Metallica

Metallica formed in Los Angeles in 1981 when drummer Lars Ulrich placed an ad in a local newspaper and connected with guitarist and vocalist James Hetfield. Alongside lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Cliff Burton (later replaced by Jason Newsted, and then Robert Trujillo), Metallica became the defining band of thrash metal and one of the best-selling music artists of all time with over 125 million records sold worldwide.

Their first four albums — Kill ‘Em All, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, and …And Justice for All — are considered cornerstones of the thrash metal genre. The Black Album (1991) broke them into mainstream consciousness and remains one of the best-selling albums of the SoundScan era.

Despite controversies including the Napster lawsuit and shifting musical directions, Metallica remains one of the most prominent forces in rock and metal, headlining the world’s largest festivals well into their fifth decade.