Metallica was founded in Los Angeles in 1981 and has been based in San Francisco since 1982. They are one of the most successful metal bands in the world and have sold over 110 million albums to date. In the US alone, the band has sold over 62 million albums, making it the seventh most successful artist group in the country. Metallica has won nine Grammy Awards.

Alongside Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax, Metallica was one of the "big four" of thrash metal in the 1980s and is considered the most influential metal band of the decade. During the 1990s, Metallica embraced new musical influences such as blues rock and other rock styles, appealing to a wider audience while also irritating their existing fans before returning to their musical roots in 2002. (Source: Wikipedia.de)