Nothing Else Matters - Sheet Music for Guitar Chords/Lyrics Metallica

Anyone looking to accompany the iconic Metallica ballad sound on guitar, piano, or ukulele will find exactly what they need here. Guitarists and pianists alike will quickly understand why this song has moved so many people for decades — its quiet intensity reveals itself from the very first run-through. Singing along is equally possible: the lyrics and chord symbols make the piece accessible without diminishing the character of the song.

"Nothing Else Matters" with Chords – Lyrics and Chords for Guitar, Piano, and Voice

"Nothing Else Matters" is one of the most celebrated ballads in hard rock and heavy metal. Written by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, the song appeared in 1991 on the album "Metallica" — the so-called Black Album — and has been a staple of the band's repertoire ever since. Hetfield is said to have written the song entirely alone, with no intention of releasing it — a personal piece he initially kept to himself. Harmonically, the song is built around a characteristic Em–D oscillation that gives it its stately, almost meditative quality. This gentle chord accompaniment in E minor makes it playable well beyond the concert stage — around a campfire just as much as in the rehearsal room.

The sheet includes the complete lyrics with chord symbols placed above the syllables, along with chord diagrams for all chords used. The key of E minor and 14 different chords — including extended voicings such as Dadd9, C5, and B5, as well as barre chords (Dadd9, Bm, C5, B5) — place this sheet at an intermediate level. The transition between Dadd9 and Bm in particular demands confident fingering and some barre chord practice.

• Main challenge: Barre chords Dadd9, Bm

It is recommended to practice the barre chords Dadd9 and Bm in isolation first before integrating them into the song. A common stumbling point in the song's flow is the dynamic shift between the quieter verses and the more powerful chorus passages — it is well worth consciously varying both tempo and attack strength here. The original's characteristic fingerpicking pattern moves in a steady triplet flow with a 6/8 feel: each beat is divided into three even eighth notes, giving the piece its sustained, flowing character. Maintaining this pattern consistently will bring you very close to the original sound. Anyone wishing to adjust the key to their own voice can use a capo; the chord shapes remain identical throughout. The power chord passages (E5, D5, C5, G5, B5) can alternatively be played as full chords or simplified using just two strings.

The sheet music is available for immediate download. After purchase, it can be printed directly or used on a tablet. The sheet music is 100% licensed and meets all copyright requirements.

Editorially reviewed by the notendownload.com team