thrash metal artists

229 published thrash metal artists, led by Metallica, James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich. The list below shows the 120 most famous.

At a glance

229 published thrash metal artists; 1,011 studio albums have verified cover art.

Published artists1 tier 1 · 9 tier 2 · 219 tier 3: 229
Release groups: 3,696
Studio albums: 1,064
Albums with cover artverified Cover Art Archive: 1,011
Timeline events: 3,573
Monthly listenerssum across artists: 33.9M
Claimed salessum of stored claims; implausible values excluded: 150M
Average career spanfirst to last dated release: 29.4 years
Full biographies: 159
Biography words: 327,919

When they started

Debut decade from each artist's earliest dated release. Most debuts fell in the 1980s (111 artists).

Artists by debut decade
Decade	Artists
1970s	3
1980s	111
1990s	38
2000s	39
2010s	15
2020s	6

17 artists have no dated release or formation year and are not plotted.

Where they come from

Countries with the most thrash metal artists. United States leads with 101.

Often paired with

Genres that share artists with thrash metal. The most shared is heavy metal music, with 32 artists in both.

Covers from thrash metal

1,011 studio albums have verified cover art. The 12 shown come from the most famous artists.

72 Seasons
Metallica · 2023
Hardwired… to Self‐Destruct
Metallica · 2016
Lulu
Metallica · 2011
Death Magnetic
Metallica · 2008
St. Anger
Metallica · 2003
Reload
Metallica · 1997
Load
Metallica · 1996
Metallica
Metallica · 1991
…And Justice for All
Metallica · 1988
Master of Puppets
Metallica · 1986
Ride the Lightning
Metallica · 1984
Kill ’Em All
Metallica · 1983

Leaders

Metallica has the most release groups (400); Venom the longest career (46 years); Metallica the most awards (4).

Most prolific

Most prolific, by number of release groups
Artist	release groups
Metallica	400
Ministry	136
Anthrax	128
Voivod	98
Sepultura	96

Longest careers

first to last dated release

Longest careers, by number of years
Artist	years
Venom	46
Metal Church	45
Ministry	45
Anthrax	44
Artillery	44

Most decorated

Most decorated, by number of awards
Artist	awards
Metallica	4
Lars Ulrich	2
Sepultura	1
Immortal	1
Celtic Frost	1

Most famous thrash metal artists

Metallica

United States · Group · 1981–present

heavy metal music, thrash metal

33.9M listeners · 130 wikis

James Hetfield

United States · Person · born 1963

rock music, hard rock, traditional heavy metal, thrash metal

90 wikis

Lars Ulrich

Kingdom of Denmark · Person · born 1963

heavy metal music, thrash metal

73 wikis

Kirk Hammett

United States · Person · born 1962

thrash metal

64 wikis

Cliff Burton

United States · Person · born 1962

thrash metal, speed metal

58 wikis

Dave Mustaine

United States · Person · born 1961

heavy metal music, thrash metal, speed metal

65 wikis

Robert Trujillo

United States · Person · born 1964

heavy metal music, thrash metal

52 wikis

Sepultura

Brazil · Group · 1984–present

thrash metal, alternative metal, nu metal, groove metal, death metal

61 wikis

Jason Newsted

United States · Person · born 1963

hard rock, traditional heavy metal, heavy metal music, thrash metal, progressive metal

