Metallica facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Metallica
Metallica in London, England in 2017. From left to right: Lars Ulrich, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo
Background information
Origin	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	Heavy metal thrash metal speed metal hard rock
Years active	1981–present
Labels	Megaforce Elektra Vertigo Warner Bros. Blackened
Associated acts	Leather Charm Lou Reed San Francisco Symphony Spastik Children

Members	James Hetfield Lars Ulrich Kirk Hammett Robert Trujillo

Past members	Dave Mustaine Ron McGovney Cliff Burton Jason Newsted

Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles 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.

Metallica first found commercial success with the release of its third album, Master of Puppets (1986), which is cited as one of the heaviest metal albums and the band's best work. The band's next album, ...And Justice for All (1988), gave Metallica its first Grammy Award nomination. Its 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 with its ninth album, Death Magnetic (2008), which drew similar praise to that of the band's earlier albums. The band's 11th and most recent album, 72 Seasons, was released in 2023.

In 2000, Metallica led the case against the peer-to-peer file sharing service Napster, in which the band and several other artists filed lawsuits against the service for sharing their copyright-protected material without consent, eventually reaching a settlement. Metallica was the subject of the acclaimed 2004 documentary film Metallica: Some Kind of Monster, which documented the troubled production of the band's eighth album, St. Anger (2003), and the internal struggles within the band at the time. In 2009, Metallica was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The band co-wrote the screenplay for and starred alongside Dane DeHaan in the 2013 concert film Metallica: Through the Never, in which the band performed live against a fictional thriller storyline.

Metallica has released eleven studio albums, four live albums (including two performances with the San Francisco Symphony), twelve video albums, one cover album, two extended plays, thirty-seven singles and thirty-nine music videos. The band has won nine Grammy Awards from twenty-three nominations, and had six consecutive studio albums (from Metallica through Hardwired... to Self-Destruct (2016)) debut at number one on the Billboard 200. Metallica ranks as one of the most commercially successful bands of all time, having sold more than 125 million albums worldwide as of 2018^[update]. Metallica has been listed as one of the greatest artists of all time by magazines such as Rolling Stone, which ranked the band in 61st place on its list of 100 greatest artists of all time. As of 2017^[update], Metallica is the third-best-selling music artist since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991, selling 58 million albums in the United States.

Legacy and influence
Band members
- Timeline
Discography
Awards and nominations
Images for kids
See also

Legacy and influence

Metallica has become one of the most influential heavy metal bands of all time and is credited as one of the "big four" of thrash metal, along with Slayer, Anthrax, and Megadeth.
The band has sold more than 125 million records worldwide, including an RIAA-certified 66 million and Nielsen SoundScan-reported 58,000,000 in the US, making Metallica one of the most commercially successful bands of all time.
On April 4, 2009, Metallica were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. They entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the second year they were eligible and first year they were nominated. Metallica's induction into the Hall included its current lineup, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Robert Trujillo, and Lars Ulrich, and former members Jason Newsted and Cliff Burton.
MTV ranked Metallica the third "Greatest Heavy Metal Band in History".
Metallica was ranked 42nd on VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of All Time", was listed fifth on VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock", and the band was number one on VH1's "20 Greatest Metal Bands" list.
On September 10, 2006, Metallica guest starred on The Simpsons' eighteenth-season premiere, "The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer". Hammett's and Hetfield's voices were used in three episodes of the animated television series Metalocalypse.
On March 7, 1999, Metallica was inducted into the San Francisco Walk of Fame. The mayor of San Francisco, Willie Brown, proclaimed the day "Official Metallica Day".
The band was awarded the MTV Icon award in 2003, and a concert paying tribute to the band with artists performing its songs was held.
The Guitar Hero video game series included several of Metallica's songs.

Band members

Current members

James Hetfield – lead vocals, rhythm guitar (1981–present)
Kirk Hammett – lead guitar, backing vocals (1983–present)
Robert Trujillo – bass, backing vocals (2003–present)
Lars Ulrich – drums (1981–present)

Session/touring musicians

Bob Rock – bass (2001–2003)

Former members

Dave Mustaine – lead guitar, backing vocals (1981–1983)
Ron McGovney – bass, backing vocals (1981–1982)
Cliff Burton – bass, backing vocals (1982–1986; died 1986)
Jason Newsted – bass, backing vocals (1986–2001)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

Kill 'Em All (1983)
Ride the Lightning (1984)
Master of Puppets (1986)
...And Justice for All (1988)
Metallica (1991)
Load (1996)
Reload (1997)
St. Anger (2003)
Death Magnetic (2008)
Hardwired... to Self-Destruct (2016)
72 Seasons (2023)

Awards and nominations

Grammy Awards

1990: Best Metal Performance – "One"
1991: Best Metal Performance – "Stone Cold Crazy"
1992: Best Metal Performance – Metallica
1999: Best Metal Performance – "Better than You"
2000: Best Hard Rock Performance – "Whiskey in the Jar"
2001: Best Rock Instrumental Performance – "The Call of Ktulu" (with Michael Kamen and the San Francisco Symphony)
2004: Best Metal Performance – "St. Anger"
2009: Best Metal Performance – "My Apocalypse"
2009: Best Recording Package – Death Magnetic

Images for kids

Dave Mustaine (pictured in 2009) went on to found rival band Megadeth after being fired from the band in 1983.
Kirk Hammett (pictured in 2010) replaced Mustaine in 1983, and has been with the band ever since.
Cliff Burton (pictured in 1985) replaced Ron McGovney as the bassist in 1982 and played with the band until his death in 1986.
Jason Newsted (pictured in 2013) joined Metallica soon after Cliff Burton's death in 1986.
Metallica performing during its Damaged Justice Tour in 1988.
James Hetfield performing with the band during its tour for Load in 1996.
Lars Ulrich led the case against Napster for Metallica.
Longtime producer Bob Rock recorded bass for St. Anger following Newsted's departure in 2001.
Robert Trujillo joined Metallica in 2003 after the recording of St. Anger.
Metallica performing in London in 2008
Metallica performing in London in 2009
Metallica performing in Sacramento in 2009
Metallica performing in Bangalore in 2011
Metallica at the San Diego Comic-Con International in 2013
Metallica performing in London in 2017
Metallica performing in Milan in 2019