Poll: What is your pick for the greatest album cover of the rock era?

"Nothing Else Matters" is a ballad, but it's still got a heaviness to it that was much different from the typical power ballads of the time. Such a kick ass song.

A musician can live multiple lifetimes without ever writing a song like this. James has many under his belt. Fade to Black, Master of Puppets, One, and the list goes on. Amazing.

It's a timeless classic that can be played on a grand piano in a concert hall. I would love to write such a masterpiece.

I played this song for my new wife at our wedding. My best friend, uncle, and brother in law were on guitar, bass, and drums, respectively. I arranged it off the Nimes performance so it started with just me until the big reveal of the three of them after the first chorus. It was incredible! Plus, took our wedding logo and put it on a pick of our wedding color. I mean, I was a champ, at least in my head.

"Noting Else Matters" is a truly great song I can barely listen to any longer. I met the first girl I had truly loved at the same time Metallica's "Black Album" debuted, and we soon began dating. She enjoyed this album but gravitated to this track, and over the course of years we would play it in the car on long spring drives or hold each other in the dark while it played in the background. It became "our song". After eight years, we married, only to have the relationship fall to pieces in less than a year. "Nothing Else Matters" always makes me think of her. I wish it didn't, because losing her has never entirely ceased hurting.

After 10 years working at Sam Goody and a not so harmonious departure, I went to work for a local music store. I really wanted to stick it to Goody so we released the Black Album at midnight on a Monday, beating all the chain stores to the punch. We had 200 cd copies, 50 vinyl records, and maybe 10 cassettes. The place was absolutely packed and we sold everything but two cassettes. I walked by Sam Goody on Tuesday morning and there was just a very small line. It was really vindictive on my part but it was really worth it!🖖🏼

The first four Metallica albums have a special and set apart place in metal music history. The Black Album dropped and everything changed: moms were blasting it while getting kids ready for school, Metallica shirts were on people of all ages, etc. “Nothing Else Matters” was the perfect song to introduce those that only thought of Metallica as “metal heads” to their newer and more approachable style. Love this song and album!

This album is definitely in my top 5. Iconic. My son was very much into music at the time. He used to get on his Sit 'n Spin and spin to the beat of the music. He would spin slowly and purposefully to the intro of "Sad But True." When the song would get to those few seconds of silence before the riff kicks in, my boy would stop, put his finger to his lips and go, "Shhhhhh!" Then he would start back up with spinning to the beat. My boy was 2 years old. He's 34 now. I can't listen to that song without hearing that "Shhhh!" Still my favorite Metallica song ever!

Happy Belated Birthday to James Hetfield, age 60 and still a heavy hammer on the hard rock/metal stage.

Going to see these guys in 3 and 5 days. Nothing Else Matters may have saved my life in 1992 as it encouraged me to live on despite other people in my life. I never realized it was a love song until recently and my wife wanted us to dance to it at our 25th vow renewals. Just Breathe is our song (4 shows with PJ coming up in a month), but this is a close 2nd. This was a great time to be a rock and roll music fan.

The Black album was a gateway for many new fans including myself. Nothing else Matters has always been my favorite and the numerous covers of it using all sorts of instruments show how phenomenal it is as it just translates in any way.

The Black Album was my gateway into Metallica, and while I wouldn't consider myself a huge fan, I pretty much like all their stuff. Sad But True is my personal favorite.

The Black album is definitely one of the best albums from front to back. My personal favorite is "My Friend Of Misery". That is one of the gems that don't get enough credit. ALL of the songs on this album are some of the best rock songs of all time. My first Metallica song I can remember hearing was "ONE", I remember playing CASTLEVANIA on the Nintendo with a friend who was a little older. He asked me if I wanted to hear his new cassette? I of course said well yeah. So I've been a fan ever since. Thanks for always bringing perspective to the music Adam. Peace and love y'all 🤟

I had a friend who was literally disgusted with this album. Now this guy was/is a true metal head to the core! To my knowledge, he never attended another Metallica concert. And I am quite sure that hard-core fans did not like this album. They might have lost a few fans, but, they gained new ones as well.

A classic it is indeed. I would still consider a quite risky song when you look at their history of relentless and iconic metal catalog. Always a pleasure to tune in man!