46 wikis

Anthrax

United States · Group · 1981–present

heavy metal music, thrash metal, alternative metal, speed metal, groove metal

53 wikis

Venom

United Kingdom · Group · 1979–present

heavy metal music, thrash metal, speed metal, black metal

51 wikis

Bathory

Sweden · Group · 1983–2004

thrash metal, black metal, viking metal

50 wikis

More thrash metal artists

Showing 1–108 of 108 artists

Kreator

Germany · Group · 1982–present

thrash metal

47 wikis · Tier 3

Immortal

Norway · Group · 1990–present

thrash metal, black metal, death metal

44 wikis · Tier 3

Tom Araya

Chile · Person · born 1961

thrash metal

42 wikis · Tier 3

Celtic Frost

Switzerland · Group · 1984–2008

thrash metal, doom metal, black metal, death metal, avant-garde metal

39 wikis · Tier 2

Machine Head

United States · Group · 1991–present

thrash metal, alternative metal, groove metal

39 wikis · Tier 3

Sodom

Germany · Group · 1982–present

thrash metal

39 wikis · Tier 3

Soulfly

United States · Group · 1997–present

thrash metal, groove metal

38 wikis · Tier 3

Trivium

United States · Group · 1999–present

heavy metal music, thrash metal, progressive metal, melodic metalcore

38 wikis · Tier 3

Max Cavalera

Brazil · Person · born 1969

thrash metal, groove metal, death metal

38 wikis · Tier 3

Iced Earth

United States · Group · 1985–present

heavy metal music, thrash metal, power metal

36 wikis · Tier 3

Exodus

United States · Group · 1980–present

thrash metal

35 wikis · Tier 3

Destruction

Germany · Group · 1982–present

thrash metal

34 wikis · Tier 3

Per "Dead" Ohlin

Sweden · Person · born 1969

thrash metal, black metal, death metal

34 wikis · Tier 2

Suicidal Tendencies

United States · Group · 1981–present

thrash metal, hardcore punk, crossover thrash

32 wikis · Tier 3

Annihilator

Canada · Group · 1984–present

heavy metal music, thrash metal

31 wikis · Tier 3

Nevermore

United States · Group · 1991–present

heavy metal music, thrash metal, progressive metal, power metal

30 wikis · Tier 3

Ministry

United States · Group · 1981–present

synth-pop, new wave, thrash metal, industrial metal

29 wikis · Tier 3

Tankard

Germany · Group · 1982–present

thrash metal

28 wikis · Tier 3

Quorthon

Sweden · Person · born 1966

thrash metal, black metal, viking metal

27 wikis · Tier 3

Metal Church

United States · Group · 1980–present

heavy metal music, thrash metal, power metal

26 wikis · Tier 3

Voivod

Canada · Group · 1982–present

thrash metal, progressive metal

26 wikis · Tier 3

Death Angel

United States · Group · 1982–present

thrash metal

26 wikis · Tier 3

Possessed

United States · Group · 1983–present

thrash metal, death metal

26 wikis · Tier 3

Shawn Drover

Canada · Person · born 1966

heavy metal music, thrash metal

25 wikis · Tier 3

Body Count

United States · Group · 1990–present

thrash metal, speed metal

24 wikis · Tier 3

Randy Blythe

United States · Person · born 1971

thrash metal, groove metal, metalcore

24 wikis · Tier 3

Strapping Young Lad

Canada · Group · 1994–2007

thrash metal, industrial metal, progressive metal, death metal

24 wikis · Tier 3

Gwar

United States · Group · 1984–present

thrash metal, shock rock, crossover thrash

23 wikis · Tier 3

Flotsam and Jetsam

United States · Group · 1981–present

thrash metal

22 wikis · Tier 3

Stormtroopers of Death

United States · Group · 1985–present

thrash metal, crossover thrash, metalcore

22 wikis · Tier 3

Glen Drover

Canada · Person · born 1969

heavy metal music, thrash metal, speed metal, progressive metal

22 wikis · Tier 3

Mille Petrozza

Germany · Person · born 1966

thrash metal

Forbidden

United States · Group · 1985–present

thrash metal

19 wikis · Tier 3

Nailbomb

United States · Group · 1994–present

thrash metal, industrial metal

19 wikis · Tier 3

Prong

United States · Group · 1986–present

thrash metal, alternative metal, industrial metal, groove metal

19 wikis · Tier 3

Sarcófago

Brazil · Group · 1985–present

thrash metal, black metal, death metal

19 wikis · Tier 3

Alien Weaponry

New Zealand · Group · 2010–present

thrash metal, alternative metal, groove metal

19 wikis · Tier 3

Joey Belladonna

United States · Person · born 1960

heavy metal music, thrash metal

19 wikis · Tier 3

Dirty Rotten Imbeciles

United States · Group · 1982–present

thrash metal, crossover thrash, metalcore

18 wikis · Tier 3

Havok

United States · Group · 2004–present

thrash metal

18 wikis · Tier 3

Nervosa

Brazil · Group · 2010–present

thrash metal, death metal

18 wikis · Tier 3

Sacred Reich

United States · Group · 1985–present

thrash metal

18 wikis · Tier 3

Artillery

Denmark · Group · 1982–present

thrash metal

17 wikis · Tier 3

Hatesphere

Denmark · Group · 2000–present

thrash metal, groove metal, death metal, melodic death metal

17 wikis · Tier 3

Warrel Dane

United States · Person · born 1961

heavy metal music, thrash metal, progressive metal, power metal

17 wikis · Tier 3

Tomas Lindberg

Sweden · Person · born 1972

thrash metal, hardcore punk, death metal, crust punk, melodic death metal, D-beat

17 wikis · Tier 3

Exciter

Canada · Group · 1978–present

heavy metal music, thrash metal, speed metal

16 wikis · Tier 3

Heathen

thrash metal, melodic death metal

14 wikis · Tier 3

Toxic Holocaust

thrash metal, progressive metal

13 wikis · Tier 3

M.O.D.

United States · Group · 1986–present

thrash metal

13 wikis · Tier 3

Sadus

United States · Group · 1984–present

thrash metal

13 wikis · Tier 3

Swashbuckle

United States · Group · 2005–present

thrash metal, pirate metal

13 wikis · Tier 3

God Forbid

United States · Group · 1996–present

thrash metal, metalcore

12 wikis · Tier 3

Lost Society

thrash metal, melodic death metal

11 wikis · Tier 3

Lȧȧz Rockit

United States · Group · 1982–present

heavy metal music, thrash metal, power metal

11 wikis · Tier 3

Merciless

Sweden · Group · 1986–present

thrash metal, death metal

11 wikis · Tier 3

Power Trip

United States · Group · 2008–present

thrash metal, crossover thrash

11 wikis · Tier 3

Suicidal Angels

Greece · Group · 2001–present

thrash metal

11 wikis · Tier 3

Voice of Baceprot

thrash metal

10 wikis · Tier 3

Exumer

Germany · Group · 1985–present

thrash metal

10 wikis · Tier 3

Messiah

Switzerland · Group · 1984–present

thrash metal

10 wikis · Tier 3

Tommy Victor

United States · Person · born 1966

thrash metal, alternative metal, industrial metal, groove metal, crossover thrash

10 wikis · Tier 3

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