All Metallica Albums In Order According To Sales

Since the very first day it was formed, Metallica sure has no intention of getting down from its throne, breaking records while also achieving so many great successes along the way. So, in this list, we wanted to give you a glimpse of the enormous career Metallica has, revealing all their albums and details along with their sales and more.

Formed in Los Angeles in 1981, Metallica has become the biggest metal band of all time, growing its endless fanbase still along with its aggressive and loud music. Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield are active members of the band, as are Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo. Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield were also founding members of the band. They have a large fan base and have been gaining great respect in the music industry.

Continuing their music career for 4 decades, Metallica released 10 studio albums, 8 live albums, 3 extended plays, 43 singles, 10 video albums, 42 music videos, 1 soundtrack album, 1 collaboration album, and 3 box sets, so far, breaking sale records selling over 121 million among many other successes of its.

So, here are the best albums of Metallica along with their sale details of all time, down below.

Which is Metallica’s most-selling album?

The self-titled “The Black Album” is the most popular album by the band. In 2022, the album has sold over 28.3 million copies worldwide, which means that it is the top-selling album of Metallica.

What is the order of Metallica’s albums?

• 1983 – ‘Kill ‘Em All
• 1984 – ‘Ride the Lightning’
• 1986 – ‘Master of Puppets’
• 1988 – ‘… And Justice for All
• 1991 – ‘Metallica’
• 1996 – ‘Load’
• 1997 – ‘Reload’
• 1998 – ‘Garage Inc.’
• 1999 – ‘S&M’
• 2003 – ‘St. Anger’
• 2008 – ‘Death Magnetic’
• 2011 – ‘Lulu’ (With Lou Reed)
• 2016 – ‘Hardwired … to Self-Destruct’

Hardwired… to Self-Destruct

Sale: 3.14 million

The tenth and latest studio album of Metallica, Hardwired… to Self-Destruct was released as a double album and first studio album in eight years following Death Magnetic (2008), on November 18, 2016. The album has also marked the longest gap between two studio albums in the band’s career, as its ranking marked the second time in history that any band of any genre would have six consecutive albums debut at number one. So, Metallica debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 291,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, and topping the charts in 57 countries, with its sixth consecutive studio album, Hardwired… to Self-Destruct, while it is also ranked as his favorite album of the band by Lars Ulrich.

• USA: 1,290,000
• Canada: 210,000
• Latin America: 320,000
• Brazil: 35,000
• Mexico: 200,000
• Argentina: 40,000
• Asia: 127,000
• Japan: 65,000
• Australia: 65,000
• NZ: 12,500
• ROW: 30,000

 

• Europe: 1,090,000
• UK: 145,000
• Germany: 400,000
• France: 115,000
• Italy: 40,000
• Spain: 35,000
• Netherlands: 40,000
• Sweden: 10,000
• Switzerland: 40,000
• Austria: 32,500
• Finland: 10,000

St. Anger

Sale: 5,050,000

Even though Metallica went far away from its signature style on St. Anger, the album provided fans an alternative metal style and raw production, as there are no guitar solos in any songs as well. So, this whole new style granted them a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance while the album was certified double platinum for shipping two million copies in the US along with selling nearly six million copies worldwide despite the mixed reviews. It also debuted at the top of sales charts in 14 countries, as well.

• USA: 2,000,000
• Canada: 230,000
• Latin America: 260,000
• Brazil: 80,000
• Mexico: 90,000
• Argentina: 35,000
• Asia: 496,000
• Japan: 275,000
• Australia: 165,000
• NZ: 35,000
• ROW: 49,000

 

• Europe: 1,810,000
• UK: 280,000
• Germany: 470,000
• France: 165,000
• Italy: 125,000
• Spain: 95,000
• Netherlands: 70,000
• Sweden: 95,000
• Switzerland: 67,500
• Austria: 40,000
• Finland: 36,000

Death Magnetic

Sale: 5,330,000

The first Metallica album to feature bassist Robert Trujillo, the band’s ninth studio album Death Magnetic won three Grammy Awards out of its six nominations along with receiving positive reviews. After St. Anger, Metallica returned to the band’s thrash metal roots while also their long guitar solos from Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield came back with more complex compositions. The album also includes the band’s first instrumental piece, “Suicide & Redemption,” after “To Live Is to Die” from …And Justice for All.

