Cliff Burton
Awards & Honours
0
Awards Won
5
Honours
3
Rankings
4
Covers
2
Records
Though Cliff Burton never won a solo award, his influence is measured in the enduring reverence of musicians and fans. He is consistently ranked among the greatest bassists of all time by major publications. In 2020, Rolling Stone placed him at No. 9 on its list of the 100 Greatest Bassists. Guitar World ranked him No. 4 on its 2011 list of the greatest bassists of all time. Loudwire named him the No. 1 metal bassist of all time in 2020. His bass solo "(Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth" is preserved in the permanent collection of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. A memorial plaque erected at the crash site in Dörarp, Sweden, in 2006 is maintained by fans and has become an internationally recognized tribute. His playing is studied in music schools as a prime example of lead bass in metal.
Honours & Distinctions
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee (with Metallica)
Posthumously inducted as a member of Metallica.
Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Bassists
Ranked No. 9 on the list.
Guitar World's 50 Greatest Bassists of All Time
Ranked No. 4.
Loudwire's 10 Best Metal Bassists of All Time
Ranked No. 1.
Cliff Burton Memorial Plaque
Plaque erected at crash site in Dörarp, Sweden.
Rankings & Lists
100 Greatest Bassists of All Time
The 50 Greatest Bassists of All Time
The 10 Best Metal Bassists of All Time
Magazine Covers
Guitar World
August 2006
Cliff Burton: The Lost Interview
Guitar World
October 2010
Cliff Burton: The 25th Anniversary of Master of Puppets
Metal Hammer
September 2016
Cliff Burton: 30 Years Gone
Bass Player
January 2007
Cliff Burton: The Bassist Who Changed Metal
Records & Feats
First bassist in heavy metal to use extensive effects pedals for lead-style playing
Burton pioneered the use of distortion and wah pedals on bass, transforming the instrument's role in metal.
Ranked No. 1 metal bassist of all time by Loudwire
In 2020, Loudwire named Burton the greatest metal bassist in history.