Which Metallica album song was written by James Hetfield as a personal message to his then-girlfriend?

“Nothing Else Matters” was written by James Hetfield as a personal message to his then-girlfriend.

Hetfield initially regarded the song as too personal for Metallica and did not intend it to become a band recording. He developed its opening guitar figure while talking on the phone, using a picking pattern that could be played with one hand. The piece later grew into a full arrangement with orchestration and a prominent melodic vocal.

Its ballad-like character stood apart from the faster, heavier material associated with Metallica’s earlier records. That contrast helped demonstrate the band’s range and made the song one of the most widely recognized tracks from The Black Album.

Kirk Hammett does not play guitar on the studio recording, although he appears in the music video and performs the song with the band live. This detail is often confused with the song’s authorship: the writing credit belongs to James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, while the original personal idea came from Hetfield.