Which orchestra performed on Metallica's studio recording of “Nothing Else Matters”?

The London Symphony Orchestra performed on Metallica's studio recording of “Nothing Else Matters.” The song appears on The Black Album and features orchestral arrangements by Michael Kamen.

The orchestral parts add strings and other classical colors to the song's acoustic-led power-ballad structure. James Hetfield wrote the song with Lars Ulrich, and Hetfield also plays the guitar solo on the studio recording. Kirk Hammett does not play on the original studio version.

The London Symphony Orchestra should not be confused with the San Francisco Symphony. The San Francisco Symphony performed with Metallica on the later live project S&M, recorded in 1999, where Kamen arranged and conducted the orchestral accompaniment.

“Nothing Else Matters” became one of Metallica's most widely recognized songs and was released as the album's third single in 1992. Its classical embellishment helped distinguish it from the band's heavier material while preserving the album's expanded, polished production style.