James Hetfield

Born

August 3, 1963 (61 years old)

Known For

Acting

Place of Birth

Downey, California, USA

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.

This page is based on a Wikipedia article written by contributors. Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.

Known For

8.0

Saturday Night Live

The Thicket

Simon Deasy

6.4

2024

Metallica: M72 World Tour Live from Texas - Night 2

Himself

9.0

2023

Metallica: M72 World Tour Live from Texas - Night 1

Himself

8.5

2023

Metallica: M72 World Tour Live in Amsterdam - Night 2

Self

0.0

2023

Metallica: 72 Seasons - Global Premiere

Self

7.3

2023

Ennio

Self

8.3

2022

Metallica: 40th Anniversary - Live at Chase Center (Night 2)

vocals, guitars

6.0

2021

Metallica: 40th Anniversary - Live at Chase Center (Night 1)

vocals, guitars

8.0

2021

Metallica - Wherever We May Roam

vocals, guitars

6.0

2021

Metallica - Live At Frankenhalle, Nuremberg, Germany - November 29th, 1992

6.0

2021

Metallica - Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica Outtakes

8.0

2021

Metallica - Live at Gentofte Stadion, Copenhagen, Denmark - August 10th, 1991

Self

0.0

2021

Metallica - Live At Festivalpark, Werchter, Belgium - July 4th, 1993

6.0

2021

Metallica - The Black Album - Music Videos + Halfin’s Home Movies

6.0

2021

Metallica - Live at Gentofte Stadion, Copenhagen, Denmark August 10, 1991 + Bonus Shit

Self

8.0

2021

Metallica - Live at Rock on the Range, Columbus 2017

0.0

2017

Cum On Feel The Noize

Self

7.0

2017

Orchestrating An Upset: The 1996 World Cup of Hockey

Himself, Narrator

0.0

2016

Metallica: Freeze 'Em All - Live in Antarctica

Self - Vocals, Guitars

7.5

2013

Metallica: Through the Never

Himself

6.8

2013

Metallica: Quebec Magnetic

Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar

8.1

2012

Metallica: Live at Orion Music And More 2012 (1st Night)

10.0

2012

Metallica: Live in Orion Music Festival

Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar

8.2

2012

Metallica: The 30th Anniversary Event

Self

6.1

2011

Metallica: Rock In Rio 2011

Vocal, Guitar

7.1

2011

Absent

Himself

3.5

2011

Metallica: Fan Can 6

Vocals, Guitars

6.9

2010

The Big Four: Live in Sofia

Guitars

8.3

2010

Lemmy

Self

7.5

2010

Metallica: Pride, Passion and Glory - Three Nights in Mexico City

Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar

7.9

2009

Metallica: Français pour une nuit

Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar

8.0

2009

METALLICA the Complete Story

Himself

0.0

2008

Metallica: Making Magnetic

9.0

2008

Metallica: Live at Rock in Rio Lisboa 2008

Himself

9.0

2008

Aural Amphetamine: Metallica and the Dawn of Thrash

Self

7.0

2008

Metallica Touring Europe

10.0

2008

Metallica: Up Close and Personal

Himself

0.0

2007

Metallica - Sick of the Studio Tour - LIVE in Wien 2007

Singer,Guitar

2.0

2007

Rock Milestones: Metallica: Master of Puppets

0.0

2007

Metallica: The Videos 1989-2004

Vocalist, Guitarrist

7.6

2006

Metallica: Some Kind of Monster

Self

7.0

2004

Metallica: St. Anger Rehearsals

Himself

9.5

2003

Metallica: MTV Icon

Himself

7.8

2003

Metallica and San Francisco Symphony: S&M

Self

8.6

1999

Metallica: Cunning Stunts

Self

7.7

1998

The History of Rock 'n' Roll

Self

10.0

1995

Metallica: Live Shit - Binge & Purge, San Diego 1992

Self - Guitar, Vocals

8.3

1993

Metallican Vid

Himself (Rhythm/Lead Vocal)

0.0

1993

Metallica: A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica

Self

7.7

1992

Metallica: [1990] Zwolle, Netherlands

0.0

1990

Metallica - Cliff 'Em All

Himself (Guitarist / Vocalist)

