Which song from Metallica’s The Black Album was written by James Hetfield while he was on tour?

“Nothing Else Matters” was written by James Hetfield while he was on tour.

Hetfield initially wrote the song for himself while feeling homesick and separated from people close to him. He did not originally intend it to become a Metallica track, but Lars Ulrich heard the idea and encouraged its development for the album.

The song became one of Metallica’s best-known power ballads. Its opening is built around an E minor arpeggio, and the arrangement includes orchestral parts written by composer Michael Kamen.

The studio recording is notable because Kirk Hammett does not play on it; Hetfield performed the guitar solo. “Nothing Else Matters” was released as the album’s third single in 1992 and reached number six on the UK Singles Chart.