What Billboard 200 milestone did Metallica's The Black Album achieve?

Metallica's The Black Album became the band's first album to debut at number one on the Billboard 200. It sold 598,000 copies in the United States during its first week.

That opening established the album as a commercial breakthrough, even though Metallica had already built a strong international following through four earlier studio albums. The record later spent four consecutive weeks at the top of the US chart and became one of the best-selling albums associated with the SoundScan era.

The achievement is distinct from later chart longevity. Debuting at number one describes the album's position in its first chart week; its four-week run describes how long it remained at the summit. The album also reached number one in several other countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and Germany.