Ranking All 95 Metallica Songs

Hello everyone! I know this is way different than usual, but I decided to go a different route today and rank every Metallica song (not including Garage Days, Garage Inc, S&M, Live, etc.) This might not appeal to most of my regulars, but Metallica is my all-time favorite band, and I love ranking things! Usually I do lists with way less than 95 entries, so I'm only going to be providing brief descriptions. Without further ado, here's my rankings!

95. Better Than You- ReLoad

My least favorite song comes from my least favorite album. This might be a bit controversial considering most consider St. Anger to be the weak link of the Metallica chain, which I've always found to be a bit underrated. Better Than You is just too much for me. It's like an anthem a heavy punk band would make in high school. 13/13 on ReLoad

94. Purify- St. Anger

I will defend this album throughout the list, but there are some undeniably weak songs on this album. Purify is another just angry thrashy song. All Metallica is good Metallica, but this is the worst kind of Metallica. 11/11 on St. Anger

93. All Within My Hands- St. Anger

All Within My Hands and Purify were a real toss-up for me. They have a similar style, but All Within My Hands is more balanced, as opposed to the one-note thrashy feel of Purify. If this song was shorter, it would probably be up higher on the list. 10/11 on St. Anger

92. Bad Seed- ReLoad

Although Metallica going with this style of a song wasn't a great idea, I applaud them for switching things up. One thing I love about Metallica is they're not sellouts and they love trying something new. 12/13 on ReLoad

91. Attitude- ReLoad

Much like the bottom three on this list, Attitude is too hardcore in your face one note for me to enjoy. It is repetitive and just not memorable. 11/13 on ReLoad

90. Cure- Load

Cure fits in more on ReLoad than Load. Load (to me) is transformative, creative, and artistic, whereas ReLoad was more repetitive, aggressive, and simple. Cure is just not exciting or innovative. 14/14 on Load

89. Slither- ReLoad

I hear a lot of people talk about this as such an underrated song, but I just don't get it. Of course it's good, I mean it's Metallica. But just nothing special to me. 10/13 on ReLoad

88. Invisible Kid- St. Anger

This song gets hated on a bit unfairly if you ask me. Yes, it's in my bottom ten, but I consider it to be better than the previously mentioned songs by quite a bit. It could be lumped into the thrashy in your face category, but it's more catchy and interesting. 9/11 St. Anger

87. Thorn Within- Load

Most people have a higher opinion of this song than I do. It's just kind of boring to me. It's overshadowed by the rest of the impressive album, and just blends in with the pack of the mid-90's Metallica stereotypes. 13/14 on Load

86. Metal Militia- Kill 'Em All

Kill 'Em All is a very upbeat album, but it gets a little too repetitive and in your face for my liking, much like the songs here in my bottom ten. Metal Militia is a prime example of a cool song that gets you pumped, but there isn't much to it. It's just another song, of course a cool one, but there's 85 better. 10/10 on Kill 'Em All

85. Poor Twisted Me- Load

This might seem a little high for Poor Twisted Me, but like I said, I applaud unique ideas. This is the most unique Metallica song excluding S&M if you ask me. I really like the feel and the vocals, but overall, isn't as good as regular Metallica. 12/14 on Load

84. My Apocalypse- Death Magnetic

Death Magnetic is the comeback album. After three albums in a row that fans were not entirely pleased with, this album is almost universally liked. I really enjoy Death Magnetic, and there are only two songs from it I usually skip over, this obviously being one of them. It's cool and thrashy, but I prefer songs like That Was Just Your Life, All Nightmare Long, and The Judas Kiss that have a solid mix and awesome instrumental parts. 10/10 on Death Magnetic

83. Prince Charming- ReLoad

If this song didn't change after a little ways in, it would probably be at 95. The beginning is really not my cup of tea, but the song picks up, and has some really cool guitar parts. 9/13 on ReLoad