• USA: 2,100,000
• Canada: 360,000
• Latin America: 310,000
• Brazil: 60,000
• Mexico: 120,000
• Argentina: 65,000
• Asia: 283,000
• Japan: 145,000
• Australia: 190,000
• NZ: 35,000
• ROW: 56,000
• Europe: 2,000,000
• UK: 340,000
• Germany: 550,000
• France: 175,000
• Italy: 105,000
• Spain: 65,000
• Netherlands: 85,000
• Sweden: 100,000
• Switzerland: 65,000
• Austria: 40,000
• Finland: 80,000

Kill ‘Em All

Sale: 8,510,000

Before almost 40 years from now, Metallica debuted with Kill ‘Em All in 1983 with a wholly unique musical approach and lyrics inspiring other bands after them, as well. At the time of its release, the album was critically praised and gained enormous regard for its “precise musicianship, which fused new wave of British heavy metal riffs with hardcore punk tempos,” as well. And throughout the years, the debut album of Metallica was certified 3× Platinum after selling over three million copies in the United States, as it also managed to peak at number 155 on the Billboard 200 in 1986.

• USA: 4,500,000
• Canada: 360,000
• Latin America: 510,000
• Brazil: 120,000
• Mexico: 190,000
• Argentina: 90,000
• Asia: 539,000
• Japan: 225,000
• Australia: 175,000
• NZ: 35,000
• ROW: 80,000

 

• Europe: 2,310,000
• UK: 390,000
• Germany: 575,000
• France: 205,000
• Italy: 160,000
• Spain: 125,000
• Netherlands: 100,000
• Sweden: 100,000
• Switzerland: 65,000
• Austria: 30,000
• Finland: 50,000

Reload

Sale: 8,940,00

The seventh album of Metallica was released on November 18, 1997, as a follow-up to their previous album, Load, as it also featured the …And Justice for All-era lineup for the last time before bassist Jason Newsted left the band in January 2001. Debuting at number one on the Billboard 200, Reload sold 436,000 copies in its first week along with being certified 3× platinum later for shipping three million copies in the United States.

• USA: 4,475,000
• Canada: 345,000
• Latin America: 640,000
• Brazil: 190,000
• Mexico: 215,000
• Argentina: 95,000
• Asia: 622,000
• Japan: 275,000
• Australia: 240,000
• NZ: 45,000
• ROW: 71,000

 

• Europe: 2,500,000
• UK: 240,000
• Germany: 770,000
• France: 200,000
• Italy: 150,000
• Spain: 155,000
• Netherlands: 145,000
• Sweden: 155,000
• Switzerland: 65,000
• Austria: 45,000
• Finland: 47,000

 

Load

Sale: 11,490,000

Selling 680,000 units in its first week, Metallica made its biggest opening week with Load, as well as the biggest debut of 1996, as it also spent four consecutive weeks at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. So, the sixth studio album of the regarded band was certified 5× platinum shipping five million copies in the United States while also shifting the band’s music toward hard rock and away from their thrash metal roots again.

• USA: 5,425,000
• Canada: 580,000
• Latin America: 830,000
• Brazil: 265,000
• Mexico: 265,000
• Argentina: 120,000
• Asia: 922,000
• Japan: 450,000
• Australia: 300,000
• NZ: 55,000
• ROW: 89,000

 

• Europe: 3,920,000
• UK: 330,000
• Germany: 920,000
• France: 375,000
• Italy: 240,000
• Spain: 185,000
• Netherlands: 145,000
• Sweden: 185,000
• Switzerland: 80,000
• Austria: 70,000
• Finland: 65,000

Ride the Lightning

Sale: 11,740,000

After Cliff Burton introduced the basics of music theory to his bandmates, the album showcased the band’s musical and the songs’ lyrics’ sophistication improvement as the band had put more input into the songwriting. Recorded in just three weeks, the second album of Metallica, Ride the Lightning got its title from a passage in Stephen King’s novel The Stand, in which a character uses the phrase to refer to execution by electric chair. And the album’s songs employed acoustic guitars, extended instrumentals, and more complex harmonies instead of relying heavily on fast tempos as on its debut Kill ‘Em All. The album was also the last album having Dave Mustaine contributed to the songwriting while it also featured Kirk Hammett‘s contributions for the first time. Selling over half a million by November 1987, the second album of Metallica was also certified 6x platinum later in 2012 for shipping six million copies in the United States.

• USA: 6,950,000
• Canada: 590,000
• Latin America: 530,000
• Brazil: 125,000
• Mexico: 205,000
• Argentina: 85,000
• Asia: 593,000
• Japan: 250,000
• Australia: 230,000
• NZ: 45,000
• ROW: 109,000

 

• Europe: 2,690,000
• UK: 480,000
• Germany: 690,000
• France: 250,000
• Italy: 165,000
• Spain: 105,000
• Netherlands: 125,000
• Sweden: 190,000
• Switzerland: 60,000
• Austria: 35,000
• Finland: 60,000

Master of Puppets

Sale: 13,980,000

The last album to feature bassist Cliff Burton before he died in a bus accident in Sweden during the album’s promotional tour,  Master of Puppets was the third studio album of Metallica recorded in Denmark, the hometown of the band’s drummer Lars Ulrich, and released in 1986. Receiving widespread acclaim from critics for its music and political lyrics, Master of Puppets consolidated the thrash metal scene along with becoming the first metal recording to be selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” The album was certified six-times platinum in 2003 for shipping six million copies in the United States, as it also peaked at number 29 on the Billboard 200.

