James Alan Hetfield is an American musician and songwriter best known for being the co-founder, lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist and main songwriter for the American heavy metal band Metallica. Hetfield is mainly known for his intricate rhythm playing, but occasionally performs lead guitar duties and solos, both live and in the studio. Hetfield co-founded Metallica in October 1981 after answering an advertisement by drummer Lars Ulrich in the Los Angeles newspaper The Recycler. Metallica has won nine Grammy Awards and released ten studio albums, three live albums, four extended plays and 24 singles.
In 2009, Hetfield was ranked at no. 8 in Joel McIver's book The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists and no. 24 by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Metal Vocalists of All Time. In Guitar World's poll, Hetfield was placed as the 19th greatest guitarist of all time, as well as being placed second (along with Metallica lead guitarist Kirk Hammett) in The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists poll of the same magazine. Rolling Stone placed Hetfield as the 87th greatest guitarist of all time.
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Known For
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile
(2019)
Officer Bob Hayward
Ennio
(2022)
Self
Metallica: Through the Never
(2013)
Himself
Sad Hill Unearthed
(2018)
Self - Musician
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster
(2004)
Self
Full Filmography
Acting
Deep Purple: Made In Japan
(1972)
Self
Metallica - Kill 'Em All in Chicago 1983
(1983)
Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: [1983] Kiss the Stone
(1983)
Vox, Guitars
Metallica: [1985] Day on the Green
(1985)
Vox, Guitars
Metallica: Ride The Lightning
(1985)
Self
Metallica - Metal Hammer Festival
(1985)
Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: [1986] Detroit, Michigan
(1986)
Vox, Guitars
Metallica: [1986] Uniondale, NY
(1986)
Vox, Guitars
Metallica - Roskilde Festival
(1986)
Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: [1986] Nagoya, Japan
(1986)
Vox, Guitars
Metallica - Cliff 'Em All
(1987)
Himself (Guitarist / Vocalist)
Metallica: [1988] London, England
(1988)
Vox, Guitars
Metallica: [1989] Middletown, NY
(1989)
Vox, Guitars
Metallica: Live at Shoreline Amphitheatre
(1989)
Self
2 of One
(1989)
Himself (Rhythm Guitar/Lead Vocal)
Metallica: [1990] Zwolle, Netherlands
(1990)
Metallica: Live at Monsters of Rock 1991
(1991)
Metallica - Live at Tushino
(1991)
Vocals, Guitar
A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica
(1992)
Self
Metallica: [1992] Den Bosch, Netherlands
(1992)
Vox, Guitars
The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert
(1992)
Self
Metallica: Live at San Diego
(1992)
Himself
Metallica - ...And Justice For All
(1992)
Self
Metallica: Live Shit - Binge & Purge, San Diego 1992
(1993)
Self - Guitar, Vocals
Metallica: [1993] Santiago, Chile
(1993)
Vox, Guitars
Metallica: [1993] Mexico City, Mexico
(1993)
Vox, Guitars
Metallica: [1993] Basel, Switzerland
(1993)
Vox, Guitars
Metallica - Live Shit - Binge & Purge, Seattle 1989
(1993)
Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
Metallican Vid
(1993)
Himself (Rhythm/Lead Vocal)
Metallica: Live in Mountain View, CA - July 22, 1994
(1994)
Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: Woodstock '94
(1994)
Metallica: [1995] Loud But Secret
(1995)
Self - Guitar, Vocals
The History of Rock 'n' Roll
(1995)
Self
Metallica: Fan Can 1
(1996)
Self
Metallica: Cunning Stunts
(1998)
Self
Metallica: Live Covers
(1998)
Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Metallica and the San Francisco Symphony: S&M
(1999)
Self
Metallica: [1999] Plovdiv, Bulgaria
(1999)
Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: Woodstock '99
(1999)
Self
Metallica With Michael Kamen Conducting The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra – S&M
(1999)
Self - Guitar, Vocals
Metallica: Making of S&M
(1999)
Self - Guitar, Vocals
Metallica: [2000] Baltimore, Maryland