I was 18 when the Black Album came out. My metal loving friends I loved it as much as the previous albums. I still do. We had a rag tag band that I played rhythm guitar in, as I had just started learning to play 3 years earlier, and we would rehearse in the high school music room during lunchtime just for kicks. Being that this was our last year of high school, we screwed up the nerve to finally play our school talent night. We covered Nothing Else Matters and were bowled over by the crowd reaction after we finished. I still have the audio of that performance back in the spring of 1992 and still blows me away how we nailed it when I listen to it now. Nothing Else Matters meant so much to me then coming to the end of high school that it was the lyrics “Forever trusting who we are and nothing else matters” that was the quote under my graduation photo in the yearbook of my final high school year.

I didn't really pay much attention to Metallica as a kid, but I'm really enjoying rediscovering then as an adult. Didn't realize this was a love song. Another great one, Professor!!

Adam, this is a splendid example of where you put your ALL into the production of what you do. Transcending genres and showing what real talent and hard work went into the making of this great classic. Thanks for all that you do sir. You hit a home run.

Whether intentional or not, having a Jethro Tull album open over your shoulder while talking Metallica is MEGA!! So funny on so many levels

I had to listen to the song after I watched this episode. It was the first time that I had ever heard "Nothing Else Matters" In my life, and I'm 63.5 years old. When Metallica first came out All they did was scream close enough be legible. To think that Hetfield actually had a damn good singing voice all this time was amazing. "Nothing Else Matters" is going to be the first Metallica song to enter my personal playlist of favorites, and that says a lot. As of this post "Nothing Else Matters" has over 1.2 Billion views, and I was one of them. Thank you for introducing me to this beautiful song, Adam. You have introduced me to 30 songs that I would have never listened to normally and this is the latest one.

This story reminds me of another metal artist that have also felt the loneliness of touring and wrote it into music. Motley Crue wrote "Home Sweet Home" from that perspective and it also became one of their most popular songs, despite not being a hardcore metal song.

I can clearly remember hearing this album for the first time. I was in hospital at the time and a young man came in with this album in his Walkman.. I had a small mono tape player, and he wanted to share this new music. The first song he played was N E M and I was hooked... 14yrs later it was my Wedding song. The Black album is still on high rotation in my life 32yrs later.

It was this song that brought me to learn more about Metallica. I had heard a few songs and my friends had been friends for years but it had never been in my collection until the black album. I remember so many people saying the band had sold out and that it was so much a departure from what Metallica stood for. It was then I actually went back and bought Ride the Lightning and I loved it. So i went back and bought all of their other albums and became a real fan. I've had my ups and downs with the band since. After all these years I'm not sure where I stand with some of the members but I will always love the black album and every song on it. Nothing will ever change that.

no matter what genre you are labeled, you need to prove that you can sing. Everyone thought Hatfield was just a screamer until they heard 'nothing else matters'. the respect he earned from that song earned him and the band millions of new fans.

Elton John even complimented this song as one of the best songs ever written. I remember hearing this song for the first time and being blown away. I was just discovering my musical path (I thank my step brother for introducing me to metal in general), and Metallica was my first, and is still my most passionate love. This song came on and I was like...WOAH! I even had to get my dad to listen to it (he is mostly into 50's/60's "oldies") and I remember him not having a negative reaction at least. My favorite renditions of this song are on piano. Played with equal parts of gentleness and ferocity it gives me goosebumps EVERY time. I agree with your statement...if you don't like this song, you don't like music.

It works because at its heart, both musically and lyrically, it's a folk song. Musically, it stands in the pantheon of all the great American folk music. And lyrically, it's no longer just Hetfield's, but it's now "of the people." The ending still makes it a Metal song, but the whole of it is transcendent.

The entire Black album was a true masterpiece. It hooked me as a Metallica fan. Brilliant music through every single song on that album. I remember playing it on repeat over and over. Thanks for the details on this one!

Elton John telling the band it is one of the greatest songs ever written is truly high praise.

I’ll never listen to this album without tears in my eyes. Particularly Nothing else Matters.