• USA: 7,975,000
• Canada: 700,000
• Latin America: 640,000
• Brazil: 130,000
• Mexico: 275,000
• Argentina: 100,000
• Asia: 1,015,000
• Japan: 625,000
• Australia: 300,000
• NZ: 60,000
• ROW: 130,000

 

• Europe: 3,160,000
• UK: 605,000
• Germany: 770,000
• France: 260,000
• Italy: 180,000
• Spain: 160,000
• Netherlands: 155,000
• Sweden: 220,000
• Switzerland: 85,000
• Austria: 40,000
• Finland: 70,000

…And Justice for All

Sale: 15,840,000

The first album that was released after the death of bassist Cliff Burton in 1986, …And Justice for All is the fourth studio album of Metallica, featuring their new bassist Jason Newsted for the first time as well. Containing political and legal injustices in their song lyrics, the album provided aggressive complexity, fast tempos, and few verse-chorus structures through its music in the meantime and was praised by music critics for those and more.

On the other side, even though the album has caught great success being certified 8× platinum in 2003 for shipping eight million copies in the U.S and peaking at number six on the Billboard 200, it couldn’t win a Grammy Award in 1989 as it was nominated but beaten to Jethro Tull in the ill-fated Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Vocal or Instrumental category. Later in 2018, the album was reissued in vinyl, CD, and cassette formats, as well as receiving a deluxe box set treatment with bonus tracks and unreleased video footage, peaking at number 37 and 42 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales and Top Rock Albums charts, respectively.

• USA: 9,700,000
• Canada: 825,000
• Latin America: 800,000
• Brazil: 260,000
• Mexico: 260,000
• Argentina: 110,000
• Asia: 725,000
• Japan: 320,000
• Australia: 380,000
• NZ: 75,000
• ROW: 137,000

 

• Europe: 3,200,000
• UK: 500,000
• Germany: 900,000
• France: 280,000
• Italy: 190,000
• Spain: 180,000
• Netherlands: 160,000
• Sweden: 165,000
• Switzerland: 70,000
• Austria: 60,000
• Finland: 55,000

Metallica

Sale: 30,790,000

Also known as The Black Album, the self-titled fifth album of Metallica was released in 1991 after eight months of lasting studio sessions, marking a change in the band’s music from the thrash metal style of their previous four albums to a slower, heavier, and more refined sound. Alongside the album, Metallica also released five singles, which are still the band’s best-known songs, to promote the album, “Enter Sandman”, “The Unforgiven”, “Nothing Else Matters”, “Wherever I May Roam”, and “Sad but True.”

Receiving widespread critical acclaim, Metallica aka. The Black Album has become the regarded band’s best-selling album, along with one of the best-selling albums worldwide, as well. Certified 16× platinum, the fifth album of Metallica has also as sold over sixteen million copies in the United States, peaking at number one in ten countries as well as spending four consecutive weeks at the top of the Billboard 200. So, The Black Album became the first album of Metallica to top the album charts along with becoming the fourth release in American history to enter the 550-week milestone on the Billboard 200.

• USA: 17,150,000
• Canada: 1,800,000
• Latin America: 1,730,000
• Brazil: 450,000
• Mexico: 575,000
• Argentina: 330,000
• Asia: 1,699,000
• Japan: 660,000
• Australia: 875,000
• NZ: 175,000
• ROW: 274,000

 

• Europe: 7,090,000
• UK: 1,150,000
• Germany: 2,025,000
• France: 625,000
• Italy: 450,000
• Spain: 260,000
• Netherlands: 365,000
• Sweden: 390,000
• Switzerland: 155,000
• Austria: 135,000
• Finland: 120,000

Above all, there is no doubt that also 2021 provided lots of things to celebrate for Metallica as the regarded band has also completed its 40th year in the music industry, while they have never stopped running through much more success like they always do. And as the latest update for their success, the regarded metal band has revealed their 2021 streaming glory with its fans through their social media account on December 31, 2021, sharing that they were being listened to 1.3 billion times through Spotify during 2021.

Ultimately,  it’s no shocker that such a regarded band Metallica has such a history filled with success, especially if we consider their devotion to the music which also can be seen in the amazing songs and lyrics they provided throughout their long-serving career for 4 decades. So, we also have gathered Metallica’s best songs from each album, as we also tried to explain their stories.