Kirk Hammett Rules Out Retirement From Metallica Despite 62 Years of Age

Kirk Hammett has no interest in slowing down. Speaking to Metal Hammer, he dismissed the idea of retirement entirely.

“I don’t believe in retirement. Retirement is something that’s been forced onto people; I don’t believe musicians are allowed to retire,” he said.

For him, making music remains “a gift, a blessing and a privilege”. He added, “I love what I do and it’s magic. It helps people. I can’t walk away from that.”

62 and Still Climbing. At 62, most artists consider winding down. Hammett sees things differently. In a conversation with Rolling Stone, he explained, “I feel like I’m still climbing the summit. Haven’t reached the top of the mountain yet. Haven’t reached the capstone of the pyramid. Still going up, man.” He insists he’s improving and still full of creative energy.

Metallica’s Future. Asked by The Telegraph about the possibility of leaving Metallica after more than 40 years, Hammett was clear: “Leaving Metallica is not an option.” He still feels motivated and sees no reason to step away. “If I ever left Metallica, everyone in the world would remind me that I used to be in Metallica.” He added.

767 New Riffs. Hammett also revealed the scale of his creative output. He has already written “767 new riffs for the next Metallica album.” Despite this, recording won’t start anytime soon. The band’s schedule is packed, and he said, “I don’t foresee us starting the next album for at least another year.”

2025 Tour Dates

Metallica has a busy tour calendar. They will continue touring across North America, Australia, New Zealand, and the Middle East throughout 2025. Get Metallica Tickets Here.

• June 20 – Santa Clara, CA @ Levi’s Stadium (w/ Limp Bizkit & Ice Nine Kills)
• June 22 – Santa Clara, CA @ Levi’s Stadium (w/ Pantera & Suicidal Tendencies)
• June 27 – Denver, CO @ Empower Field (w/ Limp Bizkit & Ice Nine Kills)
• June 29 – Denver, CO @ Empower Field (w/ Pantera & Suicidal Tendencies)
• July 5 – Birmingham, England @ Villa Park
• November 1 – Perth, Australia @ Optus Stadium
• November 5 – Adelaide, Australia @ Adelaide Oval
• November 8 – Melbourne, Australia @ Marvel Stadium
• November 12 – Brisbane, Australia @ Suncorp Stadium
• November 15 – Sydney, Australia @ Accor Stadium
• November 19 – Auckland, New Zealand @ Eden Park
• December 3 – Sakhir, Bahrain @ Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre
• December 6 – Abu Dhabi, UAE @ Yas Island – Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix

2026 European Dates

In 2026, Metallica heads to Europe and the UK for more shows.

• May 9 – Athens, Greece @ Olympic Stadium (w/ Gojira & Knocked Loose)
• May 13 – Bucharest, Romania @ Arena Națională
• May 19 – Chorzów, Poland @ Stadion Śląski
• May 22 – Frankfurt, Germany @ Deutsche Bank Park (w/ Gojira & Knocked Loose)
• May 24 – Frankfurt, Germany @ Deutsche Bank Park (w/ Pantera & Avatar)
• May 27 – Zurich, Switzerland @ Stadion Letzigrund (w/ Gojira & Knocked Loose)
• May 30 – Berlin, Germany @ Olympiastadion (w/ Gojira & Knocked Loose)
• June 3 – Bologna, Italy @ Stadio Renato Dall’Ara (w/ Gojira & Knocked Loose)
• June 11 – Budapest, Hungary @ Puskas Arena (w/ Pantera & Avatar)
• June 13 – Budapest, Hungary @ Puskas Arena (w/ Gojira & Knocked Loose)
• June 19 – Dublin, Ireland @ Aviva Stadium (w/ Pantera & Avatar)
• June 21 – Dublin, Ireland @ Aviva Stadium (w/ Gojira & Knocked Loose)
• June 25 – Glasgow, Scotland @ Hampden Park (w/ Gojira & Knocked Loose)
• June 28 – Cardiff, England @ Principality Stadium (w/ Gojira & Knocked Loose)
• July 3 – London, England @ London Stadium (w/ Gojira & Knocked Loose)
• July 5 – London, England @ London Stadium (w/ Pantera & Avatar)

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