Metallica

Metallica deflated the pomposity of 1970s rock, while reinvigorating heavy metal with their fast, fierce, and surprisingly melodic sound. Pioneers of the thrash metal subgenre, vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich set down the foundation for the virtuoso playing of lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Cliff Burton. When Burton died in a tragic bus accident, the band grudgingly moved on, recruiting Jason Newsted and eventually launching the highly successful...AND JUSTICE FOR ALL tour. With a common-man image and no-frills approach, the band lent a hand in slaying '80s glam metal. By the '90s, Metallica's non-stop touring and landmark albums made them one of the biggest--and most respected--rock bands on the planet.

• rock