The 10 Songs That James Hetfield Named His Favorites
James Hetfield picks his favorite songs ever. Metallica‘s frontman James Hetfield is one of the clever artists and Hetfield likes to add old-school heavy metal taste to his music and lyrics for Metallica band.
James Hetfield’s Favorite 10 Songs
James Alan Hetfield, born August 3, 1963, is a musician from the United States. Metallica’s vocalist, rhythm guitarist, co-founder, and primary songwriter are. He is generally noted for his precise rhythm playing, but occasionally handles lead guitar duties and solos, both in life and in the studio. Hetfield co-founded Metallica in October 1981 after responding to an advertisement in the Los Angeles publication The Recycler placed by drummer Lars Ulrich.
Metallica has also received nine Grammy Awards for their work, which includes 10 studio albums, three live albums, four extended plays, and 24 singles. Hetfield is widely recognized as one of the all-time great heavy metal rhythm guitarists.
During his appearances in magazines, James Hetfield shares his favorite songs of all time:
- Free Bird – Lynyrd Skynyrd
- Stairway to Heaven – Led Zeppelin
- Jailhouse Rock – Elvis Presley
- Behind Blue Eyes – The Who
- Candle in the Wind – Elton John
- God Only Knows – The Beach Boys
- Yesterday – The Beatles
- Black Sabbath’ – Black Sabbath
- Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana
- The Boys Are Back In Town – Thin Lizzy
Metallica‘s frontman James Hetfield revealed their Top Ten Greatest Songs Of All Time in Rolling Stone magazine. Here is the James Hetfield picks as follow:
1. Yesterday – The Beatles
In 2004, James Hetfield to Rolling Stone: “It instantly connected with me. It makes you think, but not too hard.”
2. Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath
In 2004, James Hetfield to Rolling Stone:
“This song scared the shit out of me. It’s beyond heavy.”
3. Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana
In 2004, James Hetfield to Rolling Stone:
He also picks Nirvana’s 1991 grunge song ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit,’ in which James Hetfield startled everyone by criticizing hair metal and arguing that Nirvana was exactly what music “needed” at the moment
“When all that Eighties hair metal was getting overproduced, Nirvana came along with this thrashy garage sound and a huge hook. It was what music needed.”
4. The Boys Are Back In Town – Thin Lizzy
In 2004, James Hetfield to Rolling Stone:
“Phil Lynott was never afraid to write from the heart, even if it was a little corny. THIN LIZY inspired a lot of Metallica’s guitar harmonies.”
5. Free Bird – Lynyrd Skynyrd
In 2004, James Hetfield to Rolling Stone:
He chose the 1974 classic ‘Free Bird’ by southern rock legend Lynyrd Skynyrd, which features one of the most renowned guitar solos of all time.
“Nothing tops this workingman’s ballad. ‘Free Bird’ fit my life for the first 20 years on the road – not really getting too attached to stuff, living life for the moment, and moving on.”
6. Stairway to Heaven – Led Zeppelin
In 2004, James Hetfield to Rolling Stone:
James Hetfield is also a fan of English rockers Led Zeppelin, who reportedly made rock more wide and atmospheric than it had been before their stratospheric rise. He chose ‘Stairway to Heaven’ from Led Zeppelin IV, released in 1973.
“When I first got a guitar, I figured out the first couple of fingerings to this, and I ran around the house saying, ‘Check it out — I can play this!’ My family was like, ‘Where’s the rest of the song?'”
7. Jailhouse Rock – Elvis Presley
In 2004, James Hetfield to Rolling Stone:
“I remember seeing that video of him jumping around behind bars with all his buddies. It encapsulates rebellion, which is really just misguided creativity.”
8. Behind Blue Eyes – The Who
In 2004, James Hetfield to Rolling Stone:
“This song had all that teen angst bubbling under it. It’s about asking for help but not really wanting it. Reminds me a lot of me.”
9. Candle in the Wind – Elton John
In 2004, James Hetfield to Rolling Stone:
“‘Saturday Night’s All Right For Fighting’ was more my style, but few songs can top this melody.”
10. God Only Knows – The Beach Boys
In 2004, James Hetfield to Rolling Stone:
“I got on a Beach Boys kick again about six months ago. I grew up in Southern California; to me, this song speaks to a higher power.”
You can listen to James Hetfield‘s favorite songs below!