82. Suicide & Redemption- Death Magnetic

This is the other song from Death Magnetic I usually skip. Nothing against it, it is really cool, but I've never been a big instrumental guy. Although the instruments are the backbone and most important part of music, lyrics are necessary to really pull it together. That being said, Metallica's other instrumental songs have something about them this just doesn't have and I don't know what it is. 9/10 on Death Magnetic

81. 2x4- Load

I really don't have anything against this song, I just 80 songs more than it. It's a little bland compared to the songs that surrounds it, and I think really suffers from its placement on the album. 11/14 on Load

80. Phantom Lord- Kill 'Em All

Similar to Metal Militia, this is a cool fun song that is good but doesn't reach that next level. Nothing against it, but it doesn't compare to the righteous songs Metallica would go on to release. 9//10 on Kill 'Em All

79. The Struggle Within- Metallica

Ah, our first Black Album entry. This is a controversial album, because hardcore fans tend to dislike it, while more mainstream listeners consider this to be possibly the band's strongest album. I split the difference; it's awesome, but still in the middle of my album rankings. The Struggle Within is a cool song, but kind of blends in with the latter half of the album. 12/12 on Black Album

78. No Remorse- Kill 'Em All

I feel like I'm getting repetitive here; Kill 'Em All was good, but too in your face. Same goes for No Remorse. 8/10 on Kill 'Em All

77. Where The Wild Things Are- ReLoad

Another unique song that I think is a bit underrated. It isn't the heavy style we know and love, but man James rocks this song out with some of the best vocals I've ever heard. 8/13 on ReLoad

76. Shoot Me Again- St. Anger

This song would be much lower if it weren't for the AWESOME guitar part. I don't know what it is but I just really love this song's guitar. 8/11 on St. Anger

75. Mama Said- Load

I feel like most people really dislike this song. Of course I understand, it's totally not the Metallica we know and love, but man do they pull off a really solid slow folk-ish style. 10/14 on Load

74. Fixxxer- ReLoad

Fixxxer is a really cool song, but I feel it gets overrated. It seems like whenever someone is defending ReLoad they go to the obvious choices like Unforgiven II and Fuel, but then they pull the 'diamond in the ruff' Fixxxer, which just isn't that great. 7/13 on ReLoad

73. The Shortest Straw- ...And Justice For All

AJFA is possibly my favorite album, but there are two songs on it that are not on the same level as the others, this being one of them. If The Shortest Straw was a little shorter (irony) I'd like it more, because it gets very repetitive towards the end. 9/9 on ...And Justice For All

72.  To Live Is To Die- ...And Justice For All

And following up my "lower tier" AJFA entry is its partner in crime. I am not a big fan of instrumentals (although I'm not sure if this qualifies as one) but this one has a very emotional twist on it; Cliff Burton wrote most of this song. Due to this I feel more endured to this song. 8/9 on ...And Justice For All

71. Devil's Dance- ReLoad

We're at the point on the list where I think every song from here on is pretty amazing. Devil's Dance is a super cool and unique track from an album I love to hate on. 6/13 on ReLoad

70. Carpe Diem Baby- ReLoad

I know it sucks that I'm practically killing off an album so early, but I want this list to be unbiased. Obviously I'm going to be biased, but I mean I don't want things like how many songs from each album are left to be a huge factor. Carpe Diem Baby is a super fun song, but I can't put it much higher than this. 5/13 on ReLoad

69. My World- St. Anger

My World is a sick, in your face song that is really awesome song at first, but is a tad bit long and repetitive. Shorten it a bit, and you have a great song. 7/11 on St. Anger

68. Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth)- Kill 'Em All

Maybe it's because of the nostalgic "base solo take one" that really gets me, but I almost get chills everytime I hear this song. I tried not to put it too high because I am biased, but it is still a really cool instrumental. 7/10 on Kill 'Em All

67. Ain't My Bitch- Load

The opener to a very solid and underrated album, I think Ain't My Bitch is under-appreciated. It seems like a more mainstream song that would be played on the radio nowadays, but it's catchy and I tip my cap to Metallica. 9/14 on Load

