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.
Acted in 65
2020s
- 2026
Metallica: M72 Tour - Budapest, Day 2
Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: M72 Tour - Budapest, Day 1
Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
- 2024
- 2022
Metallica - Global Citizen Festival 2022
Movie
Metallica Download Festival Germany
Movie
Metallica: Campo Argentino de Polo
Movie
- 2021
Metallica: 40th Anniversary - Live at Chase Center (Night 2)
vocals, guitars
Metallica: 40th Anniversary - Live at Chase Center (Night 1)
vocals, guitars
Metallica: 40th Anniversary Shows (Night 1&2) - Live at Chase Center
Movie
Metallica: Wherever We May Roam
vocals, guitars
Metallica - Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica Outtakes
Movie
Metallica - The Black Album - Music Videos + Halfin’s Home Movies
Movie
Metallica - Live At Festivalpark, Werchter, Belgium - July 4th, 1993
Movie
Metallica - Live At Frankenhalle, Nuremberg, Germany - November 29th, 1992
Movie
- 2020
Metallica - The All Within My Hands Helping Hands Concert & Auction
Movie
Metallica: Live in Berlin, Germany - June 6, 2006
Cast
Metallica: Live in Munich, Germany - May 31, 2015
vocals
Metallica: Live at Slane Castle
lead vocals, guitar
2010s
- 2019
Metallica : Live in Moscow 2019
Movie
Metallica - Live in Berlin 2019
Movie
Live Metallica: Barcelona, Spain - May 5, 2019
Movie
- 2017
Metallica: Live in Paris, France - Sept 8, 2017
Movie
Metallica - Live from Edmonton, Canada - August 16, 2017
vocals
Metallica - Live at Outside Lands (San Francisco, CA - August 12, 2017)
Movie
Metallica: Lollapalooza Brazil 2017
Vocals, Guitars
- 2016
Metallica: Making of Hardwired... to Self-Destruct
Movie
Metallica: The Night Before
Movie
- 2014
Metallica: Rock AM Ring 2014
Vocals, Guitars
- 2012
Metallica: Quebec Magnetic
Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: The Black Album
Movie
- 2011
Metallica: Rock In Rio 2011
Vocal, Guitar
- 2010
The Big Four: Live in Sofia
Guitars
Metallica: The Big 4 Live in Sofia
Vocals, guitars
2000s
- 2009
Metallica: Pride, Passion and Glory - Three Nights in Mexico City
Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: Fan Can Six Copenhagen
Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
- 2008
Metallica: Making Magnetic
Movie
- 2007
Metallica - Sick of the Studio Tour - LIVE in Wien 2007
Singer,Guitar
Rock Milestones: Metallica: Master of Puppets
Movie
- 2006
Metallica: The Videos 1989-2004
Vocalist, Guitarrist
Metallica Korea
Movie
- 2005
- 2000
Woodstock '99
Movie
1990s
- 1994
Metallica: Woodstock '94
Movie
- 1993
Metallica: Mexico City, Mexico
Vox, Guitars
- 1992
For Those About to Rock - Monsters In Moscow
Movie
- 1991
Metallica: Live Moscow - Monsters of Rock
Movie
1980s
- 1989
Metallica - Live in Irvine, California - September 23, 1989
Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: Live Shit - Binge & Purge, Seattle 1989
Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
MTV Rockumentary
TV
- 1986
Metallica: Nagoya, Japan
Vox, Guitars
Metallica - Roskilde Festival
Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: Detroit, Michigan
Vox, Guitars
- 1985
Metallica: Metal Hammer Festival
Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: Day on the Green
Vox, Guitars
- 1983
Metallica: Kill 'Em All in Chicago 1983
Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
No release date
Metallica - The Big 4 Live in Gothenburg, Sweden
Movie
Metallica - Beyond Magnetic [Full EP LIVE at the Fillmore]
Movie
Metallica: Live Shit - Binge & Purge
Movie
Sound 4
2020s
- 2024
2010s
- 2019
Metallica - Live in Berlin 2019
Music
- 2013
Metallica: Through the Never
Original Music Composer
1990s
- 1999
Wrote 4
2010s
- 2017
Metallica WorldWired North American Tour 2017
Writer
- 2013
Metallica: Through the Never
Writer
- 2012
Metallica: Quebec Magnetic
Writer
1990s
- 1999
Metallica and San Francisco Symphony: S&M
Writer
Appearances117
2020s
- 2026
- 2025
Metallica: Studio Shit + U.K. Shenanigans
Self
Metallica: Polar Beach Party
Self
Metallica: Poor Swedish Me '96
Self
Metallica Saved My Life
Self
- 2024
- 2023
Metallica: M72 World Tour Live from Texas - Night 2
Self
Metallica: M72 World Tour Live from Texas - Night 1
Self
Metallica: M72 World Tour Live in Amsterdam - Night 2
Self
Metallica: 72 Seasons - Global Premiere
Self
- 2022
Metallica Presents: The Helping Hands Concert
Self
Metallica at Lollapalooza 2022
self
Metallica Live Hellfest 2022
Self
- 2021
Metallica - Live at Gentofte Stadion, Copenhagen, Denmark - August 10th, 1991
Self
Metallica - Live at Gentofte Stadion, Copenhagen, Denmark August 10, 1991 + Bonus Shit
Self
Metallica: Live in Lincoln, Nebraska - September 6, 2018
Self
- 2020
MoPOP Founders Award 2020 Honoring Alice in Chains
