Inducted:
2009
Category:
Performer
Inducted By:
Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Fusing speed, precision, and wickedly catchy hooks, Metallica transformed heavy metal, imbuing it with both punk energy and prog rock sophistication. Through relentless touring, devotion to their fans, high-production recordings, and a shrewd business sense, the quartet broke through to the mainstream while still remaining true to their outsider ethos. Constantly evolving and taking risks, Metallica shows how a band can pack stadiums without losing its edge.
Induction
Impact
Signature Sound
Debuting with raw, breakneck thrash on 1984’s Kill ‘Em All, Metallica morphed to mid-tempo heaviness with 1986’s landmark Master of Puppets and radio-friendly, groove-driven melodicism on their 1991 self-titled breakthrough, aka the Black Album. Embracing grunge and hard rock in the '90s, the band’s more recent releases revisit their thrash roots.
Based on the cryptic Bible story of the Plagues of Egypt, this chant-along staple is an early example of the band’s darkly melodic thrash.
From the Museum
Axe ofthe Gods
James Hetfield owns one of only 10 Explorer guitars in the world designed by James Trussart. The French-born luthier’s unique steel-crafted instruments are much prized among rockers. He built this iconic axe specifically for Hetfield to play at Metallica’s RRHOF induction ceremony, a set in which the band, joined by Ronnie Wood, Jeff Beck, Joe Perry, Flea, and Jimmy Page, pounded out a powerful “Train Kept a-Rollin’.”
This is outsider music. It is anything but mainstream. For it to do what it has done is truly mind-blowing.
Flea
Red Hot Chili Peppers
2009 Hall of Fame Essay
“Metallica [were] like that rare horse or athlete, a Michael Jordan, or Tiger Woods, who breaks away forever from the pack.”
Deborah Frost
Check It Out
Paper Artifacts
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Influence
Metallica
Influenced
Avenged Sevenfold
Godsmack
Volbeat
Evile
Machine Head
Testament
Anthrax
Megadeth
sealed with a signature
This is the signature that appears on the inductee’s plaque at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to officially commemorate their induction.
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