Metallica’s “Sad but True” reached number 98 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song was the fifth and final single from the band’s 1991 self-titled album, commonly called The Black Album.
Although it was a major part of Metallica’s live and album identity, “Sad but True” performed more modestly on the general US singles chart than some other Black Album tracks. It charted for one week on the Billboard Hot 100, while reaching number 15 on the US Mainstream Rock chart.
The song was released as a single in February 1993, well after the album’s initial 1991 launch. That timing can cause confusion when people count the album’s singles or compare chart dates. “Enter Sandman,” “The Unforgiven,” “Nothing Else Matters,” and “Wherever I May Roam” were also Black Album singles, but each had a different release schedule and chart profile.