Metallica’s 1991 album Metallica, commonly called The Black Album, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.
This was the band’s first album to reach the top position on the United States album chart. It entered the chart after its August 12, 1991 release and held the number-one position for four consecutive weeks.
The debut marked a major change in Metallica’s commercial standing. The band had already built a large international following through albums such as Master of Puppets and ...And Justice for All, but The Black Album reached a much broader audience with shorter, more direct songs and a polished production style.
The album also debuted at number one in several other countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland.