“Enter Sandman” reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song was Metallica’s lead single from its 1991 album and became one of the band’s most recognizable recordings. Its number 16 peak placed it firmly inside the U.S. pop singles chart’s Top 20, a notable achievement for a heavy-metal band whose earlier work had been less visible in mainstream formats.
The single performed even better on some rock-focused and international charts. It reached number five on the UK Singles Chart and became a major radio staple. Its success helped Metallica’s self-titled album move far beyond the band’s established metal audience.
Number 16 refers to the song’s peak position on the Billboard Hot 100, not the album’s ranking on the Billboard 200. The album itself debuted at number one and remained at the top for four consecutive weeks. The song also received a Grammy nomination and later won an MTV Video Music Award for its music video.