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American thrash metal band Megadeth has released sixteen studio albums, six live albums, seven compilation albums, one EP, fifty-nine singles, ten video albums, and fifty music videos. After he was fired from Metallica in 1983, guitarist and vocalist Dave Mustaine formed Megadeth along with bassist Dave Ellefson, guitarist Greg Handevidt, and drummer Richard Girod. After some initial lineup changes during 1984, Megadeth's lineup was cemented, consisting of guitarist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson, guitarist Chris Poland, and drummer Gar Samuelson. The band toured and gained a following, signing with the independent label Combat Records in late 1984.[1] Megadeth's debut album Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! (1985), sold very well for an independent release, and the group attracted the attention of major record labels.[1] By the end of the year, the group signed with Capitol Records. Megadeth's first major-label album, Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?, was released in 1986.
| Megadeth discography | |
|---|---|
Megadeth performing at Metalmania in 2008 | |
| Studio albums | 16 |
| EPs | 2 |
| Live albums | 6 |
| Compilation albums | 7 |
| Singles | 59 |
| Video albums | 6 |
| Music videos | 59 |
Before the recording of the band's third album, Mustaine fired Poland and Samuelson; they were replaced by Jeff Young and Chuck Behler, respectively. The new lineup debuted on So Far, So Good... So What! in early 1988. Later that year, Mustaine fired Young and Behler and replaced them with guitarist Marty Friedman and drummer Nick Menza. This lineup recorded Megadeth's fourth album, Rust in Peace, which was released in late 1990. The singles "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" and "Hangar 18" reached the top 30 in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Megadeth's most commercially successful album, Countdown to Extinction (1992), peaked at number 2 on the Billboard 200 chart, and was the band's first record to be certified platinum at its release year by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[1] Megadeth's biggest hit single is "Symphony of Destruction", which peaked at number 71 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and in the top 15 in Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Youthanasia (1994) peaked at number 4 on the Billboard 200, and like its predecessor, it was certified platinum by the RIAA.[1] The singles "Train of Consequences" and "A Tout le Monde", reached the top 30 on the US Mainstream Rock chart. The following year Megadeth released Hidden Treasures, an EP that featured previously released non-album tracks, including soundtrack and compilation songs. Cryptic Writings (1997) peaked at number 10 on the Billboard 200, and became the group's sixth consecutive studio album to be certified platinum in the US.[1] The release scored the band's highest-charting single to date, "Trust", which peaked at number 5 on the Mainstream Rock chart. Later that year, Menza was fired from the band and was replaced by drummer Jimmy DeGrasso. The following year, Risk was released, and was a critical and commercial failure. In 2000, Friedman left Megadeth and was replaced by guitarist Al Pitrelli. After signing with Sanctuary Records, the group debuted their new lineup on The World Needs a Hero (2001).[1] In early 2002, Mustaine suffered an arm injury, which led him to announce in a press release that Megadeth had disbanded.[2]
In 2004, Megadeth released The System Has Failed. Although intended to be a solo album by Mustaine, outstanding contractual obligations with the band's European label EMI forced him to release one more album under the "Megadeth" name.[3] Mustaine officially reformed Megadeth, recruiting guitarist Glen Drover and drummer Shawn Drover, along with bassist James MacDonough, who would be replaced by James LoMenzo before having the chance to play on a record. United Abominations was released in 2007, and peaked at number 8 on the Billboard 200. Endgame was released in 2009, and marked the debut of guitarist Chris Broderick, who replaced Drover the previous year. The record peaked at number 9 on the Billboard 200. In 2010, founding bassist David Ellefson rejoined the band; the new lineup would go on to release Thirteen in 2011, and Super Collider in 2013, which respectively peaked at number 11 and number 6 on the Billboard 200, making Super Collider the band's highest-charting album since 1994's Youthanasia.[4]
In 2015, Drover and Broderick quit the band, and were respectively replaced by Lamb of God drummer Chris Adler and Angra guitarist Kiko Loureiro. Dystopia was released in 2016, and won "Best Metal Performance" at the 59th Grammy Awards, making this the band's first Grammy Award after 11 nominations. Adler was quickly replaced by drummer Dirk Verbeuren in July 2016.
