Which Grammy category did Metallica win for its 1991 album Metallica, called The Black Album?

Metallica won Best Metal Performance for its 1991 album Metallica, called The Black Album.

The award was presented at the 34th Annual Grammy Awards in 1992. It recognized the album’s performance as a metal recording rather than honoring one individual song from the track list. Metallica’s win followed the band’s earlier Grammy history, including a nomination for ...And Justice for All and a 1990 victory for “One.”

The album’s Grammy success reflected its influence beyond the established thrash-metal audience. Its production was more polished, its tempos were often slower, and its songs were built around memorable riffs and broad dynamics. Those qualities helped the record reach listeners who might not previously have followed underground or technical metal.

The category name is easy to confuse with later Grammy terminology. The award has been known by several related names over time, including Best Metal Performance and Best Metal Performance Vocal or Instrumental. For the 1992 recognition of Metallica, the concise category name is Best Metal Performance.