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Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
August 3, 1963
Place of Birth
Downey, California, USA
Also Known As
- James Alan Hetfield
- Metallica
James Hetfield
0.8 Popularity
Biography
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
8.7
Self
Ozzy: No Escape from Now
2025
0.0
Self
Back to the Beginning: Ozzy's Final Bow
2025
0.0
Self
Metallica: On the Air (Music Videos + TV Appearances)
2025
0.0
Self
Metallica: Poor Swedish Me '96
2025
0.0
Self
Metallica: Studio Shit + U.K. Shenanigans
2025
0.0
Self
Metallica: Polar Beach Party
2025
0.0
Self
Metallica Saved My Life
2025
0.0
Self
Metallica: Helping Hands Concert & Auction
2024
6.5
Simon Deasy
The Thicket
2024
9.0
Himself
Metallica: M72 World Tour Live from Texas - Night 2
2023
Credits
Ozzy: No Escape from Now
as Self
2025
8.7
Back to the Beginning: Ozzy's Final Bow
as Self
2025
0.0
Metallica: On the Air (Music Videos + TV Appearances)
as Self
2025
0.0
Metallica: Poor Swedish Me '96
as Self
2025
0.0
Metallica: Studio Shit + U.K. Shenanigans
as Self
2025
0.0
Metallica: Polar Beach Party
as Self
2025
0.0
Metallica Saved My Life
as Self
2025
0.0
Metallica: Helping Hands Concert & Auction
as Self
2024
0.0
The Thicket
as Simon Deasy
2024
6.5
Metallica: M72 World Tour Live from Texas - Night 2
as Himself
2023
9.0
Metallica: M72 World Tour Live from Texas - Night 1
as Himself
2023
8.5
Metallica: M72 World Tour Live in Amsterdam - Night 2
as Self
2023
0.0
Metallica: 72 Seasons - Global Premiere
as Self
2023
7.3
Metallica Presents: The Helping Hands Concert
as Self
2022
4.8
Metallica - Global Citizen Festival 2022
2022
8.0
Mike Judge's Beavis and Butt-Head
as James Hetfield (voice)
2022
8.1
Metallica at Lollapalooza 2022
as self
2022
0.0
Metallica Live Hellfest 2022
as SELF
2022
0.0
Metallica Download Festival Germany
2022
0.0
Metallica: Campo Argentino de Polo
2022
0.0
Ennio
as Self
2022
8.3
Metallica: 40th Anniversary - Live at Chase Center (Night 2)
as vocals, guitars
2021
6.0
Metallica: 40th Anniversary - Live at Chase Center (Night 1)
as vocals, guitars
2021
8.0
Metallica: Wherever We May Roam
as vocals, guitars
2021
6.0
Metallica - The Black Album - Music Videos + Halfin’s Home Movies
2021
6.0
Metallica - Live at Gentofte Stadion, Copenhagen, Denmark August 10, 1991 + Bonus Shit
as Self
2021
8.0
Metallica - Live At Frankenhalle, Nuremberg, Germany - November 29th, 1992
2021
6.0
Metallica - Live At Festivalpark, Werchter, Belgium - July 4th, 1993
2021
6.0
Metallica - Live at Gentofte Stadion, Copenhagen, Denmark - August 10th, 1991
as Self
2021
0.0
Metallica - Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica Outtakes
2021
8.0
Metallica: Live in Lincoln, Nebraska - September 6, 2018
as Himself
2021
0.0
MoPOP Founders Award 2020 Honoring Alice in Chains
as Self
2020
9.0
Metallica - The All Within My Hands Helping Hands Concert & Auction
2020
8.3
Metallica Helping Hands Concert & Auction: Live & Acoustic From HQ
as Himself
2020
0.0
Phil Lynott: Songs for While I'm Away
as Self
2020
7.3
Flying V
as Self
2020
7.5
Metallica: Live in Mexico City, Mexico - March 3, 2017
as Himself
2020
0.0
Metallica: Live at Yankee Stadium - Bronx, New York - September 14, 2011
as Himself
2020
0.0
Metallica: Live in Munich, Germany - June 13, 2004
as Himself
2020
0.0
Metallica: Live in Dallas, Texas - August 3, 2000
as Himself
2020
0.0