Ellefson was dismissed on May 14, 2021, due to a sex scandal,[5] and was replaced by former bassist James LoMenzo, first as a touring member,[6] then as a permanent member.[7] The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead! was released in September 2022, with bass tracks recorded by Testament bassist Steve DiGiorgio.
As of 2023 the band sold more than 50 million copies of their albums worldwide.[8]
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [9] |
AUS [10] |
AUT [11] |
CAN [12][13] |
DEN [14] |
FIN [15] |
FRA [16] |
GER [17] |
JPN [18] |
NLD [19] |
SWE [20] |
SWI [21] |
UK [22] | |||
| Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! | 169 | 84 | — | — | — | — | — | 35 | 35 | — | — | — | 149 | ||
| Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? |
|
76 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 89 | — | — | — | — | |
| So Far, So Good... So What! |
|
28 | — | — | 40 | — | 5 | — | 27 | 57 | 51 | 37 | 28 | 18 | |
| Rust in Peace |
|
23 | 47 | — | 70 | — | 19 | — | 21 | 29 | 72 | 34 | 29 | 8 | |
| Countdown to Extinction |
|
2 | 14 | 12 | 25 | — | 5 | — | 15 | 6 | 45 | 10 | 16 | 5 | |
| Youthanasia |
|
4 | 9 | 26 | 11 | — | 2 | — | 13 | 11 | 20 | 4 | 32 | 6 | |
| Cryptic Writings |
|
10 | 43 | 30 | 17 | — | 2 | 14 | 22 | 7 | 48 | 15 | 45 | 38 | |
| Risk |
|
16 | — | 34 | 14 | — | 8 | 37 | 38 | 11 | 39 | 17 | — | 29 |
|
| The World Needs a Hero |
|
16 | 72 | 59 | 20 | — | 23 | 28 | 36 | 17 | 80 | 38 | 94 | 45 | |
| The System Has Failed |
|
18 | 57 | 43 | 10 | 38 | 12 | 28 | 29 | 15 | 32 | 14 | 57 | 60 | |
| United Abominations |
|
8 | 23 | 17 | 5 | 22 | 2 | 40 | 28 | 9 | 49 | 15 | 38 | 23 | |
| Endgame |
|
9 | 11 | 22 | 4 | 19 | 7 | 28 | 21 | 16 | 22 | 17 | 32 | 24 | |
| Thirteen |
|
11 | 13 | 28 | 8 | 39 | 8 | 49 | 25 | 11 | 42 | 18 | 23 | 34 | |
| Super Collider |
|
6 | 28 | 26 | 4 | 22 | 4 | 43 | 24 | 12 | 36 | 15 | 21 | 22 | |
| Dystopia |
|
3 | 6 | 14 | 3 | — | 3 | 39 | 10 | 16 | 25 | 19 | 7 | 11 | |
| The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead![29] |
|
3 | 2 | 8 | 11 | — | 1 | 12 | 6 | 10 | 7 | 9 [30] |
2 | 3 | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that country. | |||||||||||||||
| Title | Album details | Peak chart | Certifications | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [9] |
BEL [31] |
CAN [32] |
FIN [33] |
FRA [16] |
MEX [34] |
NLD [19] |
SWI [21] |
UK [22] | ||||||
| Rude Awakening |
|
115 | — | 100 | — | 93 | — | — | — | 129 |
| |||
| That One Night: Live in Buenos Aires |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| |||
| Rust in Peace Live |
|
161 | 96 | 72 | — | — | 83 | — | — | — | ||||
| The Big Four: Live from Sofia, Bulgaria (with Slayer, Metallica and Anthrax) |
|
— | 73 | 1 | 31 | — | — | 75 | 63 | 1 | ||||
| Countdown to Extinction: Live |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| Unplugged in Boston |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that country. | ||||||||||||||
| Title | Album details | Peak chart | Certifications | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [9] |
FIN [33] |
FRA [16] |
GER [17] |
JPN [18] |
NZ [38] |
SWI [21] |
UK [22] | |||
| Capitol Punishment: The Megadeth Years |
|
66 | — | — | — | 26 | 41 | — | 185 | |
| Still, Alive... and Well? |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Greatest Hits: Back to the Start |
|
65 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | 47 | |
| Warchest |
|
— | 36 | — | — | 231 | — | — | — | |
| Anthology: Set the World Afire |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Icon |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Warheads on Foreheads |
|
— | — | 143 | 40 | 84 | — | 96 | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that country. | ||||||||||
| Title | Album details | Peak chart | Certifications | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | AUS | AUT | FIN | GER [17] |
JPN [40] |
NLD | NZ | UK | ||||
| Rude Awakening |
|
2 [41] |
— | — | 8 [42] |
— | — | — | — | — | ||
| Arsenal of Megadeth |
|
6 [44] |
5 [45] |
— | 1 [46] |
— | 98 | — | — | — | ||
| That One Night: Live in Buenos Aires |
|
12 | 6 | — | 1 | — | 109 | — | — | — | ||
| Rust in Peace Live |
|
2 | 3 | — | 4 | — | 86 | — | — | — | ||
