All Metallica Albums in Order

Metallica is one of the longest-lasting metal bands. That means they have a lot of albums to ensure you never stop rocking.

Officially formed in 1981, Metallica has been rocking for longer than some of us have been alive—and they are still recording and touring. Lead singer James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich formed the band in Los Angeles but soon moved the band’s base to San Francisco. Over the years, the lineup has changed due to disagreements, death, and growing apart, yet Hetfield and Ulrich have always remained. Metallica is one of the main bands that changed rock and roll in the ’80s and started the thrash metal sound. It’s aggressive, loud, and fast.

Metallica may be a metal band, but they are also so much more. Out of all the heavy rock groups of the era, Metallica has range. With Hetfield’s vocals and the way they experiment with other sounds, they stand out from the rest. Metallica’s fourteen albums—and counting—are a lot to keep track of, but it’s certainly worth the effort.

All of Metallica’s albums in order

• Kill ‘Em All (1983)
• Ride the Lightning (1984)
• Master of Puppets (1986)—It wasn’t until Master of Puppets, and the single of the same name, that Metallica got widespread recognition.
• … And Justice for All (1988)
• Metallica (1991)—Also referred to as the “Black Album” because of the blacked-out cover where you can hardly see the band’s name or snake symbol. The self-titled record changed music history with one of Metallica’s most well-known songs, “Enter Sandman.”
• Load (1996)—There was a great upheaval in the metal world with the release of Load. Not because their sound became vastly different, but because the band had cut their long 80s metal hair.
• Reload (1997)
• Garage Inc. (1998)—Technically, Garage Inc. is a cover album. It has two discs, and one features older covers Metallica did in their earlier years. The other is filled with brand new covers. Packed with rocking sound and lots of feeling, it’s one of their best albums.
• S&M (1999)—Metallica proved how they are still innovators with S&M, an album they recorded live with a full orchestra.
• St. Anger (2003)
• Death Magnetic (2008)
• Lulu (2011)—Another collaborative album, this time the metal icons teamed up with musical legend, Lou Reed.
• Hardwired … to Self-Destruct (2016)
• 72 Seasons (2023)—Metallica’s latest album came out earlier this year, and the band have said they plan on making music for years to come.

(featured image: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for SiriusXM)