Metallica have landed their first UK number one album in 15 years with 72 Seasons.
The San Franciscan metal titans’ 11th album is their first UK chart-topper since 2008’s Death Magnetic: the band also scored number 1 albums in the UK with their 1991 self-titled fifth album (known universally as ‘The Black Album’), and with 1996’s Load.
72 Seasons outsold the rest of the UK Top 5 albums combined. The record also tops the Official Vinyl Albums Chart, and the Official Record Store Chart, as the week’s most-purchased LP in the UK’s independent record shops.
Speaking exclusively to Official Charts, Metallica were in a buoyant mood as they received the news of their success.
“Number 1 in the UK?” they say. “Spectacular! We’re grateful. Thank you, UK – we can’t wait to see you!”
For reference, here are the peak UK chart positions of each Metallica studio album, according to the Official Charts Company:
1. Kill ‘Em All (1983): Did not chart
2. Ride The Lightning (1984): 87
3. Master Of Puppets (1986): 41
4. …And Justice For All (1988): 4
5. Metallica (1991): 1
6. Load (1996): 1
7. Reload (1997): 4
8. St. Anger (2003): 3
9. Death Magnetic (2008): 1
10. Hard-wired To Self-Destruct (2016): 2
11. 72 Seasons (2023): 1
Metallica are on the cover of the new issue of Metal Hammer (opens in new tab), and also on the cover of Classic Rock (opens in new tab).
