Top 10 Best Metallica Songs

Metallica is one of the most badass and influential heavy metal bands of all time. They started in 1981, have been kicking ass in the metal scene for over 40 years, and have released a library of epic songs that have become the anthems of a generation. With their innovative songwriting, virtuosic musicianship, and explosive live shows, Metallica has earned its place in music history as one of the greatest bands ever.

Picking just ten of the best Metallica songs is hard, because they have so many amazing classics that have lasted for ages. From their early thrash metal days to their later, more experimental albums, Metallica has always delivered awesome and powerful tracks that keep inspiring and entertaining fans around the world.

1. One

   

   My three favorite songs of all time are One, Inside the Fire by Disturbed, and Surfacing by Slipknot, but One is the ultimate best song that has ever been created, in my opinion. The song is so good I can almost feel the incapacitated soldiers' pain that you hear in the first half and the anger that you hear in the second half. Such a good job they did with the lyrics. I love the beautiful guitar play in the intro, the miserable-sounding verses and choruses, the fast-paced, angry singing (nearly screaming), and the awesome solos in this song. I have listened to it many hundreds of times and will hear it again thousands more.

   With this being the first Metallica song I ever listened to, One really served as a gateway to me becoming the metal fan I am today. I didn't know what to expect when I first heard the intro. However, as soon as the tempo picked up, I was hooked.

   I started listening to some of their other songs, like Enter Sandman, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and Fuel, and I began to fall in love with the band (for lack of a better term). Every time this song plays on the radio or comes up on my playlist, I feel nostalgic as I remember the first time I heard it. This is how you craft a great metal ballad, especially one covering such a deep topic as war. It's a masterpiece from beginning to end.

2. Master of Puppets

   

   Despite it being an 8-minute song, I could listen to this the whole way through all day. As a 13-year-old kid, I seem to be the only one these days who doesn't listen to Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber. Hard rock and metal for life!

   No doubt, this is the best Metallica song ever! I can only reiterate how great the vocals, riffs, bass, drums, and all that awesomeness are! But for me, the best part of the song is that the lyrics are about drugs. Ahem, let me rephrase that. The lyrics are about the negative effects of drugs.

   Next time you listen to it, listen closely to the lyrics or look them up, and you'll see that they are describing how drugs mess you up completely. It's not often that you'll find a heavy metal song that isn't glamorizing drugs but putting them down. Sweetness of a song.

3. Fade to Black

   

   An incredible masterpiece. More meaningful than One or Master of Puppets, and it has one of the most incredible guitar solos ever. This song is incredibly deep and should be number one. I have never heard a song so wonderfully composed to be soft and pleasant but still heavy and epic. The way it fades away at the end stays true to the title. The musicianship with Kirk's shredding, Cliff's epic bass skills, James' singing, and Lars' drums - this song could not possibly be better. It takes the best of all music and combines it into one amazing song. Greatest song ever, in my opinion, and Metallica should get more credit for this song than they do.

4. For Whom the Bell Tolls

   

   Great instrumental at the beginning, exploding into lyrics that will make your soulless piece of meat, you call a heart, skip a beat every 7 seconds. If you don't want to ride the lightning, next time, wear rubber boots.

   My god, what can I say about this gem? The legendary opening of the song, one that a live version simply hasn't been able to capture. The rest of the song feels powerful and holds your attention. You don't realize it's about to end until it does, and then you're left wishing it was longer than the original five or so minutes. However, I feel increasing the length of time would have been a detriment to the song.

5. Enter Sandman

   

   I find it funny that if you tell another Metallica fan this is your favorite song of theirs, they automatically assume you must be a casual who just doesn't truly know their true potential. I've listened to Metallica more than most artists, and I can honestly tell you this is my favorite. There's nothing wrong with that. This song is a masterpiece and every bit deserves its popularity, unlike some (Nothing Else Matters, Hardwired, Seek & Destroy).