(2000)
Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Classic Albums: Metallica - Metallica
(2001)
Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: St-Anger
(2003)
Metallica: MTV Icon
(2003)
Himself
Metallica: St. Anger Rehearsals
(2003)
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster
(2004)
Self
The Work of Director Anton Corbijn
(2005)
Self (segments "Hero of the Day" and "Mama Said")
Hard Rock Treasures
(2005)
Self
Metallica: The Videos 1989-2004
(2006)
Vocalist, Guitarrist
Metallica: Rock AM Ring 2006
(2006)
Vocals, Guitars
Metallica: Fan Can 5
(2006)
Vocals, Guitars
Metallica: Live in Seoul 2006
(2006)
Vocals, Guitars
Heavy Metal: Louder Than Life
(2006)
Self
Metallica: Up Close and Personal
(2007)
Himself
Metallica - Live Earth
(2007)
Himself
Rock Milestones: Metallica: Master of Puppets
(2007)
Metallica - Sick of the Studio Tour - LIVE in Wien 2007
(2007)
Singer,Guitar
Metallica Touring Europe
(2008)
Metallica: Making Magnetic
(2008)
Metallica: Live at Rock in Rio Lisboa 2008
(2008)
Himself
Metallica: [2008] Rock en France Festival
(2008)
Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Metallica - Rock AM Ring
(2008)
Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
METALLICA the Complete Story
(2008)
Himself
Aural Amphetamine: Metallica and the Dawn of Thrash
(2008)
Self
Metallica: Pride, Passion and Glory - Three Nights in Mexico City
(2009)
Self
Metallica: Français pour une nuit
(2009)
Vocals, Guitars
Metallica: Hall of Fame 2009
(2009)
Vocals, Guitars
Metallica: Live in Copenhagen, Denmark - July 22, 2009
(2009)
Himself - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Metallica: Fan Can Six Copenhagen
(2009)
Lead Vocals/Guitar
The Big Four: Live in Sofia
(2010)
Guitars
Metallica: Fan Can 6
(2010)
Vocals, Guitars
Lemmy
(2010)
Self
Metallica: Live at Sonisphere
(2010)
James Hetfield
Metallica - Master of Puppets (Deluxe Box Set)
(2010)
Self
Metallica: Rock In Rio 2011
(2011)
Vocal, Guitar
Metallica: The 30th Anniversary Event
(2011)
Self
Absent
(2011)
Himself
An Evening with Lou Reed & Metallica - Live at Rockpalast
(2011)
Metallica: Live at Orion Music And More 2012 (1st Night)
(2012)
Metallica: Quebec Magnetic
(2012)
Self
Metallica: Orion Music Festival
(2012)
Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: Rock in Rio
(2012)
Vox, Guitars
Anton Corbijn Inside Out
(2012)
Himself
Metallica: Rock AM Ring 2012
(2012)
Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: Live at Rock im Park 2012
(2012)
Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: The Black Album
(2012)
Metallica: Through the Never
(2013)
Himself
Metallica: Freeze 'Em All - Live in Antarctica
(2013)
Vocals, Guitars
Surfing Your Dreams
(2013)
Metallica: Rock In Rio 2013
(2013)
Vocals, Guitars
Hit the Lights: The Making of Metallica "Through the Never"
(2014)
Self
Metallica: Beyond Thunder and Lightning
(2014)
Himself
Metallica: Rock AM Ring 2014
(2014)
Vocals, Guitars
Metallica: Masters of Metal
(2014)
'Tallica Parking Lot
(2014)
James Hetfield (voice)
Metallica Live at Blizzcon
(2014)
Himself
Metallica: This Monster Lives
(2014)
Himself
Made in Japan: The Rise of Deep Purple Mk II
(2014)
Himself
Metallica: Glastonbury Festival
(2014)
Metallica: Rock in Rio USA 2015
(2015)
Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: [2015] X Games
(2015)
Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: Rock in Rio 2015
(2015)
Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Mission to Lars
(2015)
Himself
Metallica - Live at Reading Festival
(2015)
Vocals, Guitars
Metallica: The Night Before
(2016)
Metallica: [2016] Rasputin Music, Berkeley
(2016)
Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Metallica - Hardwired... To Self-Destruct Videos
(2016)
Voice & Rithm Guitar
Metallica: Live from The House of Vans
(2016)
Vocals, guitars
Metallica: Making of Hardwired... to Self-Destruct
(2016)
Orchestrating An Upset: The 1996 World Cup of Hockey
(2016)
Himself, Narrator
Addicted to Porn: Chasing the Cardboard Butterfly
(2017)
Narrator