66. Low Man's Lyric- ReLoad

Low Man's Lyric is one of the very few slow, melodic songs Metallica has that is universally appreciated. I think it's a great song, but it doesn't compare to the elite songs that lay ahead. Don't worry, it'll be a while before we see another ReLoad song on here. 4/13 on ReLoad

65. The House Jack Built- Load

Of all the unique songs Metallica experimented with in the 90's and early 21st century, I think this is their best one. There are so many cool guitar and lyric parts that are only in this song. It is definitely one of a kind. 8/14 on Load

64. Wasting My Hate- Load

Another Load song that I think is underrated! What a surprise! But for real, I feel like nobody likes this song. Why? It's awesome! 7/14 on Load

63. My Friend of Misery- Metallica

I talked about this earlier with The Struggle Within, where I think the second half of the Black Album has a lot of songs that blend together, and My Friend of Misery is no exception. Very rockin' and cool, but not unique or artistic enough to earn a spot in the top 60. 11/12 on Black Album

62. Broken, Beat, and Scarred- Death Magnetic

Death Magnetic is liked by most fans, but there are a few songs that are way underrated on it, this being one. Its chorus is so catchy and upbeat you can't help but sing along. 8/10 on Death Magnetic

61. The Thing That Should Not Be- Master of Puppets

Okay, yeah, this is the best album. Its first appearance is here at 61, which is pretty crazy. This song is awesome, but to me became so underrated it's now overrated. 8/8 on Master of Puppets

60. Ronnie- Load

Yes I do think this song is underrated, thanks for asking! Ronnie has maybe the catchiest chorus of any Metallica song. I find myself singing it for days at a time, and I love it. 6/14 on Load

59. Holier Than Thou- Metallica

My classic complaint of 'awesome but repetitive' completely explains this song. Super super intense and cool, but gets old towards the end. 10/12 on Black Album

58. Don't Tread On Me- Metallica

I used to trash on this song for not being creative, but one time I heard it on a really nice sound system and completely flipped my opinion. It has awesome instrumental parts and gets you pumped! 9/12 on Black Album

57. The End of the Line- Death Magnetic

I love this song and I don't know why it's so underrated. It's very similar to That Was Just Your Life, but everybody loves that song and treats this one like nothing. 7/10 on Death Magnetic

56. The Unnamed Feeling- St. Anger

Of course we have another unique song! The instrumental parts are beautiful and this is all around a very cool song. It doesn't have the fiery upbeat passion that the brilliant songs have, but it's still very very good. 6/11 on St. Anger

55. Trapped Under Ice- Ride the Lightning

I know I said Master of Puppets is the best album, but I can easily say this is a close second. Its first entry is at 55! That's crazy! Trapped Under Ice is a very solid song that I really can't complain about. 8/8 on Ride the Lightning

54. Until It Sleeps- Load

 

Brace yourselves, I'm about to do something crazy; I think Load has an overrated song! Until It Sleeps is great, but a tad slow. I do love the way it arcs from slow to a bit more upbeat, but still isn't as good as some think. 5/14 on Load

53. Cyanide- Death Magnetic

Cyanide has a beautiful combination of slow melodic verses, as well as the upbeat thrashy sound we all know and love. I have no complaints; at this point, it's just that there's 52 better songs out there. 6/10 on Death Magnetic

52. King Nothing- Load

I've heard people call this the sequel to Enter Sandman, which is a phenomenal description. it has a nice chorus, catchy rhythm, rockin' in your face lyrics and musical vibes, and all in all a great song. 4/14 on Load

51. The God That Failed- Metallica

The God That Failed has one of the most epic intros to any metal song ever. The bass is so cool I love it so much, and I feel this song is often sucked into the vortex of the second half of the Black Album. 8/12 on Black Album

