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For a band that isn’t hair metal, the subject of “hair” sure has continued to follow Metallica<\/a> around.<\/p>\n Even in 2026,\u00a0James Hetfield<\/a> has helped bring the band’s hairstyle choices back into discussion with his recently debuted black streak dyed down the middle of his hair.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Metallica’s James Hetfield Reveals Unexpected Hairstyle Ahead of Las Vegas Residency<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Papa Het has gone through several eras (seasons?) of hairstyles to get to this point.<\/p>\n There was the long hair of the early days, the short hair that debuted in the 1990s and also some slicked-back variations.<\/p>\n At some point in the early 2000s, a website complete with charts and timelines<\/a> was created to track Hetfield’s hair throughout time. Sadly, it seems to have gone dormant as it’s missing some of his more recent hairstyles. So that’s where we come in.<\/p>\n In 2017, more than 20 years after Metallica infamously cut their hair leading up to the release of Load<\/em>, Hetfield was still being asked in interviews if he missed his long locks.<\/p>\n “Yeah. When we’re onstage,” Hetfield told the Vancouver Sun<\/a>. “But the rest of the time? No, man, not at all.”<\/p>\n Look, no one expected him to keep the same long hair from when Kill ‘Em All<\/em> came out in 1983. But could anyone\u00a0predict the appearance of the\u00a0black streak in 2026?<\/p>\n Here is a look back at Het’s hair through the years.<\/p>\n James Hetfield has looked iconic in every decade, no matter the hairstyle.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Rob Carroll<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe Hair of Metallica’s James Hetfield Through The Years<\/h2>\n