Where did Metallica’s The Black Album debut on the US Billboard 200?

Metallica’s The Black Album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200. It was the band’s first album to reach the top position on that chart.

The album sold approximately 598,000 copies in its first US week, an extraordinary opening for a heavy-metal release. Its accessible songwriting, forceful production, and strong singles broadened Metallica’s audience well beyond the thrash-metal scene.

The album remained at number one for four consecutive weeks. It also topped album charts in countries including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland.

The chart result is sometimes confused with the album’s later long-term sales achievements. The Black Album eventually became one of the best-selling albums in the United States since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991.