Top 10 Best Metallica Albums

Vote for your favourite Metallica album.

This includes live albums, cover albums, and EPs.

The Top Ten

Ride the Lightning

Metallica at its finest. It still had a tiny bit of Dave Mustaine influence, and Cliff Burton shows incredible musicianship as well. As overrated as Kirk might be, joining the band really helped Metallica define their style for this release. Plus, he brought a couple of Exodus riffs, which gave songs like Creeping Death and Trapped Under Ice that much more of an edge.
The entire album flows seamlessly with a consistent display of excellence. Master of Puppets, on the other hand, tends to be overindulgent. Before you vote for MoP, just remember that this album laid out its blueprint, making Ride the Lightning more unique in its own right.
Master of Puppets

Master of Puppets was to 80's metal what Paranoid was to 70's metal. Like that album, every song here has meaning. I like to think the album has a continuing theme of war and its effects. It's almost like a full album dedicated to the subjects of For Whom the Bell Tolls on Ride the Lightning or One on ...And Justice For All. Disposable Heroes is obviously about forgotten soldiers. The title track is about drugs, something many soldiers have tried. Sanitarium is clearly about insanity.
This could refer to PTSD or other mental disorders associated with war. Maybe this isn't the album's intention, but for me, it makes it more enjoyable. Even if you don't agree with me, we must acknowledge its brilliance. Cliff Burton was never better on bass, exemplified by Orion. But as a whole, the band works great. After ...And Justice for All, the band could never recover what they created.
...And Justice for All

This album is often labeled as near-prog. However, just because song lengths are extended by stretching riffs and vocal lines to their limits doesn't necessarily make it progressive. Many people assume that a song ranging from 7-9 minutes will have multiple different sections, even if it's clearly just an elongated verse-chorus song.
Short acoustic intros, like the title track, can also be misleading. Only Blackened has more structure in relation to its length, apart from One, but it's not any more complex than an average 6-minute thrasher. The title track and The Frayed Ends of Sanity feel like repetitions of the same song, separated only by a solo.
Metallica (Black Album)

I'm kind of surprised that this is ranked 4th. One key characteristic of this album is that every song sounds different. This was not the case in some of their earlier albums. And Justice For All is most guilty of this, as all the songs on it sound the same, except with different lyrics and slightly altered rhythm, with the exception of One.
Their black album generated not only some of their best songs but also the highest quantity of great songs from one album. It begins with their opener, Enter Sandman. Then comes Sad But True, Holier Than Thou, The Unforgiven, Wherever I May Roam, Through the Never, and Nothing Else Matters.
Some people say that this is not a good album and that it was just more radio-friendly. However, as someone who owns all Metallica studio albums (except St. Anger because let's just forget about that), their black album is still my favorite. This is because they focus on the rhythm of their songs rather than making them fast and thrashy. Now, don't get me wrong, I love thrash metal, but they've been doing the same thing throughout the 80's. This album represented their largest musical growth of any album they've made. I don't know how Metallica purists can still hate this album for its mainstream success. Seriously, who can hate headbanging to Enter Sandman with their less metal-liking friends?
Kill 'Em All

This list is the worst joke on the internet! Kill 'Em All is the greatest thing to be produced by Metallica throughout their entire career! (2. Ride The Lightning 3. Master of Puppets 4. ...And Justice for All).
You will get to listen to the greatest thrash metal solos on this album. You will find Hetfield doing his best vocal work here and, of course, Cliff's greatest bass tracks!
So, why isn't it number 1?
I guess people are voting for albums based on their popularity. That's just unfair! Come on, vote KeA up!

When I was 14 in 1985, my friend brought over this album. After listening to it, I was forever changed. Not long after, we saw Metallica on their RTL tour, sharing the stage with Armored Saint and W.A.S.P. in a small venue. My ears still ring from that concert.
This album holds the top spot for me, largely because of tracks like 'Hit the Lights,' 'Four Horsemen,' and 'Whiplash,' which I consider the zenith of thrash. While it might not be everyone's number one due to its age, it should be in the top three at least. KEA, RTL, and MOP are all closely ranked and undeniably excellent.
Death Magnetic

This definitely doesn't deserve sixth place. It's better than that by far. We call ourselves true Metallica fans, and then we just keep listening to their old music. This album should be at least fourth. Yes, Master of Puppets and the Black Album are better, but this album deserves better. In fact, this is one album where the songs are consistently amazing.
In Ride the Lightning, there are some divine ones, but some that are not great. Here, almost every song is divine. I can bet my life that if Cyanide, The Day That Never Comes, Judas Kiss, All Nightmare Long, Suicide and Redemption, Broken, Beat, and Scarred, Unforgiven 3, and My Apocalypse were on And Justice For All, these songs would be worshipped. But no, we have this narrow view that Metallica is no longer the band it used to be. And this is where we fail them as fans.
Load

Load really is a fantastic album. The reception of this album when it was released became a bizarre cultural phenomenon. Fans voiced very strong and oddly passionate opinions, suggesting Metallica somehow betrayed them or that they sold out because they made a few changes and got haircuts. Load is the logical successor to the Black Album. It amuses me that nobody saw this coming.
Load has withstood the test of time remarkably well over 20 years. Call it what you will, whether metal, hard rock, or alternative, it doesn't matter. It's an album only Metallica could create. Load and Reload boast some of the finest guitar sounds in their entire discography. The production is fantastic, and no other albums capture those rich, deep, heavy tones the way Load does. Reload seems a bit thinner in places.
The songs are much more fleshed out, sometimes excessively so, but it portrays a now matured and life-wearied group committed to new ideas and directions, yet they still maintain their relevance. Sure, there might be a clunker or two in the tracklisting, but I've always believed this was an outstanding effort from them. It ranks #3 in my personal Top 10. Liked it then, like it now.
Hardwired... to Self-Destruct

