Kirk Hammett does not play on Metallica's recording of “Nothing Else Matters.”
James Hetfield performs the vocals and guitars on the studio track, while Lars Ulrich plays drums and Jason Newsted plays bass. The recording also features orchestral contributions arranged by Michael Kamen and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra.
Hammett does appear in the song's music video and performs the song live with Metallica. That visible and later live role can lead listeners to assume that he played lead guitar on the original studio recording.
The song began as a private guitar idea by Hetfield and developed into one of the album's most recognizable tracks. Its orchestral arrangement and ballad structure were a notable contrast with the band's earlier thrash-metal image.