Michael Kamen arranged the orchestration for Metallica's “Nothing Else Matters” on The Black Album.
Kamen's arrangement expanded the song beyond its guitar-centered foundation by adding orchestral color. The London Symphony Orchestra performed the orchestral parts, giving the track a broader and more cinematic character.
“Nothing Else Matters” began as a private musical idea from James Hetfield, who initially did not expect it to become a Metallica song. Its finished arrangement became one of the album's best-known examples of the band's willingness to move beyond conventional thrash-metal formulas.
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 frequent source of confusion when listeners compare the recording's credits with later concert performances.