Which Metallica album song was originally written by James Hetfield for himself before becoming a recording?

“Nothing Else Matters” was originally written by James Hetfield for himself before becoming a Metallica recording.

Hetfield began writing the song in 1990 while the band was on tour and he was feeling homesick. The early version was personal and was not initially intended for release. After drummer Lars Ulrich heard it, the band considered the song for Metallica’s upcoming album.

Its emotional directness and clean guitar arpeggios made it different from many earlier Metallica songs. The track became a power ballad and one of the album’s best-known songs. Hetfield and Ulrich receive the composition credit, while the orchestral arrangement was written by Michael Kamen.

Kirk Hammett does not play on the studio recording, which is another reason the track is notable in the band’s catalog. “Nothing Else Matters” was released as the third single on April 20, 1992, and its video later became Metallica’s first to reach one billion YouTube views.