Basically, it's the Black Album but more Megadeth-like with songs such as Here Comes Revenge, Atlas Rise, and Murder One. These tracks remind me of songs from Countdown to Extinction. There are also a few good thrash songs like Hardwired, Moth into Flame, and Spit out the Bone. These have the speed and aggression of Kill 'Em All combined with the sound of Death Magnetic but with better production.
There are some disappointments such as Now That We're Dead, Confusion, ManUNKind, and Am I Savage?. However, there are a few other standouts like Dream No More, which sounds a bit groovy and dark compared to the other songs. Then there's Halo on Fire, which is okay but not that great as a ballad.
I appreciate the tweaks they made, like adding two sides, placing the ballad as the sixth track instead of the fourth, and excluding instrumentals. The issue is, it doesn't feel much like a classic Metallica album from the 80s. Death Magnetic might be better despite its production flaws. Still, this is a good album overall.
Reload

Reload is my personal favorite. The album has everything except thrash, but that's perfectly fine. There isn't a song on this album that I don't like, which is why I think it's excellent as a whole.
I also appreciate Metallica's earlier albums, primarily because they feature some of my favorite songs by them. However, those albums also contain songs I dislike. This album stands out as the best when viewed as a complete entity.

I came to this site solely to give my opinions about this album of perfection. Reload is incredibly atmospheric, and some songs even have a creepy vibe, like Fixxxer and The Memory Remains. Others are fast-paced, such as Attitude and Fuel, or simply showcase fantastic music and melodies, like Carpe Diem Baby and Low Man's Lyric. If you love Reload as much as I do, you understand what I meant. Without a doubt, it's the BEST Metallica album EVER.
Garage, Inc.

Another good album, and probably their last good one. Their remake of Turn the Page needs more recognition. So What is another good song. It also has probably the most tasteless lyrics, but yeah, a good song.

This is simply the easiest Metallica album to listen to from start to finish. Every song on the record is awesome!

Metallica can make any song sound great.

The Newcomers

?
Helping Hands: Live & Acoustic at the Masonic
?
72 Seasons

This is a good album if you're open-minded and think for yourself.

The Contenders

St. Anger

If I were a music teacher, I would give this album a "B." I think this album is done quite well and it's very different. When you think about snare drums, the absence of guitar solos, and rage, you might think of old-school Slipknot, but the right comparison is actually Metallica's St. Anger.
People really need to relax and give it a listen. If Metallica had continued doing what they always do (I'm actually an old-school Metallica fan), it would be monotonous. Sure, this album has a unique snare drum sound and I really missed hearing some guitar solos, but it's a masterpiece. I swear, Metallica did a good job with this album. For me, it ranks at number 6.

Musically, this album is very different. Not their best, but it deserves recognition. However, it's horrendously underrated. Songs like "Frantic" and "St. Anger" are great.
Besides, this record is emotionally really good. It's the result of years of decay, alcohol, and the bassist leaving the band. It results in lyrics like "If I could have my wasted days back, would I use them to get back on track?" that are good.
S&M

This album features many of the best Metallica songs in their finest recordings. Additionally, it boasts one of the most remarkable orchestral pieces ever, written by any composer. Props to the late Michael Kamen for what he achieved collaborating with Metallica on this.

The orchestra sounds so awesome in the back. Metal and classical together - who would have thought it, eh?

No Leaf Clover is better than any of their songs since the Load era.
Beyond Magnetic

Best EP ever! I am so surprised that these songs weren't on Death Magnetic. This was a great recovery after Lulu. Oh god, that album made me want to end myself. I kind of felt like this EP was Metallica's answer to the ticked-off fans that listened to Lulu (since this EP was released about a month after that album). But yeah, awesome, awesome greatness of an EP!

They should have made it a follow-up to Death Magnetic instead of an EP. Because the songs that didn't make the cut for Death Magnetic (for some reason) are very cool. It would be like Load and Reload, but better.
Live S***: Binge & Purge

How is this way down here? The Seattle video, in particular, is my favorite live album of all time... by anyone! The only complaint I have against it is that the setlists from the 3 concerts are remarkably similar. They could have tried to throw in a few different ones for each show (Hit the Lights, Fight Fire with Fire, Disposable Heroes, Damage Inc, Phantom Lord, No Remorse - all great songs that don't appear on this album).

Seattle '89 was absolutely amazing. Amazing set, the crowd was into it, Metallica at their best.
Garage Days Re-Revisited
Through the Never (Music from the Motion Picture)

I think it's great! Many of my favorite songs. And good quality!
No Life 'Til Leather

The humble beginnings of Metallica are apparent on this great tape. Even as a demo, it sounds awesome! Dave Mustaine killed it on the guitar.
Cunning Stunts

Come on, guys, this is badass! It deserves to be higher on this list.
S&M2
Quebec Magnetic
Power Metal
Metal Up Your A**
Megaforce demo
Six Feet Down Under
Some Kind of Monster

A good live album. It has an edited version of Some Kind of Monster, which was better than the original, and six good songs from the original three albums. The worst track out of the live ones was Leper Messiah, and I still enjoyed it.

Let's do everything it takes to make Lulu last! Some Kind of Monster is actually a really good song, and probably my favorite on St. Anger.