Motorhead was first assembled by bassist and singer Lemmy Kilmister, formerly of Hawkwind, in the mid 1970s. Lemmy got guitarist Larry Wallis and drummer Lucas Fox to join him on a project that was initially to be named "Bastard". They recorded an album called On Parole which scared their record company so much that it was shelved. The record was not available until after the band's later success and it was released in 1980.

Lemmy then replaced Wallis and Fox with guitarist "Fast Eddie" Clarke and drummer "Philthy Animal" Taylor, the band recorded their first album Motorhead in 1977, which was released on a small record label.

The band was then signed to a larger record deal and recorded Overkill, which was released in 1978. This record, featuring several songs from the first album, did not have great success until listeners discovered the B-side cover of the 60s California beach classic "Louie, Louie". The band began to accumulate fans who liked the aggressive mix of punk and early heavy metal that was uniquely Motorhead. The following years saw the release of Bomber (1979) and the classic Ace of Spades (1980); still Motorhead's most recognized album and song to date. The new popularity of the band forced the record company to release "On Parole". The relentless energy of Motorhead's live show was captured on No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith (1981), recorded live at the Hammersmith Odeon in London during the Ace of Spades Tour. In 1982, Motorhead released Iron Fist, the last album to feature guitarist "Fast Eddie" Clarke. Clarke had grown tired of some of Lemmy's different side projects, including a duet with Wendy O. Williams of a Tammy Wynette song and an EP collaboration with Girlschool.

The band added former Thin Lizzy guitarist Brian "Robbo" Robertson and recorded Another Perfect Day (1983). Robbo's more precise musical style and his short orange hairstyle were not received well by most Motorhead fans — some felt that he had brought musicianship to a band that did not have or need any. Robertson left the band by mutual agreement in 1984.

At this crossroads, Lemmy chose to release a greatest hits collection called No Remorse — a lavish leather bound double album featuring songs from the five major label Motorhead albums as well as some B side tracks including "Louie, Louie". The album also included four new songs recorded with the new two guitar lineup which added Mick "Wurzel" Burston and Phil Campbell on guitars and Pete Gill on drums. This collection is today available on a single CD, with some songs including "Louie, Louie" removed for time constraints, and it provides a great sample of 74 minutes of early Motorhead music.

In 1985, Motorhead played a 10th Anniversary show at the Hammersmith in London. This show featured an encore that included nearly everyone who had ever been in the band, as they crowded the stage and banged through "Motorhead" with Lemmy and the new lineup.

With the new lineup, Motorhead released Orgasmatron in 1986.

Philthy Animal Taylor reunited with the band for 1988's Rock and Roll.

In 1991, Motorhead released 1916, recorded in California instead of the band's previous studio locations in England. This album had more texture and diversity than any Motorhead album to date, featuring power ballads like "Love Me Forever" and non-power ballads like "1916" along with the famous Motorhead staple of blues-based rock played lightning fast, like "Going to Brazil" and "I'm So Bad..." 1916 was also nominated for a Grammy Award. Following the 1916 Tour, Philthy left the band again.

Philthy was replaced by ex-King Diamond drummer Mikkey Dee and Motorhead released March or Die in 1992. This album featured more straight-ahead mid tempo songs and several collaborative efforts, including leads on a couple songs by Slash of G'n'R and joint writing credits by Ozzy Osbourne and Zakk Wylde on "Hellraiser". "Hellraiser" was featured on the soundtrack to the horror movie "Hellraiser 3". The "Hellraiser" video was played on MTV and the band made an appearance on "the Tonight Show with Jay Leno" in the fall of 1992 to play this single. Branford Marsalis, brilliant saxophonist and leader of the show band, explained to Leno that he had bumped into Lemmy at a club and bet him five bucks that he could get Motorhead on the show. Lemmy of course lost the bet, and after the band's first song, he paid Branford the $5.

Unfortunately, the small success of "March or Die" did not impress the record company Sony who had released the last two albums, and Motorhead was dropped from their label. The band returned in the summer of 1993 with Bastards on a small German label, ZYX Music. This album opens with blazing fast blues-based rock songs in the vein of classic Ace of Spades era Motorhead. The video for "Burner" received some play on MTV, and Lemmy and Wurzel were guests on Headbanger's Ball on Oct. 31, but the album was largely ignored. "Born to Raise Hell" was featured in the movie "Airheads", along with a soundtrack version of the tune including Ice T and Whitfield Crane of Ugly Kid Joe with Lemmy on vocals. Lemmy also appeared briefly in the movie, and the soundtrack video was played some on HBB. Again, the record label was not impressed and Motorhead was dropped from ZYX Music.

Undetered, the band recorded Sacrifice, released in Europe in the spring of 1995 and in America the following summer. Shortly after this release, Wurzel left the band to join an industrial metal project called "Warhead". Motorhead continued the Sacrifice Tour as a trio, with Phil Campbell handling all guitar duties.

In October, Motorhead released a new studio album called Overnight Sensation, slated for release October 15, 1996.