Legendary rock group Metallica are helping in the search for a missing fan. The band pledged $50,000 to aid the search for 20-year-old Morgan Dana Harrington, who was last seen attending their concert on October 17.

Rock band Metallica is stepping up to help raise funds for a museum exhibit in Marin, California that helps celebrate music's heritage.

Lauded as one of the most influential bands in rock music history, Metallica now holds a prized spot in the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame. In many ways, they owe the success of their border-pushing compositions to a once tiny record label, Megaforce Records, who championed them at the dawn of their astonishing career in 1983.

Metallica will be joined in performance by its former bassist Jason Newsted on Saturday at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cleveland. His replacement, Robert Trujillo, will also be performing at the ceremony.

Rapper Kanye West is set to make a surprise appearance at this week's South By Southwest festival (SXSW) in Austin, Texas. Metallica and Outkast's Big Boi will also play secret shows.

Metallica lead James Hetfield has apologized to their fans for not showing up at their second Stockholm show last weekend, blaming oysters for sending him to a hospital hours before the show.

Metallica are to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The heavy metal act - who shot to fame in the early 80s - will be honored in April alongside former Yardbirds guitarist Jeff Beck and hip-hop pioneers Run DMC.