By 2025, the RIAA had certified Metallica’s The Black Album to ship 20 million copies in the United States.
The Recording Industry Association of America awarded the album a 2× Diamond certification in 2025. In the RIAA system, that certification corresponds to 20 million units shipped in the United States for an album of this kind.
The milestone made Metallica the first album in the SoundScan era to pass 20 million US copies. SoundScan tracking began in 1991, the same year The Black Album was released, allowing its extraordinary long-term sales to be measured in detail.
The American figure is separate from the album’s worldwide total. The record has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide and is widely regarded as one of the best-selling albums ever. Certification figures describe shipments, while sales totals may be reported differently by source.