50. Leper Messiah- Master of Puppets

I'm pretty sure everyone thinks this is the worst song on MoP. I (clearly) disagree. Yes, it's not as good as most of the songs on the album, but it has that epic old-school Metallica vibe. 7/8 on Master of Puppets

49. Escape- Ride the Lightning

Escape has another great mix of fast and slow music. The chorus is beautiful and the rest is solid in your face fire that you can't help but jam out to. 7/8 on Ride the Lightning

48. The Call of Ktulu- Ride the Lightning

This is pretty impressive for an instrumental to nearly land in my top half considering I really am not a huge instrumental guy. Ktulu is a song that I often times write off as not a great song, but then I listen to it again and think it's just beautiful. 6/8 on Ride the Lightning

47. Eye of the Beholder- ...And Justice For All

We're officially in the top half of the list, and kicking it off we have a sweet song with a very catchy tune if you ask me. I always feel like this song is a little underrated, considering most people put The Shortest Straw above it, and I personally prefer Eye of the Beholder much more. 7/9 on ...And Justice For All

46. Dyer's Eve- ...And Justice For All

This is an epic song. I don't have it super high or anything but it's so hardcore and cool. Not the most beautiful or artistic, but I enjoy it. 6/9 on ...And Justice For All

45. Hit the Lights- Kill 'Em All

Ah, the very first Metallica song ever. So simple, yet so complex. It has their classic signature Kill 'Em All thrash metal sound. I can't put it too high because well there's a lot of better songs out there but it's definitely a great song. 6/10 on Kill 'Em All

44. The Unforgiven III- Death Magnetic

The last of the trilogy of the Unforgiven's, The Unforgiven III is a brilliant melodic piece off of Death Magnetic. It isn't at the same level as the first two, but then again, it's tough to get there. 5/10 on Death Magnetic

43. Dirty Window- St. Anger

Such an underrated song. The melody has incredible vocals by James and the thrashy feel for the rest of the song makes it so excellent. 5/11 on St. Anger

42. Jump in the Fire- Kill 'Em All

The problem with Kill 'Em All is most of the songs sound exactly the same. To me it comes down to what has the catchiest and most impressive riffs. Jump in the Fire is pretty awesome, but there are four others on this album I prefer. 5/10 on Kill 'Em All

41. Motorbreath- Kill 'Em All

Similar to what I said about Jump in the Fire. this is a heavy thrash song with a cool sound. Not much more to it. 4/10 on Kill 'Em All

40. Whiplash- Kill 'Em All

I'm sure you're sick of having three identical entries in a row, but this is how it has to be. I used to consider Whiplash possibly the best song on the album, but has since dropped in my rankings. 3/10 on Kill 'Em All

39. Disposable Heroes- Master of Puppets

This song, much like the rest of this album, has a great story behind the song. Not only is the music great, but so is the idea it's pushing. 6/8 on Master of Puppets

38. Orion- Master of Puppets

My favorite instrumental comes in at 38. Orion is a beautiful yet epic symphony, and is one of the key transformations in heavy metal history. 5/8 on Master of Puppets

37. The Unforgiven II- ReLoad

It's been a long time since we've seen ReLoad on the list. Here we are with the second of the Unforgiven trilogy. Like I said before, all three are spectacular songs. I love how it uses the lyrics from the original, and slowly rises as it hits the chorus. 3/13 on ReLoad

36. Sweet Amber- St. Anger

Sweet Amber is criminally underrated. It starts off with the soft guitar and slowly progresses into a jammin' song. Most people just throw it in the 'meh' category but it is an awesome song. 4/11 on St. Anger

35. The Day That Never Comes- Death Magnetic

I love this song, but it can be slightly overrated. A slow start with a great build-up is always a beautiful formula for a song. 4/10 on Death Magnetic

34. Fight Fire With Fire- Ride the Lightning

I've always defended Fight Fire With Fire as one of the best openers. It is super underrated to me. From start to finish, it will have you fist-pumping and screaming along with James. 5/8 on Ride the Lightning.