7.6

1987

Deep Purple: Made In Japan

Self

10.0

1972

Metallica: Sick Out Of Studio 2007 Oslo

Self

0.0

Metallica - The Big 4 Live in Gothenburg, Sweden

0.0

Metallica Presents: The Helping Hands Concert

Self

4.8

2022

Metallica - Global Citizen Festival 2022

8.0

2022

Metallica at Lollapalooza 2022

self

0.0

2022

Metallica Live Hellfest 2022

SELF

0.0

2022

Metallica Download Festival Germany

0.0

2022

Metallica: Campo Argentino de Polo

0.0

2022

Murder in the Front Row: The San Francisco Bay Area Thrash Metal Story

Self

7.4

2019

Metallica: Lollapalooza Brazil 2017

Vocals, Guitars

8.0

2017

Addicted to Porn: Chasing the Cardboard Butterfly

Narrator

5.1

2017

Metallica - Hardwired... To Self-Destruct Videos

Voice & Rithm Guitar

10.0

2016

Metallica: Live from The House of Vans

Vocals, guitars

10.0

2016

Metallica: [2016] Rasputin Music, Berkeley

Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar

10.0

2016

Metallica: The Night Before

10.0

2016

Metallica: Rock in Rio 2015

Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar

7.5

2015

Metallica: [2015] X Games

Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar

10.0

2015

Metallica: Rock in Rio USA 2015

Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar

9.3

2015

Metallica: Masters of Metal

7.2

2014

Metallica: Masters of Metal

Himself

7.2

2014

Metallica Live at Blizzcon

Himself

10.0

2014

'Tallica Parking Lot

James Hetfield (voice)

6.0

2014

Metallica: Rock AM Ring 2014

Vocals, Guitars

0.0

2014

Metallica: This Monster Lives

Himself

6.1

2014

Metallica: Beyond Thunder and Lightning

Himself

10.0

2014

Hit the Lights: The Making of Metallica "Through the Never"

Self

10.0

2014

Surfing Your Dreams

10.0

2013

Metallica: Rock in Rio

Vox, Guitars

8.5

2012

Metallica: [2008] Rock en France Festival

Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar

10.0

2008

Hard Rock Treasures

Self

0.0

2005

Metal Massacre: The Story of the Legendary Album

Self - Metallica

0.0

Anton Corbijn Inside Out

Self

5.5

2012

Metallica - Rock AM Ring

Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar

10.0

2008

Metallica: Rock AM Ring 2006

Vocals, Guitars

10.0

2006

Metallica: Fan Can 5

Vocals, Guitars

10.0

2006

The Work of Director Anton Corbijn

Self (segments "Hero of the Day" and "Mama Said")