| The Big 4 Live from Sofia, Bulgaria (with Slayer, Metallica and Anthrax) |
|
1 [48] |
1 [49] |
3 [50] |
— | 4 | 6 | 7 [51] |
1 [52] |
1 [53] |
||
| Countdown to Extinction: Live |
|
— | — | — | 4 | — | 90 [59] |
— | — | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that country. | ||||||||||||
| Title | EP details | Peak chart | Certifications | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [9] |
JPN [18] |
UK [22] | |||
| Hidden Treasures |
|
90 | 13 | 28 |
|
| Cryptic Sounds: No Voices in Your Head[60] |
|
- | - | - | |
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [61] |
US Main. [62] |
AUS [10][63] |
CAN [64] |
FIN [65] |
IRL [66] |
JPN [67] |
NZ [38] |
UK [22] | ||||
| "Wake Up Dead" | 1986 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 65 | Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? | |
| "Peace Sells" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ||
| "Mary Jane" | 1988 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 46 | 46 | So Far, So Good... So What! | |
| "Anarchy in the U.K." | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 13 | 45 | |||
| "In My Darkest Hour" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Hook in Mouth" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Liar" | 1988 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "No More Mr. Nice Guy" | 1990 | — | — | 48 | — | 12 | 7 | — | — | 13 | Shocker | |
| "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" | — | — | 138 | — | — | 10 | — | 12 | 24 |
|
Rust in Peace | |
| "Hangar 18" | 1991 | — | — | — | — | 29 | 25 | — | — | 26 | ||
| "Foreclosure of a Dream" | 1992 | — | 30 | — | — | 19 | — | — | — | — | Countdown to Extinction | |
| "Symphony of Destruction" | 71 | 29 | 58 | 91 | 12 | 14 | — | 15 | 15 |
| ||
| "Skin o' My Teeth" | 1993 | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | — | — | 13 | ||
| "Sweating Bullets" | — | 27 | — | — | — | 18 | — | — | 26 | |||
| "Angry Again" | — | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Last Action Hero | ||
| "99 Ways to Die" | — | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | The Beavis and Butt-head Experience | ||
| "Crown of Worms" | 1994 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | |
| "Train of Consequences" | — | 29 | — | — | 8 | — | — | — | 22 | Youthanasia | ||
| "A Tout le Monde" | 1995 | — | 31 | — | — | 12 | — | — | — | — | ||
| "One Thing"[68] | 1997 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | |
| "Trust" | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Cryptic Writings | ||
| "Almost Honest" | — | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Use the Man" | 1998 | — | 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "A Secret Place" | — | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Crush 'Em" | 1999 | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Risk | |
| "Breadline" | 2000 | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Insomnia" | — | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Kill the King" | 2001 | — | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Capitol Punishment | |
| "Moto Psycho" | — | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | The World Needs a Hero | ||
| "Dread and the Fugitive Mind" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Die Dead Enough" | 2004 | — | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | The System Has Failed | |
| "Blackmail the Universe" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Of Mice and Men" | 2005 | — | 39 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "The Scorpion" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Gears of War" | 2006 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | United Abominations | |
| "À Tout le Monde (Set Me Free)"[A] | 2007 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Sleepwalker"[A] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Washington Is Next!" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Never Walk Alone... A Call to Arms" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Head Crusher" | 2009 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Endgame | |
