Metallica’s self-titled album has now spent 999 weeks on the U.K.’s Official Rock & Metal Albums chart, nearing a historic 1,000-week milestone. (MANDATORY CREDIT Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music/Getty Images) ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Hugh McIntyre covers music, with a focus on the global charts. By the time Metallica released its self-titled fifth album in 1991, ...