Megadeth is a thrash metal band from the United States that was established on December 18th, 1983 in Los Angeles, California. Soon after the dissolution of Metallica, guitarist Marty Friedman and bassist David Ellefson joined forces with vocalist Dave Mustaine to form the band Megadeth.
In 1985, they launched their first album, which was titled “Killing Is My Business… And Business Is Good!” and was distributed in the United States.
After making a few early lineup adjustments during the course of their career, as well as taking a break between the years 2002 and 2004, the band has, for the most part, maintained the same members ever since.
1. Rust In Peace
It was their triumphant fourth record, and it was released in 1990. “Rust In Peace” is widely regarded as one of the most important albums in Megadeth’s repertoire. Their single “Hangar 18” is very probably one of the most well-known songs that they have released as a band.
It boasts guitar solos that have become so legendary that many people continue to consider them to be among the best of all time. Every track on the album is a timeless classic that many of the band’s fans continue to appreciate to this day.
This is without question one of Megadeth’s finest albums of all time, but perhaps more importantly, it marked the beginning of a new era of recognition for the band.
2. Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?
In 1986, they released their second album, which became an instant classic. Even in modern times, the single “Peace Sells” is still extremely popular on radio stations all around the world. The album has received a variety of reactions from critics, but that hasn’t stopped it from becoming a commercial success.
The album was so successful that it not only earned gold certification in both the United States and Canada, but it also propelled the band to new heights of commercial viability. It was largely due to the success of the music videos for “Peace Sells” and “Wake Up Dead” that thrash metal was brought to the attention of mainstream audiences.
3. So Far, So Good… So What!
Megadeth’s fourth studio album, “So Far, So Good… So What!” was released in 1988. Thanks to the influence of their new producer, Paul Lani, the band’s sound changed with the release of the album.
The album’s sound was more polished than that of their earlier works, and it demonstrated the band’s progress and musical development. It was the group’s third record and marked a turning point in their career as they were beginning to find their footing and build on the success of their first two albums.
With songs like “In My Darkest Hour” and “Hook in Mouth,” the album cemented Megadeth’s reputation as one of the best thrash metal groups of its time. The genre classic, “So Far, So Good… So What!” continues to be a favorite of the audience.
4. Risk
This album received rather mixed reviews from critics, yet it still holds up very well today. It was the band’s seventh album to be recorded in a studio and was released in 1999. Megadeth made an effort to incorporate a more electronic vibe on their song “Risk” this time around.
A great number of reviewers praised the band’s new path to take, despite the fact that this was regarded by some as being detrimental to the band’s sound as a whole.
Even though responses from fans and critics were rather divided, the album nonetheless managed to earn gold certification in all three of the following markets: the United States, Canada, and Japan.
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5. Countdown To Extinction
The five-studio album “Countdown to Extinction” by Megadeth was released in 1992. With their prior LPs, which had sold over 300,000 copies in just two weeks of their release, the band had already achieved notable commercial and artistic success by this point.
The album “Countdown to Extinction” followed a similar pattern and became an instant hit. Megadeth suddenly found themselves playing to sold-out crowds. The songs on the album, which explored themes of social criticism and political turmoil, received accolades for their excellent songwriting and polished sound.
Megadeth cemented their position as one of the most significant and popular heavy metal bands of the 1990s with “Countdown to Extinction“.
6. Super Collider
One of Megadeth’s more recent albums, “Super Collider,” which was released in 2013, demonstrates the band’s enduring importance as one of the top four thrash metal bands. Even though the album had certain flaws, it also marked the growth of guitarists Chris Broderick and Shawn Drover and the band’s first album without Shawn Drover, who was then the drummer at the time.
The song is a significant improvement over their last release, “Thirteen,” which earned negative reviews. Although it has received some criticism, “Super Collider” shows that Megadeth is still capable of producing complicated, hard-hitting guitar riffs and lyrics that connect with their devoted following.
Megadeth cemented its position as one of the most influential and enduring bands in the metal genre with the release of this album.
7. The World Needs A Hero
After a three-year break, Megadeth made a comeback in 2001 with the release of their ninth studio album, “The World Needs A Hero“. James Lomenzo, who took over for Dave Ellefson as the new bassist and vocalist, made his recording debut with this album.
The album marked a change from the group’s earlier works because of its solemn and unadorned mood. The album managed to rank successfully despite receiving mixed reviews, peaking at number 16 on the US Billboard 200.
Outstanding songs like “Moto Psycho” and “1000 Times Goodbye” demonstrated the band’s ongoing development and capacity for producing intense yet melodic music. Megadeth’s album “The World Needs A Hero” proved to be both a vital contribution and evidence of their musical flexibility.
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8. Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good!
Megadeth made their first album in a studio, titled “Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good!,” and it was released in 1985. It was met with mixed reviews due to the fact that its material was about violence and the occult, and it was the album that set the stage for the band’s entire career.
In spite of this, it helped put the band and leader Dave Mustaine on the map, which paved the way for a successful career for the band with their second album’s breakout smash.
9. The System Has Failed
“The System Has Failed” is Megadeth’s ninth studio album, and it was released in the year 2004. Many people assume that this song is making a reference to the re-election of George W. Bush as President in 2004, due to the fact that the album was released around that time and the title of the song.
Because Dennis Lyxzen took over as producer in place of James MacDonough, the new album had a louder sound than the band’s prior efforts, which was one of the ways in which it was distinguishable from the band’s earlier releases.
10. Endgame
The 12th studio album by Megadeth, “Endgame,” came out in 2009 and is the band’s first to feature Shawn Drover as their drummer. The band’s previous album, “United Abominations,” was followed by this one.
Both critics and listeners complimented it for its quicker tempo and preference for shorter songs than earlier releases, which it had earned positive reviews for. It had some scheduling issues because Rise Against’s album of the same name was scheduled for release at roughly the same time.
However, that record was postponed until the end of Megadeth’s “Endgame” album cycle to avoid any potential distribution issues or consumer confusion.