35 Years Ago Today: One of the 'Best-Selling Rock Albums Ever' Was Released and Hit No. 1

Thirty-five years ago today, Metallica made a gamble that still shakes stadiums. On Aug. 12, 1991, the band released its self-titled fifth album—universally known as The Black Album—and transformed heavy metal from a subculture into mass entertainment.

Its staying power is difficult to overstate. In 2025, Billboard reported that the album had earned a rare 20-times-platinum certification, representing 20 million units in the United States. That puts it in the same commercial class as landmark releases from Michael Jackson, the Eagles and AC/DC.

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‘Enter Sandman’ Opened the Door

The album’s first few seconds explain much of its success. “Enter Sandman” begins with Kirk Hammett’s ominous guitar figure before the full band crashes into one of rock’s most recognizable riffs.

The song peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100, an extraordinary crossover for a band that had previously avoided conventional radio singles. It remains more than a hit: The Associated Press notes that Virginia Tech has used “Enter Sandman” as its football entrance anthem since 2000, turning the track into a game-day ritual for another generation.

Metallica did not simply soften its sound to reach that audience. Working with producer Bob Rock, the band traded some of its sprawling thrash-metal arrangements for slower tempos, thicker grooves and cleaner hooks. The result sounded streamlined without becoming harmless.

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The Risk Created a Rock Landmark

The official Metallica discography confirms the Aug. 12 release date and a tracklist stacked with enduring songs, including “Sad but True,” “The Unforgiven,” “Wherever I May Roam” and “Nothing Else Matters.”

The album became Metallica’s first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and began a run of five consecutive chart-topping studio albums, a record-setting achievement noted by the Recording Academy. It also won the 1992 Grammy for best metal performance.

What makes The Black Album worth revisiting is not merely its sales total. It demonstrates how an established act can expand its audience without discarding the qualities that made it distinct. Metallica simplified the delivery, not the intensity.

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