in the world category, I select Megadeth
Megadeth is an
American thrash metal band led by founder, frontman, guitarist, and songwriter
Dave Mustaine. Formed in 1983 following Mustaine's departure from
Metallica, the band has since released eleven
studio albums, six
live albums, two
EPs, and two
compilations.
As a pioneer of the American
thrash metal movement, Megadeth rose to international fame in the 1980s, but were plagued by constant lineup changes, due partly to the band's notorious
substance abuse problems. After finding sobriety and securing a stable lineup, Megadeth went on to release a string of platinum and gold albums, including the platinum-selling
thrash metal landmark
Rust in Peace in 1990 and the
Grammy nominated, multi-platinum
Countdown to Extinction in 1992. Megadeth disbanded in 2002 after Mustaine suffered a severe nerve injury to his left arm, but following extensive
physical therapy, Mustaine reformed the band in 2004 and released
The System Has Failed, followed by
United Abominations in 2007; the albums debuted on the
Billboard Top 200 chart at #18 and #8, respectively.
Megadeth is known for a distinctive guitar style, often involving complex, intricate musical passages, and
trade off guitar solos. Mustaine is also known for his original "
snarling" vocal style, as well as his recurring lyrical themes, often involving politics, war, addiction, and personal relationships.
As one of the most commercially successful heavy metal bands of all time, Megadeth has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide,
[1] including six consecutive platinum albums, with seven consecutive Grammy nominations for
Best Metal Performance. In their 23 active years, Megadeth has had 20 official members, with
Dave Mustaine remaining as the driving force, main songwriter, and sole original member. Megadeth is mentioned as one of the bands among the "Big Four of Thrash," along with
Metallica,
Slayer, and
Anthrax, who were responsible for creating and popularizing the genre in the 1980s.