Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters” reached number 34 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
The song was the third single from Metallica’s 1991 album, commonly called The Black Album, and was released in 1992. Its Hot 100 peak was lower than the peaks of some of the album’s other singles, but its international performance was especially strong. It reached number six in the United Kingdom and Ireland and topped the chart in Denmark.
The song’s broad appeal came from its power-ballad format. James Hetfield’s vocal and guitar performance is supported by clean and acoustic textures, while Michael Kamen arranged orchestral parts performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. That arrangement helped distinguish it from the band’s more aggressive singles without removing its heavy-metal identity.
Chart-position comparisons can be confusing because Metallica’s singles appeared on several different Billboard listings. “Enter Sandman” reached number 16 on the Hot 100, while “The Unforgiven” reached number 35. “Wherever I May Roam” reached number 82 on the Hot 100 but performed much better on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.