Metallica
The essential Metallica records, ranked — where to start and what to reach for next.
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1Ride the LightningMetallicaStart here
Ride the Lightning
The leap from speed to genuine sophistication, balancing ferocity with melody and ambition. A thrash cornerstone. The sound of a band finding greatness.
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2Kill 'Em AllMetallicaClassic
Kill 'Em All
A blistering thrash debut of speed and aggression. Raw and influential. The genre's opening shot.
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3Master of PuppetsMetallicaClassic
Master of Puppets
Thrash metal's high-water mark, complex and crushing across eight tightly written epics. Widely held to be the best metal album ever made. Relentless and precise.
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4MetallicaMetallicaClassic
Metallica
The 'Black Album' that took metal mainstream, trading thrash complexity for tight, heavy anthems like 'Enter Sandman'. Massive and inescapable. Their commercial peak.
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5...And Justice for AllMetallicaDeep cut
...And Justice for All
A dense, complex thrash peak of long, intricate songs. Ambitious and dry-sounding. A divisive favourite.
Tracks we've featured in our best-of lists — tap a title to find it on Amazon Music.