Self
Metallica Helping Hands Concert & Auction: Live & Acoustic From HQ
Self
Phil Lynott: Songs for While I'm Away
Self
Flying V
Self
Metallica: Live in Mexico City, Mexico - March 3, 2017
Self
Metallica: Live at Yankee Stadium - Bronx, New York - September 14, 2011
Self
Metallica: Live in Munich, Germany - June 13, 2004
Self
Metallica: Live in Dallas, Texas - August 3, 2000
Self
Metallica: Live in Lisbon, Portugal - June 28, 2007
Self
Metallica: Live in Bogotá, Colombia - May 2, 1999
Self
Metallica: Live in Madrid, Spain - May 31, 2008
Self
Metallica: Live in Melbourne, Australia - March 1, 2013
Self
Metallica: WorldWired Tour - Live in Manchester, England - June 18, 2019
Self - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Metallica: Live in Salt Lake City, Utah - January 2, 1997
Self
Metallica: Live in Lima, Peru - March 20, 2014
Self
Metallica: Live in Chicago, Illinois - August 12, 1983
Self
Metallica: Live in Nickelsdorf, Austria - June 10, 2012
Self
Metallica: Live in Muskegon, Michigan (November 1, 1991)
Self
Hypnotizing Power: The Story of Master of Puppets
Self
2010s
- 2019
Metallica and San Francisco Symphony: S&M2
Self
Murder in the Front Row: The San Francisco Bay Area Thrash Metal Story
Self
- 2018
Sad Hill Unearthed
Self - Musician
- 2017
Linkin Park and Friends Celebrate Life in Honor of Chester Bennington
Self (archive footage)
Cum On Feel The Noize
Self
- 2016
Metallica: Live from The House of Vans
Self - vocals, guitars
Orchestrating An Upset: The 1996 World Cup of Hockey
Self / Narrator
- 2015
Metallica: Freeze 'Em All
Self
Mission to Lars
Self
Metallica: Rock in Rio 2015
Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: Live in Munich, Germany - May 31, 2015
Self
- 2014
Metallica: Masters of Metal
Self
Made in Japan: The Rise of Deep Purple Mk II
Self
The Hunt
Self - Narrator (voice) · 8 episodes
Metallica: This Monster Lives
Self
Hit the Lights: The Making of Metallica "Through the Never"
Self
- 2013
Metallica: Freeze 'Em All - Live in Antarctica
Self - Vocals, Guitars
Metallica: Through the Never
Self
- 2012
Metallica: Live in Orion Music Festival
Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Anton Corbijn Inside Out
Self
- 2011
The Big 4
Self · 4 episodes
- 2010
Metallica: Live at Sonisphere
Self
Metallica: Master of Puppets (Deluxe Box Set)
Self
2000s
- 2009
Metallica: Live in Copenhagen, Denmark - July 22, 2009
Self - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Metallica: Français pour une nuit
Self - Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
- 2008
METALLICA the Complete Story
Self
Metallica - Rock AM Ring
Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Aural Amphetamine: Metallica and the Dawn of Thrash
Self
- 2007
Seven Ages of Rock
Self · 7 episodes
- 2006
Heavy Metal: Louder Than Life
Self
- 2005
The Work of Director Anton Corbijn
Self (segments "Hero of the Day" and "Mama Said")
Hard Rock Treasures
Self
- 2004
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster
Self
- 2003
Saturday Night Live: 25 Years of Music Vol. 5
Self
Metallica: St. Anger Rehearsals
Self
Metallica: MTV Icon
Self
- 2001
Classic Albums: Metallica - Metallica
Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
1990s
- 1999
Metallica and San Francisco Symphony: S&M
Self
1999 Metallica With Michael Kamen Conducting The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra – S&M
Self - Guitar, Vocals
Metallica: Making of S&M
Self - Guitar, Vocals
Metallica: Woodstock '99
Self
- 1998
Metallica: Cunning Stunts
Self
Metallica: Live Covers
Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: Poor East Asian Me - Live at Olympic Gymnastics Arena, Seoul, South Korea
Self
- 1997
- 1996
Metallica: Fan Can 1
Self
- 1994
Metallica: Live in Mountain View, CA - July 22, 1994
Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
- 1993
Metallican Vid
Self - Rhythm/Lead Vocal
- 1992
Metallica: A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica
Self
Metallica: Live at San Diego
Self
Metallica: Live Shit - Binge & Purge, San Diego 1992
Self - Guitar, Vocals
Metallica - ...And Justice For All
Self
1980s
- 1989
Heavy Metal Heaven Hosted by Elvira
Himself - Metalica · 1 episode
Metallica: Live at Shoreline Amphitheatre
Self
Metallica: Newark, Delaware
Self
2 of One
Self (Rhythm Guitar/Lead Vocal)
- 1987
Metallica: Cliff 'Em All
Self - Guitarist / Vocalist
- 1985
Metallica: Ride The Lightning
Self
- 1984
1970s
- 1972
Deep Purple: Made In Japan
Self
No release date
Metallica: Sick Out Of Studio 2007 Oslo
Self
Metal Massacre: The Story of the Legendary Album
Self - Metallica
Metallica at Raadi Airfield Estonia in Tartu
Self
Live Earth: A Concert for a Climate in Crisis
Self · 12 episodes