On which U.S. chart did Metallica’s The Black Album first debut at number one?

Metallica’s The Black Album first debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.

The album was released by Elektra Records on August 12, 1991, and sold 598,000 copies in its first week in the United States. Its number-one debut marked the first time Metallica had topped the Billboard album chart.

The Billboard 200 ranks albums and extended plays in the United States using consumption data. It is different from the Billboard Hot 100, which ranks individual songs. That distinction matters because “Enter Sandman” appeared on the singles chart, while Metallica made its breakthrough on the album chart.

The record remained at number one for four consecutive weeks. It also debuted at number one in several other countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland. Its American chart performance helped establish the album as a mainstream success rather than only a metal hit.