Which chart did Metallica first top with its 1991 album, known as The Black Album?

Metallica first topped the Billboard 200 with its 1991 album, known as The Black Album. The record was the band’s first album to debut at number one on that US albums chart.

The album sold 598,000 copies in its first week and became a major commercial breakthrough. Its success was not limited to the United States: it also debuted at number one in nine other countries.

The Billboard 200 ranks albums and extended releases in the United States using consumption data. It is different from the Billboard Hot 100, which ranks individual songs and singles. That distinction is important because “Enter Sandman,” the album’s lead single, reached number 16 on the Hot 100 rather than number one.

Metallica remained at the top of the Billboard 200 for four consecutive weeks. The achievement established the band as a dominant album act, not merely a successful heavy-metal touring group.