Metallica was formed by drummer Lars Ulrich and guitarist James Hetfield in Los Angeles, California, on October 28, 1981 but has been based out of San Francisco for most of it’s career. Their first full-length album Kill ‘Em All was recorded in Rochester, New York and released in 1983.

Metallica is considered one of the founding thrash metal bands alongside Anthrax, Megadeth, and Slayer. However, after the 1980s, much of their music became much more mainstream with softer hits “Enter Sandman” and “The Unforgiven” from 1991’s Metallica (also called The Black Album). Nonetheless, their subsequent albums like St. Anger and the titular single provide a heavy dose of in-your-face thrash and speed metal.

Metallica was officially formed on October 28, 1981, five months after Lars Ulrich put an advertisement in the newspaper reading, “Drummer looking for other metal musicians to jam with Tygers of Pan Tang, Diamond Head, and Iron Maiden.” James Hetfield and Ulrich were the first two members with Dave Mustaine and Cliff Ron McGovney joining later that year.

Drummer Lars Ulrich, bassist Ron McGovney, lead vocalist James Hefield, and lead guitarist Dave Mustaine were the founding members of Metallica in 1981. McGovney was replaced by Cliff Burton the following year while Jason Newsted replaced Burton after his death. Newsted then left in 2001 to be replaced by Bob Rock and then Robert Trujilo while Mustaine was fired from the band in 1981 and replaced by Kirk Hammett in 1983.

Jason Newstead left Metallica on January 17, 2001 citing “private and personal reason.” He also mentioned that he felt that he didn’t have enough creative input in the band while cited neck and back injuries due to years of headbanging as a reason for his departure. At a concert in 1992, he suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns due to faulty pyrotechnics.

Although a talented member of the band, Dave Mustaine’s tenure in Metallica was short-lived. He was ejected from the band on April 11, 1983, because of his drug abuse, alcoholism, and constant fighting with his band mates James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich. Nonetheless, he still went on to form Megadeth, another founding thrash metal act.

Former Metallica bassist Cliff Burton was only 24 years old when he died in a tragic bus crash on September 27, 1986. He was sleeping on his bunk bed without safety restraints when the bus hit a patch of black ice. He was thrown into the bus window, which crashed on top of him.

In 2019, Metallica was listed Forbes as one of the “World’s Most High-Paid Celebrities,” with a total net worth of $900 million. The individual net worth of the band’s current members is supposedly:

1. James Hetfield: $300 million
2. Lars Ulrich: $350 million
3. Kirk Hammett: $210 million
4. Robert Trujillo: $30 million

The Metallica Blacklist is an album that celebrates the influence of Metallica in the music industry. The album has 12 songs with 53 artists from various genres, generations, cultures, and continents. All profits are donated to the choice foundations of all artists and Metallica’s own foundation, All Within My Hands. It was released digitally on September 10, 2021 with vinyl and CD versions out on October 1, 2021.

All of the former and current members of Metallica are roughly around the same age. Robert Trujilo is the youngest currently living member at 59 years old while Dave Mustaine, who was fired from the band in 1983, is 62 year old. James Hetfield is 60, Lars Ulrich is 60, and Kirk Hammett is 61.

Metallica has had 2,306 concerts.

Metallica is most often considered to be Rock, United States, Metal, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Alternative Metal, Thrash Metal, Progressive Metal, Speed Metal, Old School Thrash, Political, Bases De Freestyle, Angry, and Virtuoso.

The next Metallica concert is on May 24, 2024 at Olympiastadion (Olympic Stadium) in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. The bands performing are: Metallica / Architects / Mammoth WVH.

The last Metallica concert was on March 20, 2024 at D.A.R. Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., United States. The bands that performed were: Elton John / Metallica / Garth Brooks / Annie Lennox / Joni Mitchell / Brandi Carlile / Charlie Puth / Maren Morris / Billy Porter / Jacob Lusk.

The songs that Metallica performs live vary, but here's the latest setlist that we have from the March 20, 2024 concert at D.A.R. Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., United States:

1. Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding