<P> Metallica ( commonly known as The Black Album ) is the self - titled fifth studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica . Released on August 12 , 1991 by Elektra Records , it received widespread critical acclaim and became the band 's best - selling album . Metallica produced five singles that are considered to be among the band 's best - known songs , which include `` Enter Sandman '' , `` The Unforgiven '' , `` Nothing Else Matters '' , `` Wherever I May Roam '' , and `` Sad but True '' . A sixth song , `` Do n't Tread on Me '' , was also issued to rock radio shortly after the album 's release , but the song did not receive a commercial single release . The album marked a change in the band 's sound from the thrash metal style of the previous four albums to a slower and heavier one rooted in heavy metal . Metallica promoted the album with a series of tours . In 2003 , the album was ranked number 252 on Rolling Stone 's 500 greatest albums of all time . </P>
<P> Metallica ( commonly known as The Black Album ) is the self - titled fifth studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica . Released on August 12 , 1991 by Elektra Records , it received widespread critical acclaim and became the band 's best - selling album . Metallica produced five singles that are considered to be among the band 's best - known songs , which include `` Enter Sandman '' , `` The Unforgiven '' , `` Nothing Else Matters '' , `` Wherever I May Roam '' , and `` Sad but True '' . A sixth song , `` Do n't Tread on Me '' , was also issued to rock radio shortly after the album 's release , but the song did not receive a commercial single release . The album marked a change in the band 's sound from the thrash metal style of the previous four albums to a slower and heavier one rooted in heavy metal . Metallica promoted the album with a series of tours . In 2003 , the album was ranked number 252 on Rolling Stone 's 500 greatest albums of all time . </P>
when did metallica 's black album come out
when did metallica 's black album come out
August 12 , 1991
August 12 , 1991