Metallica's The Black Album reached number one on the U.S. Billboard 200.
The achievement made it Metallica's first album to top the U.S. album chart. It debuted at number one and spent four consecutive weeks in that position, a major commercial milestone for a band previously identified mainly with thrash metal.
The album also debuted at number one in nine other countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland. Its international performance matched its growing worldwide audience.
The chart result was only the beginning of the album's sales story. It became Metallica's best-selling release and eventually one of the best-selling albums in the United States since Nielsen SoundScan tracking began in 1991.