Which number did The Black Album reach on its first Billboard 200 debut?

The Black Album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.

Metallica's self-titled record became the band's first album to reach the top position on the United States album chart. It sold 598,000 copies in its first week and remained at number one for four consecutive weeks.

That achievement reflected a sharp expansion in Metallica's audience. The album preserved the group's heavy identity but used more concise songwriting and a polished production style, allowing songs such as “Enter Sandman” and “Nothing Else Matters” to cross into mainstream rock and pop culture.

The album's chart history continued long after its original release. It became one of the most enduringly popular records of the SoundScan era and eventually surpassed 16 million copies sold in the United States according to the album's documented sales history. The debut position is different from individual single chart positions, which measure songs rather than albums.