METALLICA - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony 2009

Metallica is the most successful heavy metal band of the past quarter
century. Metallica’s line-up has primarily consisted of drummer Lars
Ulrich, rhythm guitarist, vocalist James Hetfield, and lead guitarist
Kirk Hammett, as well as current bass player Robert Trujillo. Longtime
bassists for the band, the late Cliff Burton, and Jason Newsted, are
also being inducted. Metallica’s early releases included fast tempos,
instrumentals, and aggressive musicianship that placed them as one of
the “big four” of the thrash metal subgenre alongside Slayer, Megadeth,
and Anthrax. The band earned a growing fan base in the underground
music community and critical acclaim, with the 1986 release Master of
Puppets described as one of the most influential and “heavy” thrash
metal albums. The band achieved substantial commercial success with its
self-titled 1991 album, which debuted at number one on the Billboard
200. With this release the band expanded its musical direction
resulting in an album that appealed to a more mainstream audience.