Ask yourself which band among thrash metal’s so-called Big Four has been the most unstable over the past quarter-century and the answer, ten out of ten times will probably be Megadeth.
And yet Dave Mustaine’s eternally shape-shifting musical vehicle has traversed those controversy-filled years by delivering, at press time, no less than 16 studio albums, vs. eleven each from Slayer and Anthrax, and nine from Metallica.
Sure, this veritable odyssey of a career has consumed, by our rough estimates, some two-dozen live and session musicians, but the only one who matters (sorry, guys) is of course the uniquely gifted, tormented, and driven Mustaine, who took rock and roll revenge to unforeseen heights of creativity and productivity over the winding journey that is Megadeth’s discography.
READ MORE: The ‘Big 4’ Bands of 27 Rock + Metal Subgenres
Looking back now, the band’s volatile trajectory is all the more fascinating, as they first helped pioneer a genre (thrash), then finessed and experimented with its possibilities to equal measures of public and critical acclaim and disdain, while undertaking more comebacks from the brink of destruction than most bands would ever dream of enduring, never mind overcoming.
That said, Dave Mustaine has never let his detractors stop him from achieving his goals, as his formidable talent and imagination has created nearly 40 years of world-class heavy metal.
So, with that being said, scroll through the gallery below to see how we’ve ranked Megadeth’s albums!
Megadeth Albums Ranked
PLAYLIST: Early Thrash (The ’80s & ’90s)
Over 175 songs! Listen here.
The Best Thrash Album of Each Year Since 1983
A history of the best thrash metal albums, year by year.
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