Metallica songs are not easy to replicate. They’ve built their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame legacy with thrashing metal riffs, complex arrangements, and James Hetfield’s outstanding and emotionally wrought voice.
Videos by American Songwriter
Each group member—Hetfield, drummer Lars Ulrich, guitarist Kirk Hammett, bassist Robert Trujillo (and former bassists Jason Newsted and Cliff Burton)—is integral to Metallica’s groundbreaking sound.
They emerged from California’s thrash metal scene to become one of the best-selling bands in history.
In 1981, Ulrich placed an ad in The Recycler, searching for other metal musicians. The band formed months later after the drummer met Hetfield. Two years later, Metallica released their debut album Kill’ Em All on the independent label Megaforce Records.
What followed were three groundbreaking albums: Ride the Lightning (1984), Master of Puppets (1986), and …And Justice for All (1988). Ten years after they formed, Metallica reinvented their sound and released a self-titled masterpiece. By 2019, Metallica had spent 550 weeks on the Billboard 200.
After a long career as one of the biggest bands in the world, Metallica had a cultural resurgence in 2022 thanks to the Netflix series Stranger Things, resulting in a new generation of guitarists attempting to play “Master of Puppets.”
This playlist honors Metallica with the five best cover versions of their songs.
“Sad but True” by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
The Metallica Blacklist is a 53-track collection of covers to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Metallica’s colossal 1991 self-titled album (also known as the Black Album). Jason Isbell and his band take on “Sad but True” and turn Hetfield and Ulrich’s low-tuned metal anthem into rambling bar-band blues. Hetfield is a Lynyrd Skynyrd fan, and here, Isbell reverse engineers the Southern rock that influenced Metallica.
Hey, I’m your life
I’m the one who takes you there
Hey, I’m your life
I’m the one who cares
They, they betray
I’m your only true friend now
They, they’ll betray
I’m forever there
“Nothing Else Matters” by Tulia
The Polish folk group Tulia covered “Nothing Else Matters” for a special edition of their self-titled debut in 2018. Their version turns the heavy metal ballad into a monotonous and majestic chorale, highlighting Hetfield’s despairing lyrics. Because of Metallica’s uniqueness, covering the band works best when steering clear of the original. Tulia’s version over handclaps and gently plucked folk instruments is strikingly simple and has a haunting, almost mythical quality. Also, check out their cover of Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy the Silence.”
So close, no matter how far
Couldn’t be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
And nothing else matters
“Nothing Else Matters” by Phoebe Bridgers
Phoebe Bridgers turns Hetfield’s catharsis into her own. Her version of “Nothing Else Matters” sonically fits on Bridgers’ 2020 album Punisher. Though Bridgers has no problem cranking the volume, her take on Metallica’s Black Album ballad is emotionally crushing in its somber quietness. “Nothing Else Matters” has the kind of malleability of a Beatles song, and it’s not surprising there are 12 renditions on The Metallica Blacklist.
Never opened myself this way
Life is ours; we live it our way
All these words I don’t just say
And nothing else matters
“Enter Sandman” by Weezer
Rivers Cuomo shows off his metal roots in Weezer’s note-for-note rendition of Metallica’s biggest song. Though it’s a direct cover, it still sounds like a Weezer song. Cuomo displays the metal chops he once shredded when he first descended upon the Sunset Strip—before his co-workers at Tower Records introduced him to the Pixies, Nirvana, and Sonic Youth. Also, Weezer’s cover includes a curious “Buddy Holly” break before the spoken word bit. For those seeking more Weezer-does-metal, they recorded a hard rock and glam metal album in 2021 called Van Weezer.
Say your prayers, little one
Don’t forget, my son
To include everyone
I tuck you in, warm within
Keep you free from sin
Till the Sandman, he comes
“Orion” by Rodrigo y Gabriela
Metallica is famous for the intricate guitar work of James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett. Their arrangements are occasionally reminiscent of Wagner and are well-suited to classical guitar arrangements. The Mexican guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela reinterprets Metallica’s instrumental piece from Master of Puppets into a thrashing flamenco nuevo arrangement. Rodrigo Sánchez handles the metal-adjacent melodic flourishes while Gabriela Quintero drives the piece with percussive rasqueados as powerful as Lars Ulrich on a drum riser inside a stadium. “Orion” also illustrates the compositional talents of Metallica’s late bassist, Cliff Burton.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