   Overplayed, yes. But that's not the song's fault. The fault lies with unimaginative DJs. Forget all of that overplayed B.S. It's easily one of the top rock songs of all time. If everyone can recognize it and yes, it's overplayed, yet you still like it a lot, it testifies to how great the song is. It has the power to overcome all of that baggage! Songs like this come along rarely.

   Don't minimize this song's greatness because it might not be your personal favorite for whatever reason. But to deny this song's place in rock history is just stupid! Easily the best song ever from Metallica, nothing comes close!

6. Creeping Death

   

   The best song on "Ride the Lightning," and while I don't think it's their "greatest song," in a way, I think it might be their most astonishing musical achievement. It's a perfectly constructed song, and nearly every aspect of it is perfect. Every riff is incredible, James's vocals are the best in any song he's done, the guitar tone is full and crunchy but not compressed or limited at all - it just roars.

   The lyrics are fantastic, and the guitar solo is the best guitar solo Kirk Hammett ever did, in my opinion. His solo in "One" doesn't even really compare, I think. It's definitely flashy and fast as hell, but it carries no emotional interest or powerful musical moments.

7. Nothing Else Matters

   

   This song is the meaning of music, the heart's art. Angels sing this work of art to the sinners in hell, one single time, letting the sound of silence echo in their souls. Far from the heart, when this piece of sky hits the eardrum, the trust you seek is found for a concise moment.

   A passing moment. This song is a lamentation, the funeral and the birth of trust in proximity. Longing. Music is beyond time. The sound touches me and I never care, and I know. We are forever. I found a different view, a different way of looking at people, at distance, at the world, at life, at the spirit. And that is when I realize that nothing else matters.

   No, nothing else matters.

8. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)

   

   This song is perfection. The intro is so beautiful. The solos, the build-ups, the speed part plus its solo, the lyrics, James singing, everything is crazy good. Just perfect.

   This song has some of the angriest lyrics Metallica ever had. "Dream the same thing every night/I see our freedom in my sight/No locked doors, no windows barred/No things to make my brain seem scarred/Sleep my friend and you will see/That dream is my reality/They keep me locked up in this cage/Can't they see it's why my brain says Rage/Sanitarium, leave me be/Sanitarium, just leave me alone!" I won't say these lyrics are meaningful because the only people that ever called me crazy were for other reasons. But James seems to be really angry in this song, telling people to leave him "alone!"

   While the lyrics aren't too bad, the riffs and solos are just really good. The riff at 4:51 was the main reason this is one of my favorite Metallica songs, and the solos before and after the 4:51 riff were epic. The ending was nice, and the intro was one of Metallica's best.

   The best part about the song is that there isn't really any Metallica song quite like it, unlike Damage Inc. and Dyers Eve, which are both pretty much the same, except for the fact that Damage Inc. had some good bass, while Dyers Eve didn't. While One and Fade to Black are also good, the intros are pretty much very similar. The Day That Never Comes is also a pretty good song, but I like this one better because of the anger shown in the song.

   So basically, Welcome Home (Sanitarium) is a good Metallica song, and everyone should listen to this before even thinking about making a remix for this list. You'll really enjoy the song, especially if you are, or know someone that is considered "crazy."

9. Ride the Lightning

   

   This should be in the top 5 at least. It has the best intro ever, very heavy and moving riffs, amazing lyrics, the most metal vocals you can ever hear from James, a very well-written and executed guitar solo by Kirk, solid drumming by Lars, and legendary bass by Cliff, which you can hear throughout the song. Seriously, this is Metallica at its peak!

   How is this not first or second? This is a hard but obvious choice. Either Master of Puppets or Ride the Lightning. Probably their most famous songs, yet this one isn't (as I make this vote) in the top 10 even, never mind top 2! I even grew up listening to this song probably more than just about any other song.

