Metallica topped the US Billboard 200 for four consecutive weeks in 1991.
The album debuted at number one after selling 598,000 copies in its first US week. It was Metallica’s first album to reach the top of the Billboard 200, the principal US chart for album popularity. The release also debuted at number one in nine other countries.
This chart success reflected the album’s broadening audience. Compared with the band’s earlier releases, The Black Album used more streamlined song structures and a polished production style while keeping its heavy-metal identity. Tracks such as “Enter Sandman,” “The Unforgiven,” and “Nothing Else Matters” helped it reach listeners beyond the traditional thrash-metal audience.
The Billboard 200 should not be confused with the Billboard Hot 100, which ranks singles. For example, “Enter Sandman” peaked at number 16 on the Hot 100, while the album itself reached number one on the Billboard 200. The album’s four-week run was an important early indicator of its eventual enormous sales.