Who had a hit international single with 'Nothing Else Matters'?

Casual Metallica fans might have been confused when the band released 'Nothing Else Matters' in 1991. A touchy-feely ballad that frontman James Hetfield had written about missing his then-girlfriend Kristen Martinez while on tour, the song was a far cry from the war and lightning imagery that had dominated Metallica’s past decade. But for fans who were paying attention, the song was the next logical step in the band’s progression.

It was on one of their hedonistic jaunts around the world that James Hetfield would write the lyrics to 'Nothing Else Matters'. Where the band’s previous ballads had been written about the horrors of war and the feelings of despair that resulted from the band's amps being stolen, 'Nothing Else Matters' was a breakthrough candid moment for Hetfield as a songwriter.

It’s hard to imagine early-90s Metallica being intimidated by anything, particularly given the legendary status of the 'Black Album' as one of the best-selling rock/metal records of all-time. 'Nothing Else Matters' broke Metallica to the mainstream in a way that has endured for decades. Whether re-visited when the band teamed back up with Michael Kamen for the orchestrally-reimagined 'S&M', covered by pop artists ranging from Miley Cyrus and Shakira to Post Malone or featured in everything from videos of ballet-dancing excavators to upcoming-Disney movies, the song has a palatability that has allowed it to thrive in pop culture.