10. Battery

    

    Probably the best opening track on a metal album. The acoustic guitar opens the song nicely, just to forcefully kick you back in your seat with the overdriven guitar taking the place of that sweet acoustic bit. Then the song just gets better from there. The vocals are some of the best delivered by Hetfield, and the guitar never gets boring or annoying. And just as this song is my favorite by Metallica, Battery has my favorite guitar solo of any Metallica song.

    This is Metallica, and to me, it sets the tone for Master of Puppets with much more power, brute force, and heart-stopping intensity. It grabs you by the throat and pulls you in, its deceptive intro turning into an all-out killer thrash that reminds us Metallica can be just as brutal as Slayer, Kreator, and other thrash greats.

The Newcomers
11. ?

    Now that We're Dead

    

    After seeing the song played live, especially during the breakdown when all four of them play the drums, you can really see just how much talent is packed into these four experienced musicians. This song truly showcases how incredible they are.

    One of my personal favorites. It always reminds me of The Undertaker. He used it at WrestleMania 36.

    A very, very Metallica song. Love it.

12. ?

    Dream No More

    

    Just THE best. This song has a unique sound that hasn't been heard from Metallica since their debut.

    Give it a try. You might just call a legendary beast to listen to it with you.

The Contenders

13. The Unforgiven

    

    This song just makes any day better. It always makes me feel good, no matter if I'm angry. I just blast this song, and everything becomes better.

    How many single hits are on this album? Five? How many other artists or "artists," if you can call some of them that way, have ever accomplished that? I don't think it's possible anymore. Metallica is simply the best. I thank my best bud ten thousand times for introducing me to this band. They're just... speechless, stunning how mere men can compose such amazing work!

    No more the time when artists were composing with their hearts and souls. Now it's just repetitive crap with auto-tune. You can just take the soundtrack of one of their songs and take the lyrics from another song and put them together. You won't know the difference. I have a friend who keeps saying that all they do is scream and make noise and that rock/metal is dead. Then he says, "Rap is more popular because look at the views on YouTube." Sigh!

14. Seek & Destroy

    

    The "Kill 'Em All" version is 6:56, but the "Ride the Lightning" version is 6:41. One thing I noticed was that the solo was sped up a bit, and I think the experimentation was really, really good. The only other version of this song was on "St. Anger". This song is one of the best on "Kill 'Em All," but upon further evaluation, the song will be on the "Ride the Lightning" "What If" album.

    "Seek & Destroy" will make the transfer from "KEA" to "RTL." Final decision.

    Seek and Destroy 15th? This list should look something like: 1. Master, 2. Fade to Black, 3. One, 4. Seek and Destroy, 5. The Unforgiven.

    I'm sorry, but this riff is legendary, the solos are amazing, and the vocals are raw and filled with anger. That's what thrash metal is all about, isn't it? This was one of their earliest songs. If this song had never existed, there would be no Metallica.

15. The Four Horsemen

    

    Their second-best song ever, I think, and off their first album. Simply epic. James's screamy vocals are pretty nuts, the "AW YEAH YEAH" is so cool, the guitar tone is raw and rips through the production, and Cliff's bass is perfectly produced so that it cuts through the rest of the production without being overpowering in volume, just as good bass production should be.

    The lyrics are sweet, and the riffs are all epic. It's just so well constructed and is a clear precursor to Metallica's later epics to come, like the title tracks for "Ride The Lightning", "Master of Puppets", and "...And Justice For All".

    Funny to watch guys who think they're voting for a Metallica song. This is Mustaine's song. Listen to the first album of Megadeth and you'll hear this song.

    It's only played faster on the Megadeth album because he didn't want it to sound like Metallica's song. All those who voted here without even knowing that this is Dave's kick-ass song should read more about the history of Metallica and acknowledge that Dave did a good job at Metallica, and unfortunately, he got kicked out. Or maybe fortunately.

16. Sad but True

    

    Sad but True has a profound effect on all of us. It materializes the struggle with the inner side of mankind in a way that it appears as two completely different individuals, ultimately revealing that they are actually two sides of the same coin.

