There is no doubting what the Metallica discography stands for. It simply is a testament that the band is a living legend all its own. Of course, many other metal bands would argue they too deserve to occupy a legendary status. In reality though, few metal bands can claim to be as well known and esteemed as this one. Even people who don’t like metal music know the group.

Unlike other groups, this legendary band was not made up of childhood school or neighborhood friends. The band’s mundane birth began when Lars Ulrich advertised for musicians who wanted to jam. The one other founding member who had been with the band from the very beginning, James Hetfield answered the ad. The band was officially formed in 1981 in Los Angeles, California. Guitarist Dave Mustaine and bassist Ron McGovney were later recruited to complete the original line up. Burton, who was deemed the better bassist, later replaced McGovney.

It wasn’t smooth sailing for the group at the beginning. Just like other legendary music acts, they initially faced a lot of rejection. They were only able to create their first album under Megaforce Records with borrowed money. Also, band member problems already started to creep in with Mustaine getting booted out for drug use. He was replaced by Kirk Hammett. Mustaine picked himself up and jump started rival band Megadeth.

By 1983, it was clear that there was a future market for Metallica CDs as proven by their debut release Kill ‘Em All. The work did not generate a lot of cash but it did build a strong foundation for a solid fan base. The debut album was essentially a tool that made the succeeding releases highly anticipated. True enough, the band got its first gold in 1986 with Master of Puppets.

With their steady rise to fame, the band started moving around more for playing engagements and promotional work. It was while they were on one of these trips that Burton died in an accident. This was to be a nearly crippling event for the band but they moved on without Burton and chose Jason Newsted to fill his place. With a new player in the group, they released …And Justice for All which took #6 in the Billboard 200. In 2001, Newsted left and Robert Trujillo was recruited in his place.

Trujillo came at an unusual moment in the band’s history. Their eighth album, St. Anger finally took the first spot in the Billboard 200 but it was to be a controversial success because it was the first piece of work that departed dramatically from the band’s signature sound. Critics noticed the lack of guitar solos, focus, differentiated tuning and a slower, rawer pace. This prompted a return to the band’s usual sound in Death Magnetic, their ninth release.

It’s clear that there is no chance that the legend will fade into oblivion. With nine albums in the Metallica discography, nine Grammy awards, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction and more than a hundred million records sold, their legend status has been etched in stone.

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