Metallica is the self-titled fifth studio album by the American heavy metal

Heavy metal music

Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...

 band Metallica

Metallica

Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...

. Mainly produced by Bob Rock

Bob Rock

Robert Jens Rock, , is a Canadian musician, sound engineer, and record producer best known for producing bands such as Aerosmith, The Cult, Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe, 311, Metallica, Our Lady Peace, The Offspring and most recently Bush.-Payola$ and Rock and Hyde:Rock began his music career in Langford,...

, it was released on August 12, 1991 through Elektra Records

Elektra Records

Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....

 to critical acclaim. Metallica produced six hit singles that are considered today among the band's best-known songs: "Enter Sandman

Enter Sandman

"Enter Sandman" is a 1991 song by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released as the first single from their eponymous fifth album, Metallica. The music was written by Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich...

", "Don't Tread on Me

Don't Tread on Me (Metallica song)

"Don't Tread on Me" is a song by the American heavy metal band Metallica, from the eponymous fifth album, Metallica. The title is connected with the American Revolutionary War...

", "The Unforgiven

The Unforgiven (song)

"The Unforgiven" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released as the second single from their eponymous fifth album Metallica...

", "Nothing Else Matters

Nothing Else Matters

"Nothing Else Matters" is a song by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released as the third single from its self-titled fifth studio album, Metallica. The song peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart as well as top-ten positions on many European charts...

", "Wherever I May Roam

Wherever I May Roam

"Wherever I May Roam" is a song by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released as the fourth single from their eponymous fifth album, Metallica.-Music:...

", and "Sad but True

Sad But True

"Sad but True" is a song by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released as the fifth and final single from their eponymous fifth album, Metallica....

". The band promoted the album with a series of tours. In 2003, the album was ranked number 252 on Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...

s list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time

The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time

"The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is the title of a 2003 special issue of American magazine Rolling Stone, and a related book published in 2005.Related news articles:...

.