After I first heard the Black album, "Nothing Else Matters" was instantly my favorite song from the whole album. There wasn't a very wide margin of difference between all the songs on the album, but King Nothing, Sad But True, and Of Wolf and Man were always the main tracks I went to right away. Enter Sandman was near the middle of the road for me when it came to just this album, because I wasn't in a place to need those particular lyrics at the time.

Thank you professor another great video as always. I first discovered Metallica in the late 80s. They instantly became my favorite band and still are today. They were the 1st concert I ever went to in February 1989. You know they always say the music you listen to as a teen will always stay with you and shape your musical interests. So in saying so, ...And Justice For All will always be my favorite Metallica album. And this was definitely not their 1st ballad. Fade to Black from their 2nd LP, Ride the Lightning was. A lot of "pure thrash" fans dismissed that as a turning point. Saying that they sold out. Theyre not hard anymore. And this happened again and again with the song, One on AJFA. Then with the song you covered today and Unforgiven. Then the Load / Reload era... everyone said "Oh they're sell outs" But in my opinion they did what they had to do to adapt to the changing times. They GREW together as a band and became more experimental with their next album St. Anger which has always been critiqued harshly. But all these different directions they went in they still remained true to themselves and the music and it only made them more better and legendary. Anyways my favorite track from the black album is Of Wolf and Man. Lol you will probably never hear anyone else say that... 3 chords and the truth

My dad had gotten Nothing Else Matters as a single and the B side was a live version of Enter Sandman. 11 year old me was blown away. This was my gateway to Metallica and I've been a huge fan ever since

One of the best songs of all time.

I saw them play during the Black album tour. I remember friends were all angry that they'd 'sold out', 'gone soft' with this album. I adored - and still love - this album. It was gutsy in a time when vulnerability wasn't exactly celebrated, especially for a metal band. Thank you, for bringing all the memories of that concert back.

The "Black Album" without a doubt brought Metallica to the forefront of popular music. Of course their earlier albums were groundbreaking, but I have to give a special nod of respect to the referenced "S&M" album. The amazing depth of music that was played by the guys in Metallica went to a whole new level when they were accompanied by an entire orchestra. That was really the first time I heard Rock taken to that level with additional arrangement. To me, that was Rock music that you didn't just listen to, but surrounded and carried you away.

I was there, playing in bands and making records just after. You won't be surprised, of course, but all bands found their members through a combination of word-of-mouth and the Recycler. There is something magic in the combination of a 25-line ad and a phone number. It represented a certain kind of commitment.

Proof positive: even head bangers need love. This is the quintessential metal love song--beautiful, soft, and still badass. Gotta say, too, that I LOVE Apocalyptica's cover from _Wednesday._

Anytime I hear anything from the Black Album, I am automatically transported back to 10th grade! We all had it, and it was definitely part of the soundtrack of that year!

I listen to the black album all the time and I get chills when ever nothing else matters plays and I’m just blown away by the music from beginning to end and nothing else matters such a great chilling song and as far as I can tell nothing else matters

When Elton John tells James Hetfield on Stern it is one of the most beautiful songs written ... ever... You have to take a moment to appreciate it.

At 19 I finally got "the girl" I had been pining for for years. Long story short we had our moment and then she found out she was pregnant. I came back from across the country only to find her involved with someone and to sum up we chose adoption. Fast forward 19 years later "the girl" emails me that my daughter wants to contact me. We start with email then to IM then Skype until finally months later she agrees to meet in person. I arrive and before I can knock or ring the bell all I hear is a baby grand piano from inside eloquently rendering "Nothing Else Matters". I never knew until today what the song was about or who wrote it but I also heard the lyrics in my own context and every time I hear the song I am brought to tears as I am now. In a great way 🤟😎

As a teenager in the 90s, I played this song for my mom as that one song by my favorite band that she wouldn't hate.

My wife's processional song at our marriage 10 years ago! Since then it has become our lifelong mantra...and Nothing Else Matters!

This is my number 1 song of all time. First time hearing it.....never felt that before or ever again with a other song.

