Who arranged the orchestral part on Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters”?

Michael Kamen arranged the orchestral part on Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters.”

The song is one of the most distinctive tracks on The Black Album because it combines Metallica’s rock instrumentation with an orchestral arrangement. Kamen prepared the arrangement, and the London Symphony Orchestra performs the orchestral parts on the studio recording. Randy Staub also contributed tambourine to the track.

“Nothing Else Matters” began as a private guitar piece James Hetfield wrote while touring. He initially did not expect it to become a Metallica song, but the band developed it into a full recording. The track’s reflective lyrics and clean guitar opening made it unusually intimate for a major Metallica single.

Kirk Hammett does not play on the studio recording, despite appearing in the music video and performing the song live with the band. That detail is a common source of confusion, but it does not change Kamen’s orchestral-arrangement credit.