Metallica: Live in Berlin, Germany - June 6, 2006
as Himself
2020
0.0
Metallica: Live in Lisbon, Portugal - June 28, 2007
as Himself
2020
0.0
Metallica: Live in Bogotá, Colombia - May 2, 1999
as Himself
2020
0.0
Metallica: Live in Madrid, Spain - May 31, 2008
as Himself
2020
0.0
Metallica: Live in Melbourne, Australia - March 1, 2013
as Himself
2020
8.0
Metallica: WorldWired Tour - Live in Manchester, England - June 18, 2019
as Himself - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
2020
10.0
Metallica: Live in Salt Lake City, Utah - January 2, 1997
as Himself
2020
0.0
Metallica: Live in Lima, Peru - March 20, 2014
as Himself
2020
0.0
History 101
as Self (archive footage)
2020
7.1
Metallica: Live in Chicago, Illinois - August 12, 1983
as Himself
2020
10.0
Metallica: Live in Nickelsdorf, Austria - June 10, 2012
as Himself
2020
0.0
Metallica: Live in Muskegon, Michigan (November 1, 1991)
2020
0.0
Metallica: Live in Munich, Germany - May 31, 2015
as vocals
2020
0.0
Metallica: Live at Slane Castle
as lead vocals, guitar
2020
10.0
Hypnotizing Power: The Story of Master of Puppets
as Self
2020
0.0
Metallica and San Francisco Symphony: S&M2
as Himself
2019
8.7
Metallica : Live in Moscow 2019
2019
8.0
Metallica - Live in Berlin 2019
2019
8.5
Murder in the Front Row: The San Francisco Bay Area Thrash Metal Story
as Self
2019
7.4
🎬
Live Metallica: Stade de France, Paris - mai 12, 2019
as James Hetfield
2019
0.0
Live Metallica: Barcelona, Spain - May 5, 2019
2019
10.0
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile
as Officer Bob Hayward
2019
7.0
Sad Hill Unearthed
as Self - Musician
2018
6.9
Linkin Park and Friends Celebrate Life in Honor of Chester Bennington
as Self (archive footage)
2017
9.7
Metallica: Live in Paris, France - Sept 8, 2017
2017
10.0
Metallica - Live from Edmonton, Canada - August 16, 2017
as vocals
2017
0.0
Metallica - Live at Outside Lands (San Francisco, CA - August 12, 2017)
2017
7.7
Carpool Karaoke: The Series
as Self
2017
6.1
Who the Fuck Is That Guy?: The Fabulous Journey of Michael Alago
as Self
2017
5.6
🎬
Metallica - Live at Rock on the Range, Columbus 2017
2017
0.0
Metallica: Lollapalooza Brazil 2017
as Vocals, Guitars
2017
8.0
Addicted to Porn: Chasing the Cardboard Butterfly
as Narrator
2017
5.1
Cum On Feel The Noize
as Self
2017
7.0
Metallica: Making of Hardwired... to Self-Destruct
2016
10.0
Metallica: Live from The House of Vans
as Vocals, guitars
2016
10.0
🎬
Metallica - Hardwired... To Self-Destruct Videos
as Voice & Rithm Guitar
2016
10.0
Skylanders Academy
as Wolfgang (voice)
2016
6.4
Orchestrating An Upset: The 1996 World Cup of Hockey
as Himself, Narrator
2016
0.0
🎬
Metallica: [2016] Rasputin Music, Berkeley
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
2016
10.0
Metallica: The Night Before
2016
10.0
Billions
as Himself
2016
7.8
Mission to Lars
as Himself
2015
5.7
Metallica: Rock in Rio 2015
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
2015
7.5
🎬
Randy Johnson: The Big Picture
2015
0.0
🎬
Metallica: [2015] X Games
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
2015
10.0
Metallica: Live in Munich, Germany - May 31, 2015
2015
0.0
Metallica: Masters of Metal
2014
7.2
Metallica: Masters of Metal
as Himself
2014
7.2
🎬
Metallica Live at Blizzcon
as Himself
2014
10.0
Made in Japan: The Rise of Deep Purple Mk II
as Himself
2014
7.4
🎬
'Tallica Parking Lot
as James Hetfield (voice)
