Which Metallica song features orchestral arrangements by composer Michael Kamen on The Black Album?

“Nothing Else Matters” features orchestral arrangements by composer Michael Kamen on The Black Album.

The song began as a private piece James Hetfield wrote while he was away from home on tour. He initially did not intend to present it to Metallica because its emotional subject and open guitar style seemed different from the band’s usual material. After Lars Ulrich heard the demo, however, the song was developed for the album.

Kamen wrote the orchestral arrangements, adding strings to a track built around Hetfield’s guitar, vocal, and the band’s rhythm section. The recording also stands out because Kirk Hammett does not play on the studio version; Hetfield performed the guitar solo instead. Hammett later learned the song during the tour and played it live.

Released as the album’s third single on April 20, 1992, “Nothing Else Matters” became one of Metallica’s best-known songs. It reached number six on the UK Singles Chart and topped the chart in Denmark. Its ballad structure helped demonstrate the album’s broader musical range beyond thrash metal.