What was the first single released from Metallica’s 1991 album, The Black Album?

“Enter Sandman” was the first single released from Metallica’s 1991 album, The Black Album.

The single came out on July 29, 1991, shortly before the album’s August 12 release. The song was the first track written for the project, but its lyrics were completed later than the music. Its central imagery draws on childhood fears, nightmares, and the Sandman figure from popular folklore.

The song’s compact structure and instantly recognizable guitar riff helped introduce Metallica to a much wider audience. It reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

Wayne Isham directed the promotional video. At the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards, the video won Best Rock Video. “Enter Sandman” was followed by four more commercial singles from the album: “The Unforgiven,” “Nothing Else Matters,” “Wherever I May Roam,” and “Sad but True.”