Three Metallica albums — Master of Puppets, Ride the Lightning and Kill ‘Em All — return to charts in the U.K., sometimes multiple rosters. WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 20: Kirk Hammett, Lars Ulrich, Rob Trujillo, and James Hetfield of Metallica attend the 2024 Gershwin Prize for Popular Song presentation to Elton John and Bernie Taupin by the Library of Congress at DAR Constitution Hall on March 20, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Taylor Hill/WireImage)
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It’s not unusual for Metallica to rank as one of the most successful rock bands on the music charts in the United Kingdom each and every week, whether the group is currently promoting a new full-length or has recently dropped a single or not – even if it’s been years since the act has shared anything. Fans in the country continue to buy and stream some of the hard rock outfit’s most popular collections, keeping them on a variety of tallies.
This week is a huge one for Metallica in the U.K. Half a dozen albums appear on at least one list, and a trio of projects become bestsellers again.
Master of Puppets Reenters Two Rankings
Among the three titles by Metallica that find their way back to the charts in the U.K., two of them reenter two rankings simultaneously. Master of Puppets, the group’s third full-length breaks back onto the Official Albums Sales and Official Physical Albums rundowns at Nos. 75 and 84, respectively.
Master of Puppets Returns After Several Months Away
It’s only been a matter of months since Master of Puppets was last seen on either tally where it returns this time around. The Metallica collection dropped off the Official Physical Albums chart in late January, and just two weeks later fell from the Official Albums Sales rundown. It last appeared in a more impressive position in January of this year.
Master of Puppets Surges on Two Additional Rankings
As it returns to a pair of sales tallies, Master of Puppets surges on another two rankings in the U.K. that are built based around purchases. The decades-old collection vaults from No. 26 to No. 15 on the Official Rock and Metal Albums chart, while simultaneously climbing from No. 81 to No. 48 on the Official Album Downloads list.
Ride the Lightning Reenters at No. 97
Metallica’s Ride the Lightning joins Master of Puppets by reentering the Official Albums Sales and Official Album Downloads charts, which ranks the top-selling releases of any style and the bestselling full-lengths and EPs – but not singles – on internet-based storefronts like iTunes, respectively. Ride the Lightning barely manages to break back onto the 100-space sales rundown as it settles at No. 97, and it’s up to No. 75 on the downloads-only tally.
Ride the Lightning Scores Its Third Week
Despite the fact that Ride the Lightning was released more than 40 years ago in the summer of 1984, the set has only spent three weeks as a bestseller in the U.K. Ride the Lightning debuted on the Official Albums Sales chart in December 2023, when it earned its only stay within the top 40, opening at No. 39.
Notably, two of the three frames Ride the Lightning has racked up on the Official Albums Sales register have been in 2026. The project reappeared at No. 92 in January, then slipped away. As it reenters at No. 97, Ride the Lightning manages its least impressive period on the tally so far. The same set lands on the Official Album Downloads list for only the second time.
Ride the Lightning Pushes to No. 21
Just like Master of Puppets, as Ride the Lightning reenters the Official Albums Sales chart, it also climbs on the Official Rock and Metal Albums ranking. This frame, after celebrating two years as one of the top-selling rock collections in the U.K. only a few days ago, Ride the Lightning pushes 10 spaces to No. 21.
Kill ‘Em All Becomes a Winner Once More
Metallica is typically the most successful on the Official Rock and Metal Albums chart, and it’s on that list where Kill ‘Em All, the band’s first studio LP, becomes a winner once more. This frame, it’s back at No. 35, appearing on the style-specific list for the first time since April 2024.
Metallica Fills Five Spaces at Once
Metallica fills more spaces on the Official Rock and Metal Albums chart this week than any other artist. Five releases by Metallica — Reload, Master of Puppets, Ride the Lightning, the outfit’s self-titled effort, and Kill ‘Em All — appear on the tally at Nos. 12, 15, 21, 24, and 35, respectively. Led Zeppelin, Linkin Park, and Pink Floyd are tied for the second-most wins, with three apiece.