7.9

2005

Classic Albums: Metallica - Metallica

Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar

6.1

2001

Metallica: [2000] Baltimore, Maryland

Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar

0.0

2000

Metallica: [1999] Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar

0.0

1999

Metallica: Live Covers

Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar

0.0

1998

Metallica: [1995] Loud But Secret

Self - Guitar, Vocals

0.0

1995

Metallica: [1993] Basel, Switzerland

Vox, Guitars

0.0

1993

Metallica: [1993] Santiago, Chile

Vox, Guitars

0.0

1993

Metallica: [1993] Mexico City, Mexico

Vox, Guitars

0.0

1993

Metallica: [1992] Den Bosch, Netherlands

Vox, Guitars

0.0

1992

The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert

Self

8.3

1992

Metallica - Live Shit - Binge & Purge, Seattle 1989

Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar

8.5

1989

Metallica: [1989] Newark, Delaware

Self

0.0

1989

Metallica: [1989] Middletown, NY

Vox, Guitars

0.0

1989

Metallica - Live at Hammersmith Odeon

Self - Vocals, Guitars

0.0

1988

Metallica: [1986] Uniondale, NY

Vox, Guitars

0.0

1986

Metallica: [1986] Detroit, Michigan

Vox, Guitars

0.0

1986

Metallica: [1985] Day on the Green

Vox, Guitars

0.0

1985

Metallica - Kill 'Em All in Chicago 1983

Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar

8.5

1983

Metallica: [1983] Kiss the Stone

Vox, Guitars

0.0

1983

Metallica: from the off

Self

0.0

Metallica: Live in Mexico City, Mexico - March 3, 2017

Himself

0.0

2020

Metallica: Live at Yankee Stadium - Bronx, New York - September 14, 2011

Himself

0.0

2020

Metallica: Live in Munich, Germany - June 13, 2004

Himself

0.0

2020

Metallica: Live in Dallas, Texas - August 3, 2000

Himself

0.0

2020

Metallica: Live in Berlin, Germany - June 6, 2006

Himself

0.0

2020

Metallica: Live in Lisbon, Portugal - June 28, 2007

Himself

0.0

2020

Metallica: Live in Madrid, Spain - May 31, 2008

Himself

0.0

2020

Metallica: Live in Melbourne, Australia - March 1, 2013

Himself

8.0

2020

Metallica: WorldWired Tour - Live in Manchester, England - June 18, 2019

Himself - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar

10.0

2020

Metallica: Live in Salt Lake City, Utah - January 2, 1997

Himself

0.0

2020

Metallica: Live in Lima, Peru - March 20, 2014

Himself

0.0

2020

Metallica: Live in Chicago, Illinois - August 12, 1983

Himself

10.0

2020

Metallica: Live in Nickelsdorf, Austria - June 10, 2012

Himself

0.0

2020

Metallica: Live in Muskegon, Michigan (November 1, 1991)

0.0

2020

Metallica: Live in Munich, Germany - May 31, 2015

vocals

0.0

2020

Metallica: Live at Slane Castle

lead vocals, guitar

10.0

2020

Metallica and San Francisco Symphony: S&M2

Himself

8.7

2019

Live Metallica: Stade de France, Paris - mai 12, 2019

James Hetfield

0.0

2019

Live Metallica: Barcelona, Spain - May 5, 2019

10.0

2019

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile

Officer Bob Hayward

7.0

2019

Sad Hill Unearthed

Self - Musician

7.0

2018

Linkin Park and Friends Celebrate Life in Honor of Chester Bennington

Self (archive footage)

9.7

2017

Metallica: Live in Paris, France - Sept 8, 2017

10.0

2017

Metallica - Live from Edmonton, Canada - August 16, 2017

vocals

0.0

2017

Metallica - Live at Outside Lands (San Francisco, CA - August 12, 2017)

7.7

2017

Who the Fuck Is That Guy?: The Fabulous Journey of Michael Alago

Self

6.0

2017

Metallica: Making of Hardwired... to Self-Destruct

10.0

2016

Mission to Lars

Himself

5.7

2015

Made in Japan: The Rise of Deep Purple Mk II

Himself

7.4

2014

Metallica: The Black Album

7.9

2012

Metallica: Rock AM Ring 2012

Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar

10.0

2012

Metallica: Live at Rock im Park 2012

Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar

0.0

2012

An Evening with Lou Reed & Metallica - Live at Rockpalast

0.0

2011

Metallica: Live at Sonisphere

James Hetfield

8.5

2010

Metallica - Master of Puppets (Deluxe Box Set)

Self

6.0

2010

Metallica: Hall of Fame 2009

Vocals, Guitars

8.5

2009

Metallica: Live in Copenhagen, Denmark - July 22, 2009

Himself - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar

10.0

2009

Metallica - Live Earth

Himself

10.0

2007

Metallica: Live in Seoul 2006

Vocals, Guitars

7.3

2006

Heavy Metal: Louder Than Life

Self

6.8

2006

Metallica With Michael Kamen Conducting The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra ‎– S&M

Self - Guitar, Vocals

7.0

1999

Metallica: Woodstock '99

Self

0.0

1999

Metallica: Live at Shoreline Amphitheatre

Self

0.0

1989

Metallica at Raadi Airfield Estonia in Tartu

Himself

0.0

Metallica - Beyond Magnetic [Full EP LIVE at the Fillmore]