Professor: my musical background was much like yours. I had a friend who had been talking up Metallica for some time. I really had no interest, then one day we were on a road trip coming down from a high school track meet in Yreka, CA. As we were passing Mt Shasta, sitting in the back of the bus, he and a fellow head-banging discus-thrower looked at me with great intent and joy and said, deviously: “it’s time”. He handed me the cassette Walkman, pressing play on Sanitarium from Master of Puppets. My eyebrows flew off my head and my body rocked in surrender - they both grinned with a victorious high-five. About a year later, the Black Album came out.

I was in high school when this came out. At the time, like you I saved money and spent it on records. I am also a musician and was the lead guitarist in a metal band when this came out. We covered Enter Sandman and people went crazy when we played it. This album made metal mainstream.

We truly are kindred spirits and I'm sure I'm not the only regular viewer that feels that way. When you describe your life and music from back in the day I relate so much. There are countless examples, but the Ken Griffey Jr. card really hit home in todays video. I treated mine like the prize of all prizes back then. It must have hurt to let that one go. Anyway, thanks for another adventure in nostalgia. As far as Nothing Else Matters, I think it's a perfect song. I used to get so excited when the video would come on MTV just after it came out. It was one of the first songs that I learned to play on guitar. I still turn up the volume when it plays on the radio or anything else. It truly is inspired art.

One month from today marks the day i met my wife 32 years ago in 1991. We married 5 years later on August 31. Nothing Else Matters was our song. Thru the years we have been thru so much stuff. Cancer, miscarriages, almost losing each other in a few close calls. We have overcome, we are still going strong. We always have each other at times, only eachother . . . And Nothing Else Matters.

Nothing Else Matters is a the most important song that I listen too. If I ever get in a mood or upset at the world I listen to few harder songs that come down to the slower pace of NEM. then I reach like a calmness that I can use to push away what ever is upsetting me. Then I listen to a couple more songs that bring the pace back up. When said and don I can go deal with what ever the problem is. Its almost like a combination of meditation and a spirit walk. But yes Nothing Else Matters is a very important song to me and Glad that James shared it.

My husband introduced me to Metallica when we started dating in '89. Before that, they hadn't been on my radar and I was surprised to find how much I liked them. They had way more talent then I'd given that kind of heavy metal credit for. It didn't hurt that my hubby was the singer of a band and he sounded almost exactly like James Hetfield. My husband got to talk to the band when they went to a local rock club after a concert in town that my hubby was hanging out at. They were really nice and listened to a tape of my husband's band and James Hetfield made the comment that my husband did sound a lot like him and that made my hubby's whole year 😊

There's not many albums i can listen to straight through without skipping songs, but the Black album is one of the few. I remember being a teenager in the 90s and hearing Nothing Else Matters and falling in love with the song, the instruments. That and Wherever I may Roam led me to listen to Metallica's other songs. I wasn't a metalhead per se, but the instrumental genius along with his voice was just enchanting.

Professor, from October 1987 to February 1989 I DJ'ed heavy metal on a small market radio station in Maryland. I knew very little about metal other than the music I listened to in the 70s and early 80s. I thought most of Thrash and Speed and Death Metal was garbage, until I listened to Fade to Black and Master of Puppets. Then I was hooked on Metallica. I was bar tending a wedding several years ago and the couple used this song as their first dance. I was blown away and quite impressed.

I remember my nephew putting headphones on my head & saying "Aunt, listen to this!" It was this song! He loved the drums in this song & nearly blew my eardrums with the volume! His daddy, my brother was a prolific drummer.

Elton John covered Nothing Else Matters 2 years ago for some lockdown sessions, and he thought that was one of the best songs ever written. Theres a whole video about it where Metalica & Miley Cyrus are on The Howard Stern Show, to where Elton was a guest. After Elton said Nothing Else Matters was one of the best songs ever written, James teared up. If you get a compliment from Elton John like that, then, thats another level.

Nothing Else Matters is the song that got me into Metallica and it will always be one of my most favorite songs of theirs. Thank you so much for this video!

Can’t believe you didn’t finish with the clip of Elton John. Acknowledging that’s it’s one of the best songs of all time. It brings James to tears.

