Which award did Metallica win for The Black Album at the 34th Annual Grammy Awards?

Metallica won the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance at the 34th Annual Grammy Awards for The Black Album.

The award recognized the album during a period when Metallica was moving from influential thrash-metal band to global mainstream act. The record’s controlled production, heavier groove-oriented songs, and more varied vocal performances helped it stand out within the category.

The 34th Annual Grammy Awards took place in 1992, after the album’s August 1991 release. By then, Metallica had already achieved major chart success, including four consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard 200. The Grammy added formal industry recognition to that commercial breakthrough.

The award is sometimes confused with later honors associated with individual Metallica songs or albums. The relevant category here is Best Metal Performance, which honored the album rather than using the separate categories Album of the Year, Best Rock Album, or Best Hard Rock Performance.