What is the running time of Metallica’s The Black Album on its original album listing?
Answer
62 minutes 40 seconds
Metallica’s The Black Album has a listed running time of 62 minutes and 40 seconds.
That duration covers the original 12-track studio album released in 1991. The record combines compact, riff-driven songs such as “Sad but True” with longer pieces including “The Unforgiven” and “Nothing Else Matters.”
The running time is an album-level specification, not the length of a single song or a later expanded edition. Anniversary editions and deluxe releases can contain additional demos, live recordings, and alternate material, so their total playing time is different from the original listing.
The album’s substantial length also reflects the band’s detailed recording process. Metallica and Bob Rock worked through many takes, edits, overdubs, and mixes before finalizing the record. Despite the demanding production, the finished album maintained a focused sequence of 12 songs.