By 2016, Metallica’s The Black Album had sold 16.4 million copies in the United States during the Nielsen SoundScan era.
That figure made Metallica the best-selling album in the United States since Nielsen SoundScan tracking began in 1991. The album also became the first release in the SoundScan era to pass 16 million U.S. sales, a milestone that underlined its extraordinary longevity.
Its sales were not driven only by the original 1991 release period. The album continued moving copies through touring, radio exposure, catalog purchases, and later physical formats. In 2016, it still averaged roughly 5,000 copies per week and had never fallen below 1,000 weekly copies according to the album’s reported sales history.
The number is specific to the United States and the SoundScan era. Worldwide totals are different, and later certification updates may use shipment figures rather than the same sales measure.