Metallica's “Enter Sandman” reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Released as The Black Album's lead single on July 29, 1991, the song became the band's first major mainstream breakthrough from the record. Its chart position was especially notable because Metallica had built its reputation primarily through albums, touring and the metal audience rather than conventional pop-radio success.
The single's impact went beyond the Hot 100. It became a staple of rock radio and was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The song's promotional video also received major exposure and won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Rock Video at the 1992 ceremony.
The number 16 peak is sometimes mixed up with other chart statistics. “Enter Sandman” was the lead single, but it was not the highest-charting Black Album song in every country. “Nothing Else Matters,” for example, reached number six in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Chart positions also differed between the Hot 100, rock-radio charts and international listings.