Once upon a time, I was a new graduate from HS at my first job at a Texaco gas ⛽ station when I met James and the band as they traveled Interstate 5 in southern Oregon. At the time, I didn't have a clue who they were, I just knew I loved the painting on the side of their bus of a horserace that I had watched the year before. Being a horsewoman at the time, it caught my attention in a big way. But that's not what kept my attention. No, that was James Hatfield who did that. As the band and their girlfriends got out of the bus, he seemed to be the only one of them alone, so we struck up a conversation that lasted close to an hour. I don't remember what we talked about, I just remember it being an interesting conversation. It wasn't until a week or 2 later when my boyfriend's buddy had a heavy metal magazine where I saw them all again and said to my bf's buddy that I had met them a few days before. Randy (the buddy) freaked out because I didn't call him to come meet them. 🤷🏻‍♀️ That was my intro to Metallica. I've loved their music ever since, especially Nothing Else Matters and Enter the Sandman. 😍

This song made me a Metallica fan- I had always liked them from a distance, let's say, but the feeling in this song sealed the deal. I find as I get older (49 now) that the songs I connected with when I was younger, are the songs that have true feeling- genuine emotion that comes out in the performance- like David Gilmour's solo in Comfortably Numb- or Marie Fredrikkson of Roxette... this list goes on. I wore out my Metallica Black tape in my car. Timeless.

If there is one thing that disappeared and were vastly mourned it was the Rock Ballad.

Kill 'Em All, Ride the Lightning, and Master of Puppets: Those are the three essential Metallica albums. And "Creeping Death" gets my vote for the single greatest heavy metal song of all time. It's completely badass. (The rest of my top ten are mostly Iron Maiden and Ronnie James Dio tracks.)

Love is love. And it is universal. ❤

Never cared for what they do. Their empty sound leaves me flat and his vocal style has always made my eyes roll involuntarily. This song is probably as close to one I could almost like as any, though, so I will grant you that it's one of their best.

This is the song my wife and I used for our first dance at our wedding in 2001.

One of the things I always appreciated about Metallica was the fact that they DIDN'T do sappy love songs, jiggle your tts, brag about my prowess type songs. It was only a little while ago that I even found out this was actually a love ballad. I still like it though, because it can be sentimental without being sappy, has an edge, hits hard enough, and is so well composed (like the rest of their works through that time), that it's not just hard to fault, but actually amazing. The black album brought them into the mainstream in ways that earlier works had not, but I had friends who introduced me to all the pre 90's stuff. I never got into the later works, dunno why. Guess I need a Metallica appreciation course...

One of my Favorite Metallica songs. And there are many great songs.

Adam! (I hope you'll see this!) I've been in love with Professor of Rock for years and didn't know you were from Blackfoot, Idaho! I grew up in Rigby, Idaho, "the birthplace of television." I graduated high school there at 17 in 1987. I love your channel so much! Thank you so much for keeping my childhood alive and scribing music into our hearts! You're as much a legend as the artists you cover!

Metallica cranked this song to 11 when S&M released with the San Francisco symphony orchestra. I love that version even more than the original so much emotion and power. It takes some big stones to show your vulnerable side to the world.

'Nothing Else Matters' alone compelled a necessary immediate purchase of the their filth album, 'Metallica: Black Album' and it was/is a favorite played consecutively; over and over again. Though their music never appealed before then since motivation of sound seemed based in rage; 'Nothing Else Matters' opened the auditory drama, their persona and the whole artistic presentation of the band. Metallica's music has remained relevant to the current day and can't imagine that to change. To the current day, it's a favorite Group and love all Hetfield's music up to the current day. The 'Moscow Concert' with Metallica playing 'Sandman' is one to the most epic video's of a Live Concert over presented to date.

One of those albums that’s really top notch from start to finish. It really holds together as a cohesive work of art. I wore that thing out when I first heard it and I’m glad you reminded me of how much I liked it.

My memory of this track was a the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert. I had heard of Metallica, but never heard anything from them. The entered the stage with "Sandman" and blown away doesn't cover it. The way it just keeps building. "Nothing else Matters" is amazing. I didn't think, from what I had heard, Metallica could do such a beautiful song.

Their finest hour! An absolute classic of any genre and so beautifully simple.

9:07 "Let's be clear, Nothing Else Matters is a perfect song. Haters be damned."

