Metallica Biography

Guitarist Kirk Hammett first crossed paths with Metallica in the early 1980s with a little band he co-founded known as Exodus. The rest is history.

The legendary Metallica would never have even come into existence if it wasn't for drummer and co-founder Lars Ulrich.

When discussing the history of Metallica, is there any better decade than the 1980s? Without it, fans wouldn't have the band or some of their best records.

Riding the success of the 1980s, Metallica made a splash in the following decade with one of the greatest selling albums of all time, the 1991 self-titled disc affectionately known as The Black Album. Mix in a ton of awards here and there, a couple of worldwide tours, their first-ever box set release and a few more studio albums and fans have another decade of nonstop Metallica action.

Rehab, recording delays and the departure of their bassist all made the beginning of this decade a rocky one. Fans were unsure of the future of their favorite band, but fortunately for the world Metallica did what they do best: they overcame any and all obstacles that were in front of them and created new, headbanging music. Metallica won several more awards, released a couple of more albums and t

This decade isn't even halfway through and Metallica has already made huge waves by collaborating with an unlikely musical partner, creating their own music festival and preparing to dominate Hollywood once again, this time in the form of a 3D movie covering some live performances. What's in store for Metallica this decade? If the first few years are any indication, fans are in for one hell of a r

Nine studio albums. Twenty-five music videos. Forty-five singles. Worldwide tour after worldwide tour. When trying to contemplate the magnitude of Metallica's success, several things come to mind. What other band could create their own two-day music festival and shoot a 3D movie in the same year? What other band could experience the ultimate tragedy early in their career and bounce back less than

Before departing for Metallica, Jason Newsted played a significant role in the writing of the Flotsam and Jetsam's debut album, 'Doomsday for the Deceiver.'

Joining Metallica in 1982—a year before the release of Kill 'Em All—former bassist Cliff Burton's impact on the metal band couldn't be more significant.

The first lead guitarist for Metallica, Dave Mustaine joined the band in 1981. Leaving his first band Panic to answer an ad placed in a local newspaper by Lars Ulrich, Mustaine never really auditioned for Metallica. "I was convinced that I should be in the band and went to rehearsal. I was tuning up when all the other guys in the band went into another room," he remembers. "They wer