Metallica’s self-titled album, commonly called The Black Album, reached number one on the Billboard 200.
The Billboard 200 ranks albums in the United States using sales and later, in the chart’s modern system, equivalent streaming and track-consumption measures. Metallica topped the chart during its original commercial run, confirming the album’s enormous impact in the American market.
The achievement was especially significant because Metallica had come from the underground thrash-metal scene. The band’s earlier albums were highly influential, but the self-titled record brought its music to a much broader mainstream audience.
The album also reached number one in several other countries. Chart terminology can cause confusion: the album’s peak position is number one, while individual singles such as “Enter Sandman” had separate singles-chart positions.