Metallica is an American heavy metal band, founded in 1981 by drummer Lars Ulrich and rhythm guitarist James Hetfield. Aside from Ulrich and Hetfield, the original lineup for some of the 1982 concerts included Dave Mustaine (lead guitar and backing vocals) and Ron McGovney (bass guitar). Cliff Burton replaced McGovney in 1982 and played with the band until his death in 1986. After his death, bassists Jason Newsted (1986–2001), and Robert Trujillo (since 2003) were recruited in the band. The lead guitarist role was taken by Kirk Hammett (since 1983) after Dave Mustaine was fired from the band, who would then go on to form the band Megadeth. During the first years Metallica played in small festivals and as supporting acts on tours for bands such as Venom and Roxx Regime. Since their first live gig at Radio City, Anaheim on March 14, 1982, Metallica has performed on all seven continents numbering live events every year (with the exception of 2001) in a total of over 1,600 shows. The majority of these were played in the United States, but numerous concerts were also played in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany, among other countries. The band also went on nine worldwide tours: Damage, Inc. Tour (1986–1987), Damaged Justice (1988–1989), Wherever We May Roam Tour (1991–1992), Nowhere Else to Roam (1993), Madly in Anger with the World Tour (2003–2004), Escape from the Studio '06, World Magnetic Tour (2008–2010), WorldWired Tour (2016–2019), and M72 World Tour (2023–2027). During these tours, South Africa as well as several countries in Central and South America, Asia, and Oceania were visited.
Metallica has played many shows at major rock festivals such as Woodstock '94, Ozzfest, Monsters of Rock, Lollapalooza, Download Festival, Reading Festival, and Days on the Green. They also held numerous concerts in stadiums, some of which featured crowds of over 100,000 people. One of the highest-attendance music concerts in history was held by AC/DC on September 28, 1991, at Tushino Airfield in Moscow, where unofficially 1.6 million people attended. Some of these performances were later released as videos for special box set or DVD releases. Some performances have been held in theaters, including two April 1999 shows alongside the San Francisco Symphony that were released as the album S&M.
Metallica's first official tour was Kill 'Em All for One, which started in 1983 to promote their debut album. Their longest so far have been the Wherever We May Roam and World Magnetic Tours, which lasted 14 months and 20 months, respectively, with each having over 170 concerts. The band is among the most lucrative live bands, selling out half of their first 187 concerts held during the 2000s, and gaining an attendance of over 3.5 million people and a gross of over US$227 million.
1980s tours Year(s) Title Legs (locations) and dates Number ofshowsComplete list of shows for 1982 , 1983 , 1984 , 1985 , 1986 , 1987 , 1988 , and 1989 are listed on the Metallica.com website. Retrieved January 1, 2011. Supporting actsMost of the supporting acts listed here joined Metallica only for a part of the whole tour. 1983–1984 Kill 'Em All for One US: July 27, 1983 – January 22, 1984 52 Raven, Anthrax, ExodusThis was the first tour played as a band, and it supported their first album, Kill 'Em All. 1984 Seven Dates of Hell Europe: February 3–12, 1984 6 Venom (headliner),Metallica played as supporting act for Venom, performing in front of 7,000 people at the Aardschok Festival in Zwolle, Netherlands. 1984 Bang That Head That Doesn't Bang Europe: November 16 – December 20, 198425 TankThe band had its first major European tour, with an average crowd of 1,300. 1985 Ride the Lightning Tour North America: January 11 – March 19, 1985Europe: August 13 – September 14, 1985US: September 29, 1985 – December 31, 1985 57 WASP (co-headliner), Armored Saint, Tank, ZZ Top, Marillion, Bon Jovi, Ratt, Magnum, Tommy Vance, ExodusThe band went on tour to support their second album, Ride the Lightning, gaining an attendance of 60,000 at a show in Oakland, California, at the Day on the Green festival. During the tour, Metallica played for the first time at the Monsters of Rock festival. The concert was at Donington Park, England, in front of 70,000 people. 1986–1987 Damage, Inc. Tour North America: March 27 – August 3, 1986Europe: September 10–26, 1986Japan: November 15–20, 1986North America: November 26 – December 20, 1986Europe: January 8 – February 13, 1987 142 Anthrax, Metal Church, SwordThe tour supported the band's third album Master of Puppets in which the headliner of the North American spring and summer portion was Ozzy Osbourne (The Ultimate Sin Tour). It was plagued with misfortune for the band, as the guitar technician John Marshall had to fill James Hetfield's place at the rhythm guitar twice due to wrist injury. Later, during the European portion, a bus accident in Sweden killed bassist Cliff Burton. The World Tour that followed introduced the new bassist, Jason Newsted. 1987 Monsters of Rock '87 Europe: August 20–30, 1987 4 Bon Jovi, Dio, Anthrax, WASP, CinderellaThe group went on the festival tour for the second time, with concerts in England and West Germany. 1988 Monsters of Rock '88 US: May 27 – July 30, 1988 32 Van Halen (headliner), Scorpions, Dokken, Kingdom ComeMetallica played in front of crowds numbering 40,000 to 53,000 people. 1988–1989 Damaged Justice Europe: September 11 – November 5, 1988North America: November 15, 1988 – April 21, 1989Pacific Rim: May 1–27, 1989North America: May 31 – September 23, 1989South America: October 4–7, 1989 222 Danzig, Queensrÿche, Faith No More, Mortal Sin, The CultThe tour supported the band's fourth album, ...And Justice for All. The August 29 and 30, 1989, shows in Seattle were later released in the box set Live Shit: Binge & Purge.
