Five commercial singles were released to promote Metallica’s The Black Album.
The sequence began with “Enter Sandman,” followed by “The Unforgiven,” “Nothing Else Matters,” “Wherever I May Roam,” and “Sad but True.” These songs represented different sides of the album, from its radio-ready opening riff to its ballad-like power and heavy groove.
“Don’t Tread on Me” is the common source of confusion. It was sent to rock radio shortly after the album’s release, but it did not receive a commercial single release. Counting it produces six promotional tracks, not five commercial singles.
The singles extended the album’s visibility over a long period. “Enter Sandman” was released before the album, while later singles kept attention on the record after its chart-topping debut. Almost all of the singles were accompanied by music videos, contributing to Metallica’s growing presence on music television.