0.0

Metallica_ Live in Munich, Germany - May 31, 2015

0.0

Metallica: Studio Shit + U.K. Shenanigans

Self

0.0

2025

Metallica: Polar Beach Party

Self

0.0

2025

Metallica: Poor Swedish Me '96

Self

0.0

2025

Metallica: On the Air (Music Videos + TV Appearances)

Self

0.0

2025

Metallica Saved My Life

Self

0.0

2025

Metallica

0.0

2025

Metallica: Helping Hands Concert & Auction

Self

0.0

2024

Metallica: Live in Lincoln, Nebraska - September 6, 2018

Himself

0.0

2021

MoPOP Founders Award 2020 Honoring Alice in Chains

Self

9.0

2020

Metallica Helping Hands Concert & Auction: Live & Acoustic From HQ

Himself

0.0

2020

Metallica - The All Within My Hands Helping Hands Concert & Auction

8.3

2020

Phil Lynott: Songs for While I'm Away

Self

7.3

2020

Flying V

Self

7.5

2020

Metallica - Live in Irvine, California - September 23, 1989

Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar

0.0

2020

Metallica: Live in Bogotá, Colombia - May 2, 1999

Himself

0.0

2020

History 101

Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)

7.1

2020

Hypnotizing Power: The Story of Master of Puppets

Self

0.0

2020

Metallica : Live in Moscow 2019

8.0

2019

Metallica - Live in Berlin 2019

8.5

2019

Carpool Karaoke: The Series

Self · (1 episode)

5.9

2017

Skylanders Academy

Wolfgang (voice) · (38 episodes)

6.4

2016

Billions

Himself · (1 episode)

7.7

2016

Randy Johnson: The Big Picture

0.0

2015

The Hunt

Narrator · (8 episodes)

0.0

2014

The Big 4

Himself · (4 episodes)

0.0

2011

Metallica - The Big 4 Live in Sofia

Vocals, guitars

0.0

2010

Metallica: Fan Can Six Copenhagen

Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar

0.0

2009

Seven Ages of Rock

Self · (7 episodes)

9.0

2007

Metalocalypse

Fan #1 (voice) · (1 episode)

7.6

2006

Metalocalypse

Sniper (voice) · (1 episode)

7.6

2006

Metalocalypse

Troll (voice) · (1 episode)

7.6

2006

Metalocalypse

Lorkey (voice) · (1 episode)

7.6

2006

The Darwin Awards

Self

5.6

2006

De Wereld Draait Door

Self · (1 episode)

5.6

2005

American Dad!

James Hetfield (voice) · (1 episode)

7.0

2005

The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

Self · (1 episode)

6.8

2005

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Self · (1 episode)

5.5

2003

Metallica: Making of S&M

Self - Guitar, Vocals

0.0

1999

Classic Albums

Self - Guitarist, Vocalist, Metallica · (1 episode)

7.7

1997

Metallica: Fan Can 1

Self

0.0

1996

Metallica: Woodstock '94

0.0

1994

Metallica: Live in Mountain View, CA - July 22, 1994

Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar

0.0

1994

Space Ghost Coast to Coast

(1 episode)

7.8

1994

Later... with Jools Holland

Self · (1 episode)

5.3

1992

Metallica: Live at San Diego

Himself

9.0

1992

Metallica - ...And Justice For All

Self

10.0

1992

Metallica: Live Moscow - Monsters of Rock

7.3

1991

The Simpsons

William Rieflin (voice) · (1 episode)

8.0

1989

2 of One

Himself (Rhythm Guitar/Lead Vocal)

0.0

1989

Metallica: [1986] Toronto, Canada

Self - Vocals, Guitar

0.0

1986

Metallica: 40th Anniversary Shows（2021）

0.0

MTV Rockumentary

(1 episode)

7.0

1989

Metallica: [1986] Nagoya, Japan

Vox, Guitars

0.0

1986

Metallica - Roskilde Festival

Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar

0.0

1986

Metallica - Metal Hammer Festival

Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar

0.0

1985

Metallica: Ride The Lightning

Self

10.0

1985

MTV Video Music Awards

Self · (3 episodes)

7.6

1984

Saturday Night Live

Self - Musical Guest · (1 episode)

7.0

1975

Live Earth: A Concert for a Climate in Crisis

Self · (12 episodes)

0.0