| "The Right to Go Insane" | 2010 | — | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "44 Minutes" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Sudden Death" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock | ||
| "Never Dead" | 2011 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Th1rt3en | |
| "Public Enemy No. 1" | — | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Super Collider" | 2013 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Super Collider | |
| "Kingmaker" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Burn!" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Fatal Illusion" | 2015 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 133 | — | — | Dystopia | |
| "The Threat Is Real" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Dystopia" | 2016 | — | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Post American World" | — | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "We'll Be Back" | 2022 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead! | |
| "Night Stalkers" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Soldier On!" | — | 31 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead!" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Delivering the Goods" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that country. | ||||||||||||
| Year | Song | Director(s)[69][better source needed] | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | "Peace Sells" | Robert Longo | Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? |
| 1987 | "Wake Up Dead" | Penelope Spheeris | |
| 1988 | "In My Darkest Hour" | So Far, So Good... So What! | |
| "Anarchy in the U.K." | David Mackie | ||
| 1989 | "No More Mr. Nice Guy" | Penelope Spheeris | Shocker soundtrack |
| 1990 | "Holy Wars… The Punishment Due" | Benjamin Stokes, Eric Zimmerman | Rust in Peace |
| "Hangar 18" | Paul Boyington | ||
| 1991 | "Go to Hell" | Eric Zimmerman, Eric Koziol | Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey soundtrack |
| 1992 | "Symphony of Destruction" | Wayne Isham | Countdown to Extinction |
| "Skin o' My Teeth" | Eric Zimmerman, Eric Koziol | ||
| "High Speed Dirt" | |||
| "Foreclosure of a Dream" | Jeff Richter | ||
| 1993 | "Sweating Bullets" | Wayne Isham | |
| "99 Ways to Die" | The Beavis and Butt-head Experience | ||
| 1994 | "Angry Again" | Last Action Hero soundtrack | |
| "Train of Consequences" | Youthanasia | ||
| "A Tout le Monde" | Justin Keith | ||
| "Reckoning Day" | Jerry Behrens | ||
| 1997 | "Trust" | Liz Friedlander | Cryptic Writings |
| "Almost Honest" | Scott Richter | ||
| 1998 | "A Secret Place" | Kyle LaBreche | |
| 1999 | "Crush 'Em" | Len Wiseman[70] | Risk |
| "Insomnia" | |||
| 2000 | "Breadline" | John Richards[71] | |
| 2001 | "Moto Psycho" | Nathan Cox[72] | The World Needs a Hero |
| 2004 | "Die Dead Enough" | Thomas Mignone[73] | The System Has Failed |
| 2005 | "Of Mice and Men" | Michael Sarna[74] | |
| "Kill the King" | Dave Mustaine | Greatest Hits: Back to the Start | |
| 2006 | "Coming Home" (Live) | Michael Sarna | The World Needs a Hero |
| 2007 | "Blackmail the Universe" | The System Has Failed | |
| "À Tout le Monde (Set Me Free)" | Aggressive[75] | United Abominations | |
| "Never Walk Alone… A Call to Arms" | Labworks[76] | ||
| 2009 | "Head Crusher" | Patrick Kendall[77][78] | Endgame |
| 2010 | "The Right to Go Insane" | Bill Fishman[79][80] | |
| 2011 | "Public Enemy No. 1" | Kevin McVey | Thirteen |
| 2012 | "Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)" | Cody Calahan | |
| 2013 | "Super Collider" | Robby Starbuck | Super Collider |
| 2014 | "Back in the Day" (Live) | Jody "XDude" Hatton | The System Has Failed |
| 2015 | "The Threat Is Real" | Blair Underwood[81] | Dystopia |
| 2016 | "Dystopia" | ||
| "Poisonous Shadows" | |||
| "Post American World" | |||
| "Conquer or Die" | |||
| 2018 | "Lying in State" | Leo Liberti | |
| 2022 | "Wake Up Dead" (with Lamb of God) | Non-album single | |
| "We'll Be Back: Chapter I" | Leo Liberti | The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead! | |
| "Night Stalkers: Chapter II" | |||
| "The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead!: Chapter III" | |||
| "Life in Hell: Chapter IV" | |||
| "Killing Time: Chapter V" |
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