James Hetfield
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.
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Known For








Credits
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Self★ NR
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★ NR
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Self - Metallica★ NR
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Metallica: from the off FutureSelf★ NR
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Himself★ NR
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Self★ NR
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Metallica 2025★ NR
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Self★ NR
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The Thicket 2024Simon Deasy★ 6.4
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Himself★ 9
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Himself★ 8.5
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Self★ NR
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Self★ 7.3
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Self★ 4.8
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self★ NR
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SELF★ NR
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★ NR
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★ NR
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Ennio 2022Self★ 8.3
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vocals, guitars★ 6
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vocals, guitars★ 8
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vocals, guitars★ 6
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Himself★ NR
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Self★ 9
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Himself★ NR
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Self★ 7.3
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Flying V 2020Self★ 7.5
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Himself★ NR
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Himself★ NR
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Himself★ NR
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Himself★ NR
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Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar★ NR
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Himself★ NR
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Himself★ NR
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Himself★ NR
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Himself★ NR
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Himself★ 8
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Himself - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar★ 10
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Himself★ NR
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Himself★ NR
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History 101 2020Self (archive footage)★ 7
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Himself★ 10
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Himself★ NR
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vocals★ NR
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lead vocals, guitar★ 10
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Self★ NR
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Himself★ 8.7
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★ 8
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★ 8.5
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James Hetfield★ NR
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Officer Bob Hayward★ 7
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Sad Hill Unearthed 2018Self - Musician★ 6.9
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Self (archive footage)★ 9.7
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vocals★ NR
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Self★ 5.8
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Vocals, Guitars★ 8
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Narrator★ 5.1
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Self★ 7
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Voice & Rithm Guitar★ 10
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Vocals, guitars★ 10
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Skylanders Academy 2016Wolfgang (voice)★ 6.4
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Himself, Narrator★ NR
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Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar★ 10
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★ 10
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Billions 2016Himself★ 7.7
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Mission to Lars 2015Himself★ 5.7
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Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar★ 7.5
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★ NR
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Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar★ 10
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Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar★ 9.3
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★ 7.2
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Himself★ 10
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Himself★ 7.4
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'Tallica Parking Lot 2014James Hetfield (voice)★ 6
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Vocals, Guitars★ NR
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The Hunt 2014Narrator★ NR
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Himself★ 6.1
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Himself★ 10
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Self★ 10
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Self - Vocals, Guitars★ 7.5
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Himself★ 6.8
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Self - Vocals, Guitars★ 7.5
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Surfing Your Dreams 2013★ 10
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Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar★ 8.1
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Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar★ 8.2
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★ 7.9
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Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar★ 10
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Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar★ NR
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Vox, Guitars★ 8.5
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Self★ 5.5
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Self★ 6.1
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Vocal, Guitar★ 7.1
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Absent 2011Himself★ 3.5
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The Big 4 2011Himself★ NR
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Metallica: Fan Can 6 2010Vocals, Guitars★ 6.9
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Guitars★ 8.3
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Vocals, guitars★ NR
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James Hetfield★ 8.5
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Self★ 6
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Lemmy 2010Self★ 7.5
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Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar★ 7.9
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Vocals, Guitars★ 8.5
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Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar★ NR
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Himself - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar★ 10
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Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar★ 8
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Himself★ NR
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★ 9
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Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar★ 10
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Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar★ 10
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Himself★ 9
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Self★ 7
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★ 10
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Himself★ NR
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Himself★ 10
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Singer,Guitar★ 2
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Seven Ages of Rock 2007Self★ 9
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Vocalist, Guitarrist★ 7.6
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Vocals, Guitars★ 7.3
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Metalocalypse 2006Fan #1 (voice)★ 7.6
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The Darwin Awards 2006Self★ 5.6
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Vocals, Guitars★ 10
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Metallica: Fan Can 5 2006Vocals, Guitars★ 10
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Self★ 6.8
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Self (segments "Hero of the Day" and "Mama Said")★ 7.9
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Hard Rock Treasures 2005Self★ NR
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American Dad! 2005James Hetfield (voice)★ 7
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Self★ 7
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Himself★ 9.5
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Metallica: MTV Icon 2003Himself★ 7.8
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Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar★ 6.1
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Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar★ NR
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Self★ 8.6
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Self - Guitar, Vocals★ 7
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Self - Guitar, Vocals★ NR
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Self★ NR
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Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar★ NR
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Self★ 7.7
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Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar★ NR
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Classic Albums 1997Self - Guitarist, Vocalist, Metallica★ 7.7
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Metallica: Fan Can 1 1996Self★ NR
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Self - Guitar, Vocals★ NR
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Self★ 10
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★ NR
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Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar★ NR
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Self - Guitar, Vocals★ 8.2
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Metallican Vid 1993Himself (Rhythm/Lead Vocal)★ NR
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Vox, Guitars★ NR
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Vox, Guitars★ NR
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Vox, Guitars★ NR
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Vox, Guitars★ NR
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Self★ 7.7
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Self★ 8.3
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Himself★ 9
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Self★ 10
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★ 7.3
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★ NR
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The Simpsons 1989William Rieflin (voice)★ 8
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Self★ NR
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Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar★ 8.5
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Self★ NR
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Vox, Guitars★ NR
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2 of One 1989Himself (Rhythm Guitar/Lead Vocal)★ NR
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MTV Rockumentary 1989★ 7
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Self - Vocals, Guitars★ NR
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Himself (Guitarist / Vocalist)★ 7.6
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Self - Vocals, Guitar★ NR
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Vox, Guitars★ NR
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Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar★ NR
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Vox, Guitars★ NR
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Vox, Guitars★ NR
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Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar★ NR
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Vox, Guitars★ NR
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Self★ 10
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Self★ 7.5
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Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar★ 8.5
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Vox, Guitars★ NR
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Self★ 10