At how many copies did Metallica’s 1991 album reportedly debut in first-week US sales?

Metallica’s 1991 album reportedly sold 598,000 copies in its first week in the United States.

That opening was strong enough to place the album at number one on the Billboard 200. The record’s initial performance came before its enormous long-term sales story had fully developed, when the band was already established but had not yet reached its eventual level of mainstream penetration.

The figure is sometimes confused with rounded estimates or with figures reported in broader accounts of the album’s commercial impact. The album’s Wikipedia article gives 598,000 for the first US week, while other summaries may use different estimates or discuss shipments rather than consumer sales.

The album was certified platinum within two weeks and went on to become the best-selling album of Metallica’s career. Its later sales were driven by sustained catalog demand as well as the success of multiple singles.