Metallica Joins Pink Floyd And Bob Marley In A Historic Feat

The Black Album moves up on the Billboard 200 this week as it hits 800 total weeks—joining titles by Pink Floyd, Bob Marley, and Journey. EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – AUGUST 04: James Hetfield of Metallica performs at MetLife Stadium on August 04, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

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Metallica never really disappears from the Billboard charts. Some weeks, the band is simply holding on, while at other moments, it’s making history. This frame, the metal icons add another major milestone to a list of countless others, as the group’s most successful album joins a very, very exclusive club.

The Black Album Reaches 800 Weeks on Billboard 200

The band’s self-titled full-length — commonly known as The Black Album — has now spent 800 weeks on the Billboard 200. As it reaches that landmark, the set becomes just the fourth title in United States history to hit that mark, joining a tiny club that includes Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon (990 weeks), Bob Marley and the Wailers’ Legend (898), and Journey’s Greatest Hits (868).

The Black Album Moves Up the Billboard 200

The project moves up the Billboard 200 during this exciting frame, lifting from No. 162 to No. 154. Luminate reports that the full-length moved another 10,000 equivalent units, with 2,300 of those being pure sales. Most of that total came from streaming activity, which has helped extend the lifespan of older records.

Metallica Hits a Milestone on the Hard Rock Albums Chart

Metallica also hits milestones on several genre-specific charts. Last frame, the title became one of a very small number of releases to spend 500 weeks on Billboard’s Top Hard Rock Albums roster. This week, it slips slightly to No. 13, but reenters the top 40 on the broader Top Rock & Alternative Albums list.

Creedence Clearwater Revival May Be Next to Join the Club

Only one other set is currently on track to join the 800-week club any time soon. Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits has now logged 757 frames on the Billboard 200, and will almost certainly reach the same milestone within a year, as like Metallica’s Black Album, it’s a fixture on the tally.

The Black Album Cemented Metallica’s Legacy

Metallica became the band’s commercial breakthrough back in 1991. The album produced crossover smashes like “Enter Sandman,” “Nothing Else Matters,” and “The Unforgiven,” which all helped bring heavy metal to a mainstream audience. It’s still the group’s top-selling release — and more than three decades later, it remains one of the most successful rock albums in American history.