October, 1981: James Hetfield responds to a classified ad in Los Angeles placed by drummer Lars Ulrich and METALLICA is officially formed. There was a beginning and the first 10 years featured some of the greatest rock music ever recorded.
As the band starts their fourth decade, there isn’t one person on planet Earth who hasn’t heard of METALLICA as they have become the 7th biggest selling musical act in American history.
With their accomplishments noted, the accolades are rightfully coming their way, but in the end all that matters is the music. In honor of METALLICA turning 30, Guitar World Magazine polled their readers for the ’30 Greatest Metallica Songs of All Time.’
It is certainly no surprise that the top 10 on this list and 23 of 30 tracks were all created and released in the 80’s on METALLICA’s first four albums. However, it is amazing when you consider these songs were exposed primarily through word-of-mouth, receiving zero radio airplay until the 90’s after the release of the Black Album.
- 30. Leper Messiah
- 29. Dyers Eve
- 28. Motorbreath
- 27. The Thing That Should Not Be
- 26. Orion
- 25. King Nothing
- 24. Am I Evil?
- 23. Hit the Lights
- 22. All Nightmare Long
- 21. Damage, Inc.
- 20. Whiskey in the Jar
- 19. Fight Fire with Fire
- 18. The Unforgiven
- 17. Sad but True
- 16. Harvester of Sorrow
- 15. …And Justice for All
- 14. Disposable Heroes
- 13. Ride the Lightning
- 12. The Four Horsemen
- 11. Enter Sandman
- 10. Blackened
- 09. Nothing Else Matters
- 08. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
- 07. Battery
- 06. For Whom the Bell Tolls
- 05. Seek & Destroy
- 04. Creeping Death
- 03. One
- 02. Fade to Black
- 01. Master of Puppets