33. Hero of the Day- Load

Is there a more beautiful heavy metal song than Hero of the Day? I think not. I just love it. 3/14 on Load

32. Enter Sandman- Metallica

If you're not a "hardcore" Metallica fan, you're probably confused as to why this isn't in my top five. Well, it's not as amazing as everyone thinks. Sandman is really cool, but I don't even think it's in the top half of the Black Album. 7/12 on Black Album

31. Of Wolf and Man- Metallica

Heavy, in your face, catchy chorus, and awesome lyrics and instrumental parts. Couldn't ask for much more. 6/12 on Black Album


30. Damage Inc.- Master of Puppets

This song is super underrated in my opinion. I see most people considering it to be in the bottom three of its album, which I highly disagree with. It has the epic heavy feel that every Metallica song that we love has. 4/8 on Master of Puppets


29. The Judas Kiss- Death Magnetic

The Judas Kiss is possibly the most underrated Metallica song ever. It is constantly considered to be one of Death Magnetic's worst, when in reality it is epic, in your face, and has amazing guitar solos. 3/10 on Death Magnetic


28. Through the Never- Metallica

This song is very similar to Of Wolf and Man, but I think the lyrics are deeper and less repetitive. Also, the name is so epic. 5/12 on Black Album


27. St. Anger- St. Anger

I love the way this song pays tribute to past songs in its chorus. James is on his A game here, and there's not much to complain about. 3/11 on St. Anger


26. The Memory Remains- ReLoad

Some people hate on this song due to the extended vocals at the end, but it really is a beautiful song. It truly is one of Metallica's most artistic songs. 2/13 on ReLoad


25. Harvester of Sorrow- ...And Justice For All

If you are trying to explain to someone what the average Metallica song sounds like, show them Harvester of Sorrow. It has everything you want in a song, but doesn't go above and beyond. It's like the prototype of Metallica songs. 5/9 on ...And Justice For All


24. That Was Just Your Life- Death Magnetic

Metallica really knows how to make an album. The way they order their songs is better than almost any other band. Their opening songs are always great. It's crazy that this high on the list this is only my fifth favorite opening. 2/10 on Death Magnetic


23. Frantic- St. Anger

Back to back opening songs here at this point on the list. Frantic is so thrashy it almost pushes the border of too much for me, but it doesn't quite cross it, thus making it an amazing song. 2/11 on St. Anger


22. Ride the Lightning- Ride the Lightning

Ride the Lightning is a tad bit overrated if you ask me. Of course it's great, I mean it almost made my top 20. But of the four title tracks, I'd say it's the second worst. It has that awesome thrashy feel, but it might be a tad bit much. 4/8 on Ride the Lightning


21. The Frayed Ends of Sanity- ...And Justice For All

AJFA is known for having the "big three" and songs like The Shortest Straw and Harvester of Sorrow often overshadow Frayed Ends, which I think is far superior to either of those two. It has a fantastic mix of metal and art. 4/9 on ...And Justice For All


20. Fuel- ReLoad

And we've officially killed off our first album! Yes, I have gone on record saying ReLoad is my least favorite of Metallica's nine albums, but that doesn't mean I dislike it; I love all Metallica. Fuel is my third favorite opener they have. The end of the song gets a little dull, but the majority of it is phenomenal music. 1/13 on ReLoad


19. Some Kind of Monster- St. Anger

Killing off two albums back to back! St. Anger is always hated on, but many worship the beautiful piece that is Some Kind of Monster. It is possibly the most artsy song they've ever written, and I love it. 1/11 on St. Anger


18. Seek and Destroy- Kill 'Em All

When asking most people, it's a toss-up between two songs for what the best song on Metallica's debut album is, and I'm no different. Seek and Destroy is an anthem that could make an entire room start jamming along with. 2/10 on Kill 'Em All


17. The Outlaw Torn- Load

This song is under-appreciated. Yes, it's super long, even to a fault, but nearly every second of it is amazing. I heard they had to cut off a few minutes from the end, and if that's true, thank goodness or it would probably not be in my top 20. 2/14 on Load


