James Hetfield

Personal Info

Birthday

August 3, 1963

(62 years old)

Place of Birth

Downey, California, USA

Also Known As

James Alan Hetfield

Metallica

James Hetfield

Biography

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.

Known For

The Simpsons

American Dad!

Metalocalypse

The Thicket

Skylanders Academy

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile

The Hunt

Metallica: Quebec Magnetic

Filmography

2025
Metallica: Poor Swedish Me '96
as Self
Metallica: On the Air (Music Videos + TV Appearances)
as Self
Metallica: Polar Beach Party
as Self
Metallica: Studio Shit + U.K. Shenanigans
as Self
Metallica Saved My Life
as Self
2024
Metallica: Helping Hands Concert & Auction
as Self
The Thicket
as Simon Deasy
2023
Metallica: M72 World Tour Live from Texas - Night 2
as Himself
Metallica: M72 World Tour Live from Texas - Night 1
as Himself
Metallica: M72 World Tour Live in Amsterdam - Night 2
as Self
Metallica: 72 Seasons - Global Premiere
as Self
2022
Metallica Presents: The Helping Hands Concert
as Self
Metallica at Lollapalooza 2022
as self
Metallica Live Hellfest 2022
as SELF
Ennio
as Self
2021
Metallica: 40th Anniversary - Live at Chase Center (Night 2)
as vocals, guitars
Metallica: 40th Anniversary - Live at Chase Center (Night 1)
as vocals, guitars
Metallica - Live at Gentofte Stadion, Copenhagen, Denmark August 10, 1991 + Bonus Shit
as Self
Metallica: Wherever We May Roam
as vocals, guitars
Metallica - Live at Gentofte Stadion, Copenhagen, Denmark - August 10th, 1991
as Self
Metallica: Live in Lincoln, Nebraska - September 6, 2018
as Himself
2020
MoPOP Founders Award 2020 Honoring Alice in Chains
as Self
Metallica Helping Hands Concert & Auction: Live & Acoustic From HQ
as Himself
Phil Lynott: Songs for While I'm Away
as Self
Flying V
as Self
Metallica: Live in Mexico City, Mexico - March 3, 2017
as Himself
Metallica: Live at Yankee Stadium - Bronx, New York - September 14, 2011
as Himself
Metallica: Live in Munich, Germany - June 13, 2004
as Himself
Metallica: Live in Dallas, Texas - August 3, 2000
as Himself
Metallica - Live in Irvine, California - September 23, 1989
as Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: Live in Berlin, Germany - June 6, 2006
as Himself
Metallica: Live in Lisbon, Portugal - June 28, 2007
as Himself
Metallica: Live in Bogotá, Colombia - May 2, 1999
as Himself
Metallica: Live in Madrid, Spain - May 31, 2008
as Himself
Metallica: Live in Melbourne, Australia - March 1, 2013
as Himself
Metallica: WorldWired Tour - Live in Manchester, England - June 18, 2019
as Himself - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Metallica: Live in Salt Lake City, Utah - January 2, 1997
as Himself
Metallica: Live in Lima, Peru - March 20, 2014
as Himself
Metallica: Live in Chicago, Illinois - August 12, 1983
as Himself
Metallica: Live in Nickelsdorf, Austria - June 10, 2012
as Himself
Metallica: Live in Munich, Germany - May 31, 2015
as vocals
Metallica: Live at Slane Castle
as lead vocals, guitar
Hypnotizing Power: The Story of Master of Puppets
as Self
2019
Metallica and San Francisco Symphony: S&M2
as Himself
Murder in the Front Row: The San Francisco Bay Area Thrash Metal Story
as Self
Live Metallica: Stade de France, Paris - mai 12, 2019
as James Hetfield
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile
as Officer Bob Hayward
2018
Sad Hill Unearthed
as Self - Musician
2017
Linkin Park and Friends Celebrate Life in Honor of Chester Bennington
as Self (archive footage)
Metallica - Live from Edmonton, Canada - August 16, 2017
as vocals
Who the Fuck Is That Guy?: The Fabulous Journey of Michael Alago
as Self
Metallica: Lollapalooza Brazil 2017
as Vocals, Guitars
Addicted to Porn: Chasing the Cardboard Butterfly
as Narrator
Cum On Feel The Noize
as Self
2016
Metallica - Hardwired... To Self-Destruct Videos
as Voice & Rithm Guitar
Metallica: Live from The House of Vans
as Vocals, guitars
Orchestrating An Upset: The 1996 World Cup of Hockey
as Himself, Narrator
Metallica: [2016] Rasputin Music, Berkeley
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
2015
Mission to Lars
as Himself
Metallica: Rock in Rio 2015
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: [2015] X Games
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: Rock in Rio USA 2015
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
2014
Metallica: Masters of Metal
as Himself
Metallica Live at Blizzcon
as Himself
Made in Japan: The Rise of Deep Purple Mk II
as Himself
'Tallica Parking Lot
as James Hetfield (voice)
Metallica: Rock AM Ring 2014
as Vocals, Guitars
Metallica: This Monster Lives
as Himself
Metallica: Beyond Thunder and Lightning
as Himself
Hit the Lights: The Making of Metallica "Through the Never"
as Self
2013
Metallica: Freeze 'Em All - Live in Antarctica