1990s tours Year(s) Title Legs (locations) and dates Number ofshowsComplete list of shows for 1990 , 1991 , 1992 , 1993 , 1994 , 1995 , 1996 , 1997 , 1998 , and 1999 are listed on the Metallica.com website. Retrieved January 1, 2011. Supporting acts 1990 Tour 1990 Europe, North America: May 11 – June 30, 1990 12 Warrior Soul, Dio, Bonham, Aerosmith (headliner)The tour consisted of several European festivals and stadium shows, as well as a private gig at The Marquee under the name The Frayed Ends. It included two shows in Aerosmith's Pump Tour, along with The Black Crowes and Warrant, with crowds of 60,000 and 30,000 spectators respectively. 1991 Monsters of Rock '91 Europe: August 10 – September 28, 1991 19 AC/DC (headliner), Pantera, Mötley Crüe, Queensrÿche, The Black CrowesMetallica went on the festival tour a fourth time. The last concert of the tour, held on September 28 at Tushino Airfield in Moscow, was described as "the first free outdoor Western rock concert in Soviet history" and had a crowd estimated between 150,000 and 450,000 people, with some unofficial estimates as high as 1,600,000. 1991–1992 Wherever We May Roam Tour North America: October 12, 1991 – July 5, 1992 Europe: October 22 – December 18, 1992 174 Metal Church - Opened: June 19 – July 5, 1992The tour supported the fifth album, Metallica (also known as "The Black Album") which included a performance at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, with the band performing a short set list and Hetfield performing with Queen and Tony Iommi. The January 13 and 14, 1992, shows in San Diego were later released in the box set Live Shit: Binge & Purge, while the tour and the album were later documented in A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica. 1992 Guns N' Roses/Metallica Stadium Tour North America: July 17 – October 6, 1992 25 Guns N' Roses (co-headliner), Faith No More, MotörheadIt was an overlap of Metallica's Wherever We May Roam Tour and Guns N' Roses' Use Your Illusion Tour. James Hetfield suffered serious burns during a show in Montreal; John Marshall filled the guitar for the rest of the tour. 1993 Nowhere Else to Roam North America: January 22 – March 13, 1993 World Tour: March 16 – May 8, 1993 Europe: May 19 – July 4, 1993 77 Suicidal Tendencies, Megadeth, The Cult, Alice in Chains, KyussThe shows in Mexico City across February and March 1993 were later released as part of the box set Live Shit: Binge & Purge. It is also the first time the band met Robert Trujillo who would join the band almost a decade later. 1994 Shit Hits the Sheds Tour US: May 28 – August 21, 1994 51 Danzig, Suicidal Tendencies, Candlebox, FightThe tour included a performance at Woodstock '94 on August 13 in front of a crowd of 350,000. 1995 Escape from the Studio '95 UK, Canada, US: August 23 – December 14, 1995 5 Slayer, Skid Row, Slash's Snakepit, Therapy?, Warrior Soul, Machine Head, White Zombie, Corrosion of ConformityDuring the tour, a song from each of the next two albums were played ("2 × 4" and "Devil's Dance"). At the Donington Park concert, Metallica joined the Monsters of Rock for a fifth time. It was the first tour with most of songs in Eb Tuning still used today 1996 Lollapalooza No. 6 North America: June 4 – August 4, 1996 28 Soundgarden, Cocteau Twins, Devo, Ramones, Rancid, Screaming Trees, PsychoticaMetallica headlined the festival tour, in front of crowds of about 20,000, with many shows being sold out. 1996–1997 Poor Touring Me Europe: September 6 – November 27, 1996 North America: December 19, 1996 – May 28, 1997 139 Corrosion of Conformity, Soundgarden, KornThe tour supported the recently released album Load. The May 9 and 10, 1997, shows in Fort Worth, Texas, were later released in the video Cunning Stunts. 1997 Blitzkrieg '97 Europe: August 22–24, 1997 3 Metallica plays at European festivals to fulfill earlier contractual obligations. They play three back-to-back shows at the Pukkelpop Festival in Belgium, Blind Man's Ball in Germany, and Reading Festival in England. 1997 Re-Load Promo Tour US, Europe: November 11–18, 1997 6 The tour promoted the just-released album ReLoad. 50,000 fans attended a free concert held in Philadelphia in November, later named Million Decibel March. 1998–1999 Poor Re-Touring Me Tour Pacific Rim: March 21 – May 8, 1998 North America: June 24, 1998 – April 30, 1999 65 Jerry Cantrell, Days of the NewThe shows on April 21 and 22, 1999, at Berkeley Community Theatre, alongside the San Francisco Symphony, were released as the album S&M. 1998 Garage Inc Promo Tour North America: November 17–24, 1998 5 The tour supported the album Garage Inc. which saw the band perform only cover songs, while the opening acts were Metallica cover bands. 1999 Garage Remains the Same Tour Mexico, South America: April 30 – May 14, 1999 Europe, US: May 21 – December 8, 1999 53 Monster MagnetThe tour supported the album Garage Inc. During the tour, Metallica played two live concerts similar to the one released in S&M; one in Germany with Babelsberger Filmorchester on November 19; and one at the Madison Square Garden, New York City, with the Orchestra of St. Luke's on November 23. 1999–2000 M2K Mini Tour US: December 28, 1999 – January 10, 2000 10 Ted Nugent, Sevendust, Kid Rock, Black Sabbath, CreedThe New Year's Eve show in Pontiac, Michigan, was in front of 50,000 people.
2000s tours