How many copies did Metallica’s 1991 album sell in its first week in the United States?

Metallica’s 1991 album sold 598,000 copies in its first week in the United States.

The album was released on August 12, 1991, and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. It became Metallica’s first album to top that chart, marking a major commercial breakthrough for a band previously identified primarily with thrash metal.

The record was certified Platinum within two weeks and remained at number one for four consecutive weeks. Its first-week figure refers to U.S. album sales, not worldwide sales and not the album’s eventual total. That distinction matters because Metallica later sold tens of millions of copies globally.

The commercial result followed a conscious musical shift toward shorter, more direct songs and a more polished production style. The change brought Metallica to a much larger audience without removing its heavy foundation.