Which song did James Hetfield write as a love song for Metallica’s The Black Album?

James Hetfield wrote “Nothing Else Matters” as a love song for Metallica’s The Black Album.

Hetfield wrote the song while he was away on tour and thinking about his then-girlfriend. Its subject and arrangement differed from the band’s usual aggressive material, featuring a prominent clean-guitar introduction, reflective lyrics, and orchestral elements added during production.

The song was initially considered unusually personal for Metallica. It later became one of the album’s most recognizable tracks and was released as its third commercial single on April 20, 1992. The single reached number six in both the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Although Hetfield wrote the song’s core material, the official songwriting credit is shared by Hetfield and Lars Ulrich. The track is sometimes mistaken for a song written by the whole band or for a composition centered on touring itself; its origin was specifically Hetfield’s private feelings while on the road.