of (Part 1) [Video].jpg)
 1992-11-17 Metallica - A Year And A Half In The Life Of, Continued (Part 2) [Video].jpg)
 1993-03-14 Metallica - Wherever I May Roam (Tour Edition) [A.U. Single].jpg)
![Live Shit, Binge & Purge [A.U. Edition]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1993-11-23 Metallica - Live Shit, Binge and Purge [Boxed Set].jpg)
![One (Studio) [U.K.]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1994-04-11 Metallica - One (Studio) [U.K. Single].jpg)
![One (Live) [U.K.]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1994-04-11 Metallica - One (Live) [U.K. Single].jpg)
![Until It Sleeps [U.K. Edition, Part 1]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1996-05-21 Metallica - Until It Sleeps [U.K. Single, Part 1].jpg)
![Until It Sleeps [U.K. Edition, Part 2]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1996-05-21 Metallica - Until It Sleeps [U.K. Single, Part 2].jpg)
![Hero Of The Day (Motorheadache) [U.K. Edition]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1996-09-09 Metallica - Hero Of The Day (Motorheadache) [U.K. E.P.].jpg)
![Hero Of The Day [U.K. Edition, Part 1]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1996-09-09 Metallica - Hero Of The Day [U.K. Single, Part 1].jpg)
![Hero Of The Day [U.K. Edition, Part 2]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1996-09-09 Metallica - Hero Of The Day [U.K. Single, Part 2].jpg)
![Mama Said [U.K. Edition, Part 1]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1996-11-25 Metallica - Mama Said [U.K. Single, Part 1].jpg)
![Mama Said [U.K. Edition, Part 2]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1996-11-25 Metallica - Mama Said [U.K. Single, Part 2].jpg)
![King Nothing [U.S.]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1997-01-07 Metallica - King Nothing [U.S. Single].jpg)
![The Memory Remains [U.S. Edition]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1997-11-11 Metallica - The Memory Remains [U.S. Single].jpg)
![The Memory Remains [U.K. Edition, Part 1]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1997-11-11 Metallica - The Memory Remains [U.K. Single, Part 1].jpg)
![The Memory Remains [U.K. Edition, Part 2]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1997-11-11 Metallica - The Memory Remains [U.K. Single, Part 2].jpg)
![The Unforgiven II [U.K. Edition, Part 1]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1998-02-23 Metallica - The Unforgiven II [U.K. Single, Part 1].jpg)
![The Unforgiven II [U.K. Edition, Part 2]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1998-02-23 Metallica - The Unforgiven II [U.K. Single, Part 2].jpg)
![The Unforgiven II [U.K. Edition, Part 3]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1998-02-23 Metallica - The Unforgiven II [U.K. Single, Part 3].jpg)
![Live In London (Antipodean Tour Edition) [A.U.]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1998-03-xx Metallica - Live In London [A.U. E.P.].jpg)
![Fuel [U.K. Edition, Part 1]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1998-06-22 Metallica - Fuel [U.K. Single, Part 1].jpg)
![Fuel [U.K. Edition, Part 2]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1998-06-22 Metallica - Fuel [U.K. Single, Part 2].jpg)
![Fuel [U.K. Edition, Part 3]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1998-06-22 Metallica - Fuel [U.K. Single, Part 3].jpg)
![Turn The Page [A.U. Edition]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1998-11-16 Metallica - Turn The Page [A.U. Single].jpg)
![Turn The Page [U.K. Edition]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1998-11-16 Metallica - Turn The Page [E.U. Single].jpg)
 1998-12-08 Metallica - Cunning Stunts [Video].jpg)
![Whiskey In The Jar [A.U. Edition, Part 1]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1999-02-22 Metallica - Whiskey In The Jar [A.U. Single, Part 1].jpg)
![Whiskey In The Jar [A.U. Edition, Part 2]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1999-02-22 Metallica - Whiskey In The Jar [A.U. Single, Part 2].jpg)
![Whiskey In The Jar [A.U. Edition, Part 3]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1999-02-22 Metallica - Whiskey In The Jar [A.U. Single, Part 3].jpg)
![Die, Die My Darling [U.K.]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 1999-06-07 Metallica - Die, Die My Darling [U.K. Single].jpg)
![St. Anger [E.U.]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2003-06-23 Metallica - St Anger [E.U. Promotional Single].jpg)
![St. Anger [U.K. Edition, Part 1]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2003-06-23 Metallica - St. Anger [U.K. Single, Part 1].jpg)
![St. Anger [U.K. Edition, Part 2]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2003-06-23 Metallica - St. Anger [U.K. Single, Part 2].jpg)
![Frantic [U.K. Edition, Part 1]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2003-09-15 Metallica - Frantic [U.K. Single, Part 1].jpg)
![Frantic [U.K. Edition, Part 2]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2003-09-15 Metallica - Frantic [U.K. Single, Part 2].jpg)
![The Unnamed Feeling E.P. [E.U.]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2004-01-12 Metallica - The Unnamed Feeling E.P. [E.U. E.P.].jpg)
![The Unnamed Feeling [A.U.]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2004-04-12 Metallica - The Unnamed Feeling [A.U. Single].jpg)
 2004-07-13 Metallica - Some Kind Of Monster [E.P.].jpg)
 2006-12-04 Metallica - The Videos 1989-2004 [Video].jpg)
![All Nightmare Long [A.U. Edition]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2008-12-12 Metallica - All Nightmare Long [A.U. Single].jpg)
![Broken, Beat & Scarred [A.U. Edition]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2009-04-03 Metallica - Broken, Beat and Scarred [A.U. Single].jpg)
![Broken, Beat & Scarred [U.K. Edition, Part 1]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2009-04-03 Metallica - Broken, Beat and Scarred [U.K. Single, Part 1].jpg)
![Broken, Beat & Scarred [U.K. Edition, Part 3 (DVD)]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2009-04-03 Metallica - Broken, Beat and Scarred [U.K. Single, Part 3].jpg)
![Francais Pour Une Nuit [F.R.]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2009-11-23 Metallica - Francais Pour Une Nuit.jpg)
![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)
![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)
 2010-11-26 Metallica - Live At Grimey's [U.S. E.P.].jpg)
 2011-11-01 Lou Reed and Metallica - Lulu.jpg)
![Beyond Magnetic [A.U. Edition]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2011-12-12 Metallica - Beyond Magnetic [E.P.].jpg)
![XXX (The First 30 Years) [MetClub Release]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2012-05-05 Metallica - XXX [MetClub Single].jpg)
![Hardwired. To Self-Destruct [Deluxe Edition]](images-releases/(COVER IMAGE) 2016-11-18 Metallica - Hardwired, To Self-Destruct [Deluxe Edition].jpg)
 2020-08-28 Metallica and SFS - SandM2.jpg)
 2023-04-14 Metallica - 72 Seasons.jpg)