    I think this is the ultimate heavy metal song. If you are new to the heavy metal genre, this is a great song to start with. What I like about Metallica is that they are heavy metal, but they still have rhythm.

    This is one of, if not Metallica's heaviest songs with the best lyrics. This song is meant to be heard loud, with the bass turned up. It pumps me up every time I listen to it, and I also sing along.

17. ...And Justice for All

    

    This song is really underrated. It is epic. It's gorgeous. It's pure insanity. The whole "And Justice for All" album kicks ass, but this song (side to side with "Frayed Ends of Sanity") just kills any other you might think is the best Metallica song. It has a complex instrumental structure and a rising atmosphere that envelops you until the end. The concept and idea in the song are masterfully worked. The solos are great, and the breakdown after the solo is just orgasmic.

    It sounds hollow, just like Doris. It is a perfect example that thrash metal can be complex and elegant, and not just speedy, rough crap.

    I think this is Metallica's greatest song ever made. I really do. Unfortunately, the production is just terrible, so I always listen to the remixed/remastered version on YouTube by Ahdy Khairat, which has perfect production.

    Anyway, it's certainly among the most epic songs James has written. The main riff is incredibly mean, and the harmonies are sublime. Some of them sound glorious and broad, while others sound tragic and dark. All the riffs are incredible, including the main riff based on Lars's drumbeat. The jumper riff and the dark chorus riff are also fantastic. Everything is just so epic.

18. Blackened

    

    That intro, that pace, those riffs, the meaningful and cheeseless lyrics, and probably the best display of Ulrich's drumming ever (it's hard to believe that the guy who plays in this album is the same as the one who played in the following). It's a pity the bass is almost mute, but you can search for enhanced versions on YouTube. It was a hard pick between this one and "Orion" and "One". But there's something in this juggernaut that moves me in a unique way. Superb.

    As much as I love songs like Suicide & Redemption, Fade to Black, That Was Just Your Life, and a classic Spit Out the Bone, this song is what made me love the gods of metal Metallica. Blackened is just a masterpiece, and love them or hate them, they are the real reason why metal became so popular, as well as the likes of Black Sabbath, Motorhead, Judas Priest, and so many more. This is an instant classic!

19. The Day that Never Comes

    

    The first half of the song is one of my favorite ballad-type beginnings to any song ever written. As the song progresses, the intensity, anxiety, speed, and complexity of the band take over, thus making it one of the most memorable songs Metallica has ever written.

    Being a 16-year-old in 2012, 90% of my peer group listened to Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and others. Thus, I did not listen to Metallica until recently when one of my friends made me listen to this song! And my world opened up to Metallica. Therefore, this still remains my favorite Metallica song. Other songs I loved too were Fade to Black, Master of Puppets, and One.

20. Disposable Heroes

    

    Great picking pattern that is guaranteed to make you rock. Proof that James Hetfield did not work out in the gym but played songs like this. Try not to dislocate your shoulder or arm while you practice it. Do not attempt at home. Two years and many dead arms later, I can manage it for one verse. James Hetfield is a very talented alien.

    Disposable Heroes is amazing. The bass in this song is unmatched. No other song has nearly as good bass in it. Everything else just enhances it. The bass is amazing, and everything else just makes the song more powerful and hardcore. Brilliant song. I will never get tired of it.

21. Orion

    

    WHAT ON EARTH. This song nearly had me in tears the first time I heard it. A crunchy, somewhat funky intro is followed by an interlude with the best harmonies of ANY metal song EVER. This is the foundation of Cliff's heart, and some speed-hungry idiots voted for a bunch of unmusical crap in the top 10.

    It's not like I don't like Enter Sandman or Creeping Death, but they are absolutely nothing compared to Orion. This was Cliff's favorite ever song, with easily the BEST bassline EVER and arguably the best bass solo in the world. People seem to have forgotten it exists. If this isn't at least in the top 5, I'm deleting my Top10s account.

