Metallica's 1991 album, commonly called The Black Album, topped the Billboard 200 for four consecutive weeks.
The Billboard 200 ranks albums and extended plays in the United States using consumption data that includes sales and, in later eras, streaming and other measurements. In 1991, Metallica's album became the band's first release to reach number one on that chart. It debuted at the top after selling 598,000 copies in its first week.
The result represented a major change in the band's commercial position. Earlier albums such as Master of Puppets and ...And Justice for All had built a large following, but the self-titled album reached listeners well beyond the established thrash-metal audience.
The Billboard 200 should not be confused with the Billboard Hot 100, which ranks individual songs. “Enter Sandman” appeared on the Hot 100 and peaked at number 16, while the album itself made its historic impact on the album chart.