Love them or loathe them, Metallica reshaped heavy metal—and then steamrolled it. With nearly four decades of riffs, rage, and reinvention under their belts, choosing their best songs is like trying to pick your favorite sin: loud, messy, and likely to cause arguments.
Here’s our pick of Metallica’s 10 greatest songs, ranked—not just by chart impact, but by raw power, innovation, and staying power. Let the debates begin…
10. “Battery” (1986)
A perfect thrash opener. From the acoustic intro to the explosive tempo shift, “Battery” sets fire to any crowd within 30 seconds. It’s Metallica in attack mode—and it doesn’t let up.
9. “Fade to Black” (1984)
Their first brush with melody shocked hardcore fans, but “Fade to Black” is where Metallica proved they weren’t just noise merchants. It’s haunting, brooding, and ends in a glorious riff frenzy.
8. “Creeping Death” (1984)
Biblical storytelling meets galloping riffage. Written from the perspective of the angel of death? Metal never felt so theatrical and thunderous.
7. “Seek & Destroy” (1983)
The ultimate anthem for destruction. It’s raw, simple, and the live crowd still chants every word like it’s gospel. This was Metallica before polish—just attitude and adrenaline.
6. “Welcome Home (Sanitarium)” (1986)
A slow build into madness. Inspired by One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, it’s equal parts beauty and brutality. James Hetfield’s vocals never sounded more unsettling.
5. “Nothing Else Matters” (1991)
Yes, it’s a ballad. Yes, it’s divisive. But love it or hate it, this song opened the floodgates to an entirely new audience—and proved Metallica could do vulnerability without losing their edge.
4. “For Whom the Bell Tolls” (1984)
That bass intro. Those marching riffs. That apocalyptic energy. Inspired by Hemingway, this mid-tempo crusher still sounds like the end of the world—on repeat.
3. “One” (1988)
A masterpiece of dynamics and storytelling. The slow build, the machine-gun drums, the horror of war—it’s Metallica at their most cinematic and powerful. If you’ve seen the video once, you’ve never forgotten it.
2. “Master of Puppets” (1986)
The holy grail of thrash metal. Complex, aggressive, and wildly influential. At over eight minutes, it’s a rollercoaster of riffs and precision, tackling addiction with razor-sharp metaphors.
1. “Enter Sandman” (1991)
Is it overplayed? Absolutely. But it’s also undeniable. This is the song that turned Metallica into global giants. With that iconic riff and nightmare-fueled lyrics, “Enter Sandman” is still the gateway drug to heavy metal for millions.
Next up – watch the band’s blistering version of Whiskey in the Jar LIVE at Slane Castle in 2009!