    I used to skip over this song when I first listened to Master of Puppets just because the intro was so long. I wish I could go back and slap myself because I was missing out. Orion is an absolute masterpiece, probably the most well-composed music Metallica has ever done. Awesome bass from Cliff, ridiculously heavy riffs, and a beautiful winding bridge.

22. Wherever I May Roam

    

    This is one of my favorite Metallica songs, and one of the most powerful songs of the band. It is so weird to describe, but the combination of James' vocals, Kirk riffing, the outstanding production with the drums hitting hard, and the intro with the Arabic ambiance is incredible. The very first verse should sell you that this is one of the best songs of the band.

    This is the combination of great lyrics with great music. "Wherever I May Roam" is probably the most universal lyrics Metallica has ever produced. Even people living 1000 years ago could connect with the message behind it. No matter what we think, every one of us struggles for independence. These great lyrics (truly a masterpiece) are wrapped in very stimulating and exciting music.

23. Dyers Eve

    

    I really don't know why all the Megadeth and Slayer fans think Metallica isn't thrash. Sure, they do have three slower albums, but the rest are hardcore. And you only have to listen to this song to understand what I am saying. I have listened to this song 330 times on my iPod, and the reason why is because of the hardcore riff, bone-crunching lyrics, and a skull-cracking solo mixed in with a very fast tempo throughout the whole song... THRASH 4 LIFE!

    People obviously don't know Metallica very well. This is their most underrated and amazing song ever. It's pure anger. Every time I listen to this song, I feel like going on a killing spree. I love every single song in the top ten, but this should for sure be up there at the number one spot. I'm not sure why, but this song is too damn low.

24. The Call of Ktulu

    

    The best track to end the best album. This track is full of atmosphere, epic riffs, excellent bass work (which adds to the atmosphere), and complex drumming. This track really builds up to that epic ending.

    It's actually Dave Mustaine's song. (If you listen to "Hangar 18" by Megadeth, you'll see the riffs are alike.) But Dave was kicked out of Metallica, and that's why they never play it live. By the way, the song's name is "The Call of Ktulu" because Cliff loves "The Call of Cthulhu."

    Another song with better lyrics than the music industry of today. This song has a virus that infects electronics, causing them to self-destruct. Even weapons blow themselves up.

25. Fight Fire with Fire

    

    This song is one, if not the best, Metallica song if you're looking for a fast-paced thrash metal track. It sometimes reminds me of the song "Assassin" by Morbid Saint, which is also a really great, rough, rusty, aggressive thrash song.

    It also adds to the immersion of the entire album, especially being the opening track and including the jangly acoustic guitar riff at the start. I rate it 9.4/10 since there are better Metallica songs out there.

    Hands down Metallica's heaviest song. Think about how heavy this must have sounded in 1984, before death metal and black metal as we know them today were even thought about. Even Darkthrone and Gorgoroth's earliest stuff, which came out nearly ten years later, pale in comparison with this song's main riff.

26. Whiplash

    

    This is the best early thrash Metallica song, along with "No Remorse." "Kill 'em All" is a great album that I appreciate more and more as I get older. But these two songs are the gems, in my humble opinion.

    Songs like this made them able to progress and build a following throughout the early years. Then you get wee modern punks who think they know it all and call the early stuff crap.

    This is one of Metallica's heaviest and fastest songs. It definitely should be in the top 10. The riffs are very good, yet simple, and Dave's (yes, Dave's) solo is awesome.

27. Damage, Inc.

    

    Tough to choose between Dyers Eve, Disposable Heroes, Fade to Black, and this. The intro makes me think of Cliff rising to heaven with angel wings, wearing his denim and Misfits shirt, smoking a cigarette, and giving everyone the finger. Of course, he didn't die until after this song, but still.

    This is absurd! How could this song be so low? "Damage, Inc." has the fastest instrumentals of all time. James says, "GO!" and it erupts into some of the best stuff ever created. I'm disappointed, Metallica fans, that so many of you have overlooked this gem.