Five commercial singles were released from Metallica's self-titled album, excluding the promotional track. They were “Enter Sandman,” “The Unforgiven,” “Nothing Else Matters,” “Wherever I May Roam,” and “Sad but True.”
“Don't Tread on Me” is the source of the common counting mistake. It was issued to rock radio shortly after the album's release but did not receive a commercial single release. Counting it alongside the five commercial singles produces six, which does not match the album's documented single history.
The singles appeared across 1991 and 1992, extending the album's visibility well beyond its initial release. “Enter Sandman” opened the campaign, while “Nothing Else Matters” showed that the band's melodic material could perform strongly in mainstream markets.
Together, the five singles helped establish the album's best-known song set. They also supported an era of extensive touring, music-video rotation, and international chart success for Metallica.