# Metallica

> Metallica is an American heavy metal band formed by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich in Los Angeles in 1981 and rooted in the San Francisco Bay Area soon afterward. With Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo completing the current lineup, the band has turned tape-trading beginnings into a four-decade practice of writing, touring, reinvention and community work - including 10 Grammy Awards, a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, the first concert history spanning all seven continents, and a vocational-education initiative that reached roughly 15,000 students by 2026.

- **Role:** Recording and touring heavy metal band
- **Organizations:** Blackened Recordings, All Within My Hands Foundation
- **From:** Los Angeles, United States
- **Nationality:** American
- **Known for:** Won 10 Grammy Awards through the 2024 ceremony, including Best Metal Performance for '72 Seasons'., Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2009., Became the first musical act to perform on all seven continents in 2013.

## Career timeline

- **1981** — Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield connected through Ulrich's Recycler classified ad in Los Angeles; the official band history dates Metallica's formation to October 28.
- **1982** — The No Life 'Til Leather demo spread through tape-trading circles, and the group relocated to the Bay Area after recruiting Cliff Burton.
- **1983** — Kirk Hammett joined before recording the debut album Kill 'Em All for Megaforce Records in New York.
- **1984** — Ride the Lightning broadened the band's writing and helped secure management by Q Prime and a deal with Elektra Records.
- **1986** — Master of Puppets reached the US Top 30. Bassist Cliff Burton died in a tour-bus crash in Sweden; Jason Newsted later joined after more than 40 auditions.
- **1988** — ...And Justice for All reached No. 6 in the United States, and 'One' became Metallica's first music video.
- **1991** — The self-titled Black Album reached No. 1 and went on to sell more than 16 million copies worldwide, followed by nearly 300 shows over three years.
- **1999** — Metallica performed with the San Francisco Symphony under Michael Kamen, creating the live album S&M.
- **2003** — Robert Trujillo joined on bass and Metallica released St. Anger.
- **2009** — Metallica was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
- **2013** — A headphone-based concert for 120 people in Antarctica made Metallica the first musical act to perform on all seven continents.
- **2015-2016** — Master of Puppets was selected for the National Recording Registry, the first metal recording to receive that preservation honor.
- **2019** — The All Within My Hands foundation launched the Metallica Scholars Initiative with $1 million in grants to 10 community colleges.
- **2023** — Metallica released 72 Seasons and began the M72 World Tour, built around circular staging and no-repeat two-night stops.
- **2024** — The title track of 72 Seasons earned Metallica its 10th Grammy Award, for Best Metal Performance.
- **2026-2027** — The band announced the Life Burns Faster Sphere residency and extended the M72 World Tour with 12 North American dates in 2027.

## Achievements

- Won 10 Grammy Awards through the 2024 ceremony, including Best Metal Performance for '72 Seasons'.
- Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2009.
- Became the first musical act to perform on all seven continents in 2013.
- Master of Puppets became the first metal recording selected for the Library of Congress National Recording Registry.
- The 1991 self-titled album was certified 16-times platinum in the United States and sold more than 16 million copies worldwide.
- Became the first act to place five consecutive studio albums at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, from Metallica through Death Magnetic.
- The Metallica Scholars Initiative supported roughly 15,000 students and reached all 50 US states, Guam and the United Kingdom by 2026.

## Latest updates

- **2026-09** — Metallica extended the M72 World Tour with 12 North American shows scheduled for May and June 2027.
- **2026-09** — The Metallica Scholars Initiative expanded to 93 US schools, reached the United Kingdom and reported roughly 15,000 students supported since launch.
- **2026-09** — Metallica revisited its 2018 interviews about ...And Justice for All for the album's 38th anniversary.
- **2026-07** — A remastered ReLoad reissue returned the album to the Billboard 200 top 10.
- **2026-03** — Demand expanded the Life Burns Faster Sphere residency to 24 shows spanning October 2026 through March 2027.

## Links

- Website: https://www.metallica.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/metallicaworks
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/Metallica
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/metallica
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/metallica/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Metallica/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@metallica

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/metallica
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-09-21