I wonder how many people realize that Hatfields vocals in the video for Nothing Else Matters are the actual vocals used on the track that were recorded on The Black Album

James you sir should be proud of what you created this song is timeless even 32 years later.

Another reason we subscribe Professor! See you tomorrow! 🤘🔥

The Unforgiven is also pretty damned amazing. I think these tracks also opened the door for bands like Opeth and Mastodon to produce some more sensitive music, and we're all better off for it.

Just sang my heart out to this song in my car on my way to work this morning . I remember this song was everywhere on the radio and MTV in the early 90’s. I only listen to it on special occasions. Since it’s James 60th b day and the fact the Professor made this awesome video. Have and will always love this song

Nothing else matters is my favorite Metallica song. I'm so glad he decided to record and release it

I love that magazine image. Open hands, humble, open body language. "The 1000 days that changed them forever" Hey, some people never change. So Kudos to them. I don't trust bands that won't ever be vulnerable. Not that you need to trust them to enjoy them.... but.... I feel like I tend to bond with creative people if I trust them.

Love what you said about nothing else matters,just awesome pro of rock

Favorite song on the black album, definitely _Unforgiven_ !!

I was a huge fan of Metallica starting back in 1985 I believe. I kind of lost track of popular culture when I joined the service in 1989. After Desert Storm and being relieved in Kuwait City we took some down time in a bar on the Naval Support Activity base in Bahrain in December of 1991. This is when I first heard Nothing Else Matters. I was thinking, "this sounds like Metallica" and after some recon my suspicions were confirmed. 😂 I then heard Enter Sandman the next night and I knew I had to track down that album immediately. Still one of my favorite albums of all time!

Thirty years ago Metallica's Black Album, and Ozzy Osbourne's Speak of the Devil album were my introduction to Metal. I was 14, and I haven't looked back. 🤘

I don't know if anyone else has said this already, but James Hetfield and Elton John were recently on a talk show together. Elton John brought James Hetfield to tears when he called Nothing Else Matters the best song ever written.

These don't normally make me cry.

A song without poetry is a empty shall without a soul

You are the greatest keep turning them out

The Black Album was my first real exposure to Metallica other than through my older siblings. Nothing Else Matters was one of the first Metallica songs I ever fell in love with. Such a great story!

I can't wait to see them again in a few weeks.

I knew exactly what you were talking about 20 seconds in because of the Howard Stern performance they did in like 2011 when their movie came out. Awesome song!

. . . It made me hurl. When that album came out I was lookin for another track like Sandman or a new Shortest Straw, . . .& we got Nothing Else Matters 😕. (another bad ass shirt there Prof!)

Bang on, agree with your analysis of this track. Still have my 12" single which i used back in the 90's when Djing at dance clubs and Enter Sandman was also thrown in my sets as well, it went down well, 1000 people head banging after dancing to electronica, gold . Nothing Else Matters was my end of night, go home, be good people track. Oldness. 😊

The whole album is stellar, but two of my favorite songs - that don't usually get mentioned - 'Of Wolf and Man' & 'Through the Never '.

My husband's favorite concert was And Justice!!! My first was Black and it was superb!!

Great song. This song segways nicely into Enter Sandaman at their concerts. Despite any problems that we might have, when you listen to Metallica, Nothing Else Matters.

While I can appreciate Metallica, I was never a fan but I did love this and a couple of other songs! I appreciate you. So many memories for me as you highlight these songs and bands!

I was never a hard metal fan, so I didn't follow Metallica. But I do remember the first time I heard this song. It was the background music to a beautiful ice skating routine by Oona and Gage Brown that they filmed in the early morning hours at an outdoor skating rink in New York. I fell in love with it and watched that video over and over. I think it was a cover of this song, but it still captured my heart. If you haven't seen it, I recommend watching it. Thanks for telling the story behind it, Adam. Have an excellent day.

One of my favorite songs, one of three Metallica songs that I listen to everyday at the gym

I was in grade 8 when the Black album (Metallica - Metallica) was released. I'll never forget there was a girl in class chatting to one of my buds, asked him if he heard of the new band called Metallica? After a good laugh we educated her.