Five commercial singles were released from Metallica's self-titled album, The Black Album. They were “Enter Sandman,” “The Unforgiven,” “Nothing Else Matters,” “Wherever I May Roam,” and “Sad but True.”
The singles appeared over a long promotional period. “Enter Sandman” arrived before the album in July 1991, while “Sad but True” was released in February 1993. This sequence helped keep the record visible well beyond its original release.
“Don't Tread on Me” is a frequent source of confusion. It was sent to rock radio as a promotional release but was not issued as a commercial single. Therefore, counting it produces six only if promotional radio releases are incorrectly included.
The five official singles became some of Metallica's best-known songs. All five charted on the Billboard Hot 100, although their positions varied considerably. The album's singles also helped introduce Metallica's heavier style to listeners who did not usually follow thrash metal.