“Enter Sandman” was released as the lead single from Metallica’s 1991 album, The Black Album.
The single arrived on July 29, 1991, shortly before the album’s August release. It introduced many listeners to Metallica’s more streamlined sound, combining a memorable guitar riff with lyrics about childhood fears, nightmares, and bedtime imagery. The song was written by James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, and Kirk Hammett.
“Enter Sandman” became one of Metallica’s signature songs. It reached number 16 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 10 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart. Its music video, directed by Wayne Isham, received heavy rotation and later won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Rock Video in 1992.
The song is sometimes confused with “Nothing Else Matters” because both became major crossover hits from the same album. However, “Enter Sandman” was the first single, while “Nothing Else Matters” was released later in 1992. The song’s opening riff also helped make it a frequent choice for sports broadcasts and live-event soundtracks.