as Self - Vocals, Guitars
Metallica: Through the Never
as Himself
2012
Metallica: Quebec Magnetic
as Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: Live in Orion Music Festival
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: Rock AM Ring 2012
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: Live at Rock im Park 2012
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: Rock in Rio
as Vox, Guitars
Anton Corbijn Inside Out
as Self
2011
Metallica: The 30th Anniversary Event
as Self
Metallica: Rock In Rio 2011
as Vocal, Guitar
Absent
as Himself
2010
Metallica: Fan Can 6
as Vocals, Guitars
The Big Four: Live in Sofia
as Guitars
Metallica - The Big 4 Live in Sofia
as Vocals, guitars
Metallica: Live at Sonisphere
as James Hetfield
Metallica - Master of Puppets (Deluxe Box Set)
as Self
Lemmy
as Self
2009
Metallica: Pride, Passion and Glory - Three Nights in Mexico City
as Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: Hall of Fame 2009
as Vocals, Guitars
Metallica: Fan Can Six Copenhagen
as Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: Live in Copenhagen, Denmark - July 22, 2009
as Himself - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Metallica: Français pour une nuit
as Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
2008
METALLICA the Complete Story
as Himself
Metallica: [2008] Rock en France Festival
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Metallica - Rock AM Ring
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: Live at Rock in Rio Lisboa 2008
as Himself
Aural Amphetamine: Metallica and the Dawn of Thrash
as Self
2007
Metallica: Up Close and Personal
as Himself
Metallica - Live Earth
as Himself
Metallica - Sick of the Studio Tour - LIVE in Wien 2007
as Singer,Guitar
2006
Metallica: The Videos 1989-2004
as Vocalist, Guitarrist
The Darwin Awards
as Self
Metallica: Rock AM Ring 2006
as Vocals, Guitars
Heavy Metal: Louder Than Life
as Self
Metallica: Fan Can 5
as Vocals, Guitars
2005
The Work of Director Anton Corbijn
as Self (segments "Hero of the Day" and "Mama Said")
Hard Rock Treasures
as Self
2004
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster
as Self
2003
Metallica: St. Anger Rehearsals
as Himself
Metallica: MTV Icon
as Himself
2001
Classic Albums: Metallica - Metallica
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
2000
Metallica: [2000] Baltimore, Maryland
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
1999
Metallica and San Francisco Symphony: S&M
as Self
Metallica: Making of S&M
as Self - Guitar, Vocals
Metallica With Michael Kamen Conducting The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra ‎– S&M
as Self - Guitar, Vocals
Metallica: Woodstock '99
as Self
Metallica: [1999] Plovdiv, Bulgaria
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
1998
Metallica: Cunning Stunts
as Self
Metallica: Live Covers
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
1996
Metallica: Fan Can 1
as Self
1995
Metallica: [1995] Loud But Secret
as Self - Guitar, Vocals
The History of Rock 'n' Roll
as Self
1994
Metallica: Live in Mountain View, CA - July 22, 1994
as Self - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
1993
Metallica: Live Shit - Binge & Purge, San Diego 1992
as Self - Guitar, Vocals
Metallican Vid
as Himself (Rhythm/Lead Vocal)
Metallica: [1993] Basel, Switzerland
as Vox, Guitars
Metallica: [1993] Santiago, Chile
as Vox, Guitars
Metallica: Mexico City, Mexico
as Vox, Guitars
1992
Metallica: [1992] Den Bosch, Netherlands
as Vox, Guitars
Metallica: A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica
as Self
The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert
as Self
Metallica: Live at San Diego
as Himself
Metallica - ...And Justice For All
as Self
1989
Metallica: Live at Shoreline Amphitheatre
as Self
Metallica - Live Shit - Binge & Purge, Seattle 1989
as Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: Newark, Delaware
as Self
Metallica: [1989] Middletown, NY
as Vox, Guitars
2 of One
as Himself (Rhythm Guitar/Lead Vocal)
1988
Metallica - Live at Hammersmith Odeon
as Self - Vocals, Guitars
1987
Metallica - Cliff 'Em All
as Himself (Guitarist / Vocalist)
1986
Metallica: [1986] Toronto, Canada
as Self - Vocals, Guitar
Metallica: Nagoya, Japan
as Vox, Guitars
Metallica - Roskilde Festival
as Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: [1986] Uniondale, NY
as Vox, Guitars
Metallica: Detroit, Michigan
as Vox, Guitars
1985
Metallica: Metal Hammer Festival
as Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: Day on the Green
as Vox, Guitars
Metallica: Ride The Lightning
as Self
1983
Metallica - Kill 'Em All in Chicago 1983
as Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
Metallica: [1983] Kiss the Stone
as Vox, Guitars
1972
Deep Purple: Made In Japan
as Self