16. All Nightmare Long- Death Magnetic

This song gets me pumped like no other. No question my favorite song of Metallica's from the 21st century. 1/10 on Death Magnetic


15. Wherever I May Roam- Metallica

Trying to remain unbiased is difficult with this one, because this is (from what I can remember, I started at such a young age) my first Metallica song I ever heard. And boy was it magical. Despite my nostalgia, it still is an incredible song. 4/12 on Black Album


14. The Unforgiven- Metallica

The final on our list, but the first of its kind. The Unforgiven is a masterpiece that people from any genre of music would love to listen to. And, its iconic intro gives me chills every time I hear it. 3/12 on Black Album


13. The Four Horsemen- Kill 'Em All

Here it is, my favorite song off Metallica's original album. As I said, it's a toss-up between Seek and Destroy and The Four Horsemen for most people, and Horsemen barely takes the cake for me. 1/10 on Kill 'Em All


12. ...And Justice For All- ...And Justice For All

The title track of AJFA falls just outside of our top ten, which may be a little surprising to some people. For a while I considered this to be possibly the greatest Metallica song ever. It has great artistic value to it, but it's not quite enough to earn its spot in the top ten. 3/9 on ...And Justice For All


11. Sad But True- Metallica

Over the years I feel like Sad But True has grown more and more popular. Of course it's astounding, and has maybe the greatest guitar solo ever, but the lyrics and general rhythm of the song seem a little too repetitive to me. 2/12 on Black Album


10. Battery- Master of Puppets

Kicking off our top ten we have my second favorite opener. Battery has that fantastic flow of thrash, art, and metal that every Metallica song strives to be. Also, it's a perfect opening song. They really know how to order an album. 3/8 on Master of Puppets


9. For Whom the Bell Tolls- Ride the Lightning

This used to be my favorite Metallica song, bar none. Time has proven it doesn't quite deserve that righteous throne, but it's still definitely up there. 3/8 on Ride the Lightning


8. Bleeding Me- Load

Bleeding Me is a beautiful song that deserves more credit than it gets. It is definitely my favorite song of the Post-Sandman era. 1/14 on Load


7. Nothing Else Matters- Metallica

For a lot of lists not done by "hardcore fans" Nothing Else Matters will often come it at number one. In fact, it's happened so many times hardcore fans are beginning to despise this song, which is a shame because it is absolutely fantastic. 1/12 on Black Album


6. Blackened- ...And Justice For All

Finally, we have reached my favorite opener! Blackened is brilliant from start to finish. I love the beginning guitar part. The lyrics are also completely fabulous. 2/9 on ...And Justice For All


5. Creeping Death- Ride the Lightning

If you want an awesome mix between thrash and metal, look no further, this song is for you. Its lyrics are also very artsy and deep. 2/8 on Ride the Lightning


4. Fade to Black- Ride the Lightning

Before doing this list, I knew it would come down to this top four. I just had no idea what order I would put them in. They are all interchangeable to me, just minor differences that change my opinions of them. I consider these to be the elite four of Metallica. 1/8 on Ride the Lightning


3. Master of Puppets- Master of Puppets

Originally, I had this at number one, which most hardcore fans would argue is where it belongs. I dropped it two spots because I'm trying to remove my emotional attachments and outside opinions. If most people didn't put this as their number one, I wouldn't have it at number one, so I decided to disregard that. 2/8 on Master of Puppets


2. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)- Master of Puppets

There are only three songs that have the perfect combination of deep lyrics and beautiful music, and that is my top three. I feel our top song did it the best, but Welcome Home (Sanitarium) is a song that I wish was more appreciated. I feel it gets overshadowed by Battery and Master of Puppets. 1/8 on Master of Puppets


1. One- ...And Justice For All

I can't do this song justice (pun intended) by just writing about it here. Go listen to it. Now. 1/9 on ...And Justice For All