Kirk Hammett does not play guitar on the album version of “Nothing Else Matters.”
James Hetfield performs the song's guitar parts on the studio recording, including its distinctive opening arpeggios. The track began as a private musical idea Hetfield played while away from the band, but it developed into one of Metallica's most recognized songs. Its reflective lyrics and orchestral arrangement made it notably different from the band's more aggressive material.
Hammett does appear in the song's music video and has performed it with Metallica in concert. That visual and live presence can lead listeners to assume he played on the original recording. He also plays the acoustic introduction in live performances, but that is separate from the album version.
“Nothing Else Matters” was released as a single from The Black Album and became a major crossover success. The song is often described as a power ballad, although Metallica's arrangement retains the band's heavy-rock identity through its dynamics, drums, and amplified climax.