“Enter Sandman” was the first Black Album song to be written but the last to receive lyrics. That unusual sequence helped make the track a distinctive centerpiece of Metallica's 1991 breakthrough.
The song began as one of four album demos recorded on August 13, 1990, alongside “The Unforgiven,” “Nothing Else Matters,” and “Wherever I May Roam.” Although its musical ideas were established early, the words were completed later than those of the other songs.
“Enter Sandman” became the album's lead single on July 29, 1991, before the full album was released. It reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified platinum by the RIAA.
The song's promotional video was directed by Wayne Isham and won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Rock Video at the 1992 ceremony. Its opening position also made it the first track on the standard album.