2014
6.0
Metallica: Rock AM Ring 2014
as Vocals, Guitars
2014
0.0
The Hunt
as Self - Narrator (voice)
2014
0.0
Metallica: This Monster Lives
as Himself
2014
6.1
🎬
Metallica: Beyond Thunder and Lightning
as Himself
2014
10.0
Hit the Lights: The Making of Metallica "Through the Never"
as Self
2014
10.0
Metallica: Freeze 'Em All - Live in Antarctica
as Self - Vocals, Guitars
2013
7.5
Metallica: Through the Never
as Himself
2013
6.8
🎬
Surfing Your Dreams
2013
10.0
Metallica: Quebec Magnetic
as Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
2012
8.1
Metallica: Live in Orion Music Festival
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
2012
8.2
🎬
Metallica: Live at Orion Music And More 2012 (1st Night)
2012
10.0
Metallica: The Black Album
2012
7.9
Metallica: Rock AM Ring 2012
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
2012
10.0
🎬
Metallica: Live at Rock im Park 2012
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
2012
0.0
🎬
Metallica: Rock in Rio
as Vox, Guitars
2012
8.5
Anton Corbijn Inside Out
as Self
2012
5.5
🎬
Metallica: The 30th Anniversary Event
as Self
2011
6.1
🎬
An Evening with Lou Reed & Metallica - Live at Rockpalast
2011
0.0
Metallica: Rock In Rio 2011
as Vocal, Guitar
2011
7.1
Absent
as Himself
2011
2.7
The Big 4
as Himself
2011
0.0
🎬
Metallica: Fan Can 6
as Vocals, Guitars
2010
6.9
Metallica: The Big 4 Live in Sofia
as Vocals, guitars
2010
0.0
The Big Four: Live in Sofia
as Guitars
2010
8.3
Metallica: Live at Sonisphere
as James Hetfield
2010
8.5
Metallica: Master of Puppets (Deluxe Box Set)
as Self
2010
6.0
Lemmy
as Self
2010
7.5
Metallica: Pride, Passion and Glory - Three Nights in Mexico City
as Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
2009
7.9
🎬
Metallica: Hall of Fame 2009
as Vocals, Guitars
2009
8.5
Metallica: Fan Can Six Copenhagen
as Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
2009
0.0
Metallica: Live in Copenhagen, Denmark - July 22, 2009
as Himself - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
2009
10.0
Metallica: Français pour une nuit
as Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
2009
8.0
METALLICA the Complete Story
as Himself
2008
0.0
Metallica: Making Magnetic
2008
9.0
🎬
Metallica: [2008] Rock en France Festival
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
2008
10.0
Metallica - Rock AM Ring
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
2008
10.0
Aural Amphetamine: Metallica and the Dawn of Thrash
as Self
2008
7.0
🎬
Metallica Touring Europe
2008
10.0
🎬
Metallica: Up Close and Personal
as Himself
2007
0.0
🎬
Metallica - Live Earth
as Himself
2007
10.0
Metallica - Sick of the Studio Tour - LIVE in Wien 2007
as Singer,Guitar
2007
2.0
The Darwin Awards
as Self
2007
5.5
Seven Ages of Rock
as Self
2007
9.0
Rock Milestones: Metallica: Master of Puppets
2007
0.0
Metallica: The Videos 1989-2004
as Vocalist, Guitarrist
2006
7.6
Metalocalypse
as Fan #1 (voice)
2006
7.6
Metalocalypse
as Sniper (voice)
2006
7.6
Metalocalypse
as Troll (voice)
2006
7.6
Metalocalypse
as Lorkey (voice)
2006
7.6
🎬
Metallica: Rock AM Ring 2006
as Vocals, Guitars
2006
10.0
Heavy Metal: Louder Than Life
as Self
2006
6.8
🎬
Metallica: Fan Can 5
as Vocals, Guitars
2006
10.0
De Wereld Draait Door
as Self
2005
4.9
The Work of Director Anton Corbijn
as Self (segments "Hero of the Day" and "Mama Said")
2005
7.9
Hard Rock Treasures
as Self
2005
0.0
American Dad!