Metallica: Lollapalooza Brazil 2017
(2017)
Vocals, Guitars
Who the Fuck is That Guy?: The Fabulous Journey of Michael Alago
(2017)
Self
Linkin Park and Friends - Celebrate Life in Honor of Chester Bennington
(2017)
Self (archive footage)
Metallica: Live in Paris, France - Sept 8, 2017
(2017)
Metallica - Live at Outside Lands (San Francisco, CA - August 12, 2017)
(2017)
Metallica - Live from Edmonton, Canada - August 16, 2017
(2017)
vocals
Cum On Feel The Noize
(2017)
Self
Metallica - Live at Rock on the Range, Columbus 2017
(2017)
Sad Hill Unearthed
(2018)
Self - Musician
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile
(2019)
Officer Bob Hayward
Live Metallica: Barcelona, Spain - May 5, 2019
(2019)
Metallica & the San Francisco Symphony: S&M²
(2019)
Himself
Live Metallica: Stade de France, Paris - mai 12, 2019
(2019)
James Hetfield
Metallica - Live in Berlin 2019
(2019)
Metallica : Live in Moscow 2019
(2019)
Murder in the Front Row: The San Francisco Bay Area Thrash Metal Story
(2019)
Self
Metallica: Live at Slane Castle
(2020)
lead vocals, guitar
Metallica: Live in Muskegon, Michigan (November 1, 1991)
(2020)
Metallica: Live in Munich, Germany - May 31, 2015
(2020)
vocals
Metallica: Live in Nickelsdorf, Austria - June 10, 2012
(2020)
Himself
Metallica: Live in Chicago, Illinois - August 12, 1983
(2020)
Himself
Metallica: Live in Salt Lake City, Utah - January 2, 1997
(2020)
Himself
Metallica: WorldWired Tour - Live in Manchester, England - June 18, 2019
(2020)
Himself - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Metallica: Live in Lima, Peru - March 20, 2014
(2020)
Himself
Metallica: Live in Melbourne, Australia - March 1, 2013
(2020)
Himself
Metallica: Live in Mexico City, Mexico - March 3, 2017
(2020)
Himself
Metallica: Live at Yankee Stadium - Bronx, New York - September 14, 2011
(2020)
Himself
Metallica: Live in Berlin, Germany - June 6, 2006
(2020)
Himself
Metallica: Live in Munich, Germany - June 13, 2004
(2020)
Himself
Metallica: Live in Dallas, Texas - August 3, 2000
(2020)
Himself
Metallica: Live in Bogotá, Colombia - May 2, 1999
(2020)
Himself
Metallica: Live in Madrid, Spain - May 31, 2008
(2020)
Himself
Metallica: Live in Lisbon, Portugal - June 28, 2007
(2020)
Himself
Flying V
(2020)
Metallica Helping Hands Concert & Auction: Live & Acoustic From HQ
(2020)
Himself
Metallica - The All Within My Hands Helping Hands Concert & Auction
(2020)
Metallica - Live in Irvine, California - September 23, 1989
(2020)
Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
Phil Lynott: Songs for While I'm Away
(2020)
Self
Hypnotizing Power: The Story of Master of Puppets
(2020)
Self
Metallica: Live in Lincoln, Nebraska - September 6, 2018
(2021)
Himself
Metallica - Wherever We May Roam
(2021)
vocals, guitars
Metallica - The Black Album - Music Videos + Halfin’s Home Movies
(2021)
Metallica - Live At Festivalpark, Werchter, Belgium - July 4th, 1993
(2021)
Metallica - Live At Frankenhalle, Nuremberg, Germany - November 29th, 1992
(2021)
Metallica - Live at Gentofte Stadion, Copenhagen, Denmark - August 10th, 1991
(2021)
Self
Metallica - Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica Outtakes
(2021)
Metallica - Live at Gentofte Stadion, Copenhagen, Denmark August 10, 1991 + Bonus Shit
(2021)
Self
Metallica: 40th Anniversary - Live at Chase Center (Night 1)
(2021)
vocals, guitars
Metallica: 40th Anniversary - Live at Chase Center (Night 2)
(2021)
vocals, guitars
Metallica: Black Album Deluxe Box Set
(2021)
Self
Ennio
(2022)
Self
Metallica at Lollapalooza 2022
(2022)
self
Metallica - Global Citizen Festival 2022
(2022)
Metallica Live Hellfest 2022
(2022)
SELF
Metallica Download Festival Germany
(2022)
Metallica Presents: The Helping Hands Concert
(2022)
Self
Metallica Campo Argentino de Polo
(2022)
Metallica: 72 Seasons - Global Premiere
(2023)
Self
Metallica: M72 World Tour Live from Texas - Night 2
(2023)
Himself
Metallica: M72 World Tour Live from Texas - Night 1
(2023)
Himself
Metallica: M72 World Tour Live in Amsterdam - Night 2
(2023)
Self
Sound
Writing