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Metallica emerged as one of the most important band of the '80s Hard-Rock
Metal scene; the group was formed in 1981, in Los Angeles, California
USA. The original line-up included singer+guitarist James Hetfield, lead
guitarist Kirk Hammett, bass player Cliff Burton and drummer Lars Ulrich.
The band's debut album, "Kill 'Em All", was released in 1983
on Elektra Records, it received excellent reviews from critics.
"Ride The Lightning" followed a year later, reaching the #100
slot on The Billboard 200 Albums chart.
In 1986 Metallica issued their third album, "Master Of Puppets",
the record climbed into the top 30 of The Billboard Top 200 chart; later
that year, on September 27, tragedy struck the band when Burton was killed
in a tragic tour-bus accident on some icy highways between Stockholm and
Copenhagen. The remaining members decided to continue and bassist Jason
Newsted was chosen to replace Cliff Burton.
Two years later, the group, with "...And Justice For All", crashed
into the top 10 of The Billboard Top 200 Albums list and the U.S. top
40 hit single, "One", won a Grammy for best Metal Performance.
Metallica won their second Grammy with the cover-song "Stone Cold
Crazy" which was included in the 1990's compilation "Rubaiyat:
Elektra's 40th Anniversary".
The band returned with an eponymous 1991 release that came in an all-black
cover; more melodic than earlier works, the album debuted at #1 in U.S.
spawning three smash singles: "Enter Sandman", "The Unforgiven"
climbed into the top 10 of The Mainstream Rock chart and the transatlantic
hit "Nothing Else Matters" peaked at #11 on the same chart;
their self-titled album won them another Grammy for Best Metal Performance.
The next two albums marked a change in image for the band that decided
to explore a new direction toward Alternative-Rock, 1996's "Load"
shot to #1 on Billboard's Top 200 chart, the record generated "Hero
Of The Day" and "Until It Sleeps", which both peaked at
#1 on the Active Rock chart; "Bleeding Me" followed at #6, "King
Nothing" also hit #6 and "Ain't My Bitch" made top 20 on
the same chart.
"Reload", the Rock titans' eighth studio-album appeared a year
later and once again Metallica, topped The Billboard 200 chart; the disc
spawned another string of Mainstream Rock massive hit singles: "The
Memory Remains" peaked at #3, "The Unforgiven II" hit #2,
"Fuel" #6, "Better Than You" reached the #7 position
and won them a Grammy for Best Metal Performance.
In November 1998 Metallica issued "Garage Inc.", a collection
of B-sides, rarities and covers, which included the #1 Active Rock hit
single "Turn The Page"; their adaptation of the traditional
song, "Whiskey In The Jar", peaked at #4 on The Mainstream Rock
chart and won for Best Hard Rock Performance at 42nd Annual Grammy Awards.
The double-CD set eventually rose to #2 on the U.S. Top 200 Albums chart.
The following year the group had another huge hit album: "S&M",
recorded live with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, it reached the
#2 slot on The Billboard 200 and yielded the Mainstream Rock chart-topper,
"No Leaf Clover"; the the live set also included "The Call
Of Ktulu" which was awarded a Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.
The year 2000 saw the big M contributed the #1 Mainstream Rock smash "I
Disappear" to the soundtrack of the film "Mission Impossible
2" with Tom Cruise, the song also crossed over into The Modern Rock
Tracks falling short of making it on the top 10.
Newsted announced his departure in January of the following year, he left
without much drama after almost fifteen years service with the band, Robert
Trujillo stepped in to fill his shoes.
In 2003 Metallica returned at the top of the Billboard's Top 200 chart
with "St. Anger" which became quickly an international hit reconfirming
their immense popularity, the record was awarded Best Metal Performance
at 46th annual Grammy ceremony; the disc spawned no less than four Active
Rock charting single: the title-track hit #2, "Some Kind Of Monster"
peaked at #19, "Frantic" reached the #21 spot and "The
Unnamed Feeling" weighed in at #28.
Metallica biography is an exclusive of 100xr.com
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