as James Hetfield (voice)
2005
7.0
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
as Self
2005
6.7
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster
as Self
2004
7.1
Metallica: St. Anger Rehearsals
as Himself
2003
9.5
Metallica: MTV Icon
as Himself
2003
7.8
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
as Self
2003
5.5
Classic Albums: Metallica - Metallica
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
2001
6.1
🎬
Metallica: [2000] Baltimore, Maryland
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
2000
0.0
🎬
Metallica: Live in Baltimore
as Self - Vocals/Guitar
2000
0.0
Metallica and San Francisco Symphony: S&M
as Self
1999
8.6
Metallica With Michael Kamen Conducting The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra – S&M
as Self - Guitar, Vocals
1999
7.0
Metallica: Making of S&M
as Self - Guitar, Vocals
1999
0.0
Metallica: Woodstock '99
as Self
1999
0.0
🎬
Metallica: [1999] Plovdiv, Bulgaria
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
1999
0.0
Metallica: Cunning Stunts
as Self
1998
7.7
Metallica: Live Covers
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
1998
0.0
Classic Albums
as Self - Guitarist, Vocalist, Metallica
1997
7.7
Metallica: Fan Can 1
as Self
1996
0.0
🎬
Metallica: [1995] Loud But Secret
as Self - Guitar, Vocals
1995
0.0
Metallica: Woodstock '94
1994
0.0
Metallica: Live in Mountain View, CA - July 22, 1994
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
1994
0.0
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
1994
7.8
Metallican Vid
as Himself (Rhythm/Lead Vocal)
1993
0.0
🎬
Metallica: [1993] Basel, Switzerland
as Vox, Guitars
1993
0.0
🎬
Metallica: [1993] Santiago, Chile
as Vox, Guitars
1993
0.0
Metallica: Mexico City, Mexico
as Vox, Guitars
1993
0.0
🎬
Metallica: [1992] Den Bosch, Netherlands
as Vox, Guitars
1992
0.0
For Those About to Rock - Monsters In Moscow
1992
7.7
Later... with Jools Holland
as Self
1992
5.3
Metallica: A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica
as Self
1992
7.8
The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert
as Self
1992
8.4
Metallica: Live at San Diego
as Himself
1992
9.0
Metallica: Live Shit - Binge & Purge, San Diego 1992
as Self - Guitar, Vocals
1992
8.3
Metallica - ...And Justice For All
as Self
1992
10.0
Metallica: Live Moscow - Monsters of Rock
1991
7.5
🎬
Metallica: [1990] Zwolle, Netherlands
1990
0.0
The Simpsons
as William Rieflin (voice)
1989
8.0
Metallica - Live in Irvine, California - September 23, 1989
as Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
1989
0.0
Metallica: Live at Shoreline Amphitheatre
as Self
1989
0.0
Metallica: Live Shit - Binge & Purge, Seattle 1989
as Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
1989
8.5
Metallica: Newark, Delaware
as Self
1989
0.0
🎬
Metallica: [1989] Middletown, NY
as Vox, Guitars
1989
0.0
2 of One
as Himself (Rhythm Guitar/Lead Vocal)
1989
0.0
MTV Rockumentary
1989
7.0
🎬
Metallica - Live at Hammersmith Odeon
as Self - Vocals, Guitars
1988
0.0
Metallica: Cliff 'Em All
as Himself (Guitarist / Vocalist)
1987
7.6
🎬
Metallica: [1986] Toronto, Canada
as Self - Vocals, Guitar
1986
0.0
Metallica: Nagoya, Japan
as Vox, Guitars
1986
0.0
Metallica - Roskilde Festival
as Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
1986
0.0
🎬
Metallica: [1986] Uniondale, NY
as Vox, Guitars
1986
0.0
Metallica: Detroit, Michigan
as Vox, Guitars
1986
0.0
Metallica: Metal Hammer Festival
as Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
1985
0.0
Metallica: Day on the Green
as Vox, Guitars
1985
0.0
Metallica: Ride The Lightning
as Self
1985
10.0
MTV Video Music Awards
as Self
1984
7.7
Metallica - Kill 'Em All in Chicago 1983
as Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
1983
8.5
🎬
Metallica: [1983] Kiss the Stone
as Vox, Guitars
1983
0.0
Saturday Night Live
as Self - Musical Guest
1975
7.0
Deep Purple: Made In Japan
as Self
1972
10.0
Metal Massacre: The Story of the Legendary Album
as Self - Metallica
N/A
0.0
Live Earth: A Concert for a Climate in Crisis
as Self
N/A
1.0
Metallica - The Big 4 Live in Gothenburg, Sweden
N/A
0.0
Metallica: Sick Out Of Studio 2007 Oslo
as Self
N/A
0.0
Metallica at Raadi Airfield Estonia in Tartu
as Himself
N/A
0.0
🎬
Metallica: from the off
as Self
N/A
0.0
![Metallica - Beyond Magnetic [Full EP LIVE at the Fillmore]](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w92/1EgjQW1qQqbq9b6sCa39qua7VCy.jpg)
Metallica - Beyond Magnetic [Full EP LIVE at the Fillmore]
N/A
0.0
Metallica: 40th Anniversary Shows Live at Chase Center 2021
N/A
0.0