Music and styles change. Artists own tastes change. Change is the way of life.
Ya Im sure they sold out...The Whiskey in the Jar cover was marketed to 16th century Irishmen... huh? Big money maker there.
They sold out their fans with Load and ReLoad. Many of critics have pointed out those album seemed like they were put out to get radio time like certain black album songs got. Which it for the most part worked. Until they ticked their old fans off and the new ones left because well Nickelback and other new hard rock bands came out.
They sold them shelves in into a hole and they know it. Hence St. Anger their supposed return to old Metallica which stinks to high heaven. ( though I do like the song St. Anger )
This is before we even get into napster and recent copyright suits they have filed against fans. Which is not helping their return to metalldom!