How Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine went from thrash metal outsider to finally conquering the charts

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On Sunday, February 1st, Dave Mustaine, the lead singer of Megadeth, woke up and headed to the kitchen. After drinking several health drinks and supplements, he checked his phone and saw a text message from his son, Justis, who works with the band’s management. The message simply said, “We’re number one!”

Just two days before, Megadeth’s final album reached number one in Australia – a first for the band there. Dave Mustaine wondered if a recent message about chart success was referring to this Australian achievement, as he wasn’t yet sure how well the album was selling in the U.S. He quickly video-called Justis to check in and get an update.

It was incredible! He just burst out with ‘We did it!’ when I said good morning. I asked if he meant we’d finally made it in America, and he shouted ‘Yeah!’ Seeing how genuinely happy he was… honestly, it was one of the most rewarding moments ever.

Megadeth’s new album reached number one on the Billboard chart, outselling Morgan Wallen’s album by 4,000 copies. This marks the band’s first time at the top spot, a feat only achieved by three other hard rock or metal bands – Ghost, Sleep Token, and AC/DC – in over five years. Megadeth stands out from those groups with its particularly fast, loud, and intense sound. Band leader Dave Mustaine is considered a founding father of thrash metal, a style that blends the speed of early punk bands like the Circle Jerks and Misfits with the technical skill and power of bands like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. The only other thrash metal band to reach number one is Metallica, which has done so six times, most recently in 2016 with their album “Hardwired… to Self-Destruct.”

Dave Mustaine explains that reaching the number one spot felt like the final achievement for Megadeth. He shared this from his home office, where a Grammy Award they won in 2017 for the song ‘Dystopia’ was visible, along with a potted plant.

Megadeth is considered one of the ‘Big Four’ of heavy metal, alongside bands like Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax. This nickname has been popular with fans and music writers for many years to describe the most influential thrash metal bands. In 2010, all four bands reunited for a world tour, playing nine shows together.

Charlie Benante, the drummer and songwriter for Anthrax, said he was pleased to hear Megadeth reached the No. 1 spot. He also felt it was a positive sign for his own band and the genre, proving there’s still a strong audience for this type of music. Anthrax is currently opening for Megadeth on a Canadian tour that wraps up on March 6th.

The band’s debut album is a high-energy rush of powerful guitar work, fast solos, and driving rhythms, showcasing everything they’ve done throughout their career – from aggressive thrash metal to punk-influenced rock. It feels like a direct continuation of their popular 1992 album, ‘Countdown to Extinction,’ which peaked at number two on the Billboard charts and sold over 2 million copies.

Dave Mustaine has always dreamed of reaching the top of the album charts, especially since Megadeth previously reached number two. The timing of their latest achievement feels perfect, as he announced in August 2025—almost six months before the album’s release—that it would be the band’s last studio recording.

After facing decades of hardship – including frequent member changes (15 musicians have joined and left since their first album in 1985), struggles with drug addiction and relapse, a life-threatening overdose, serious neck surgery, and a 2019 fight with throat cancer that involved nine rounds of chemotherapy and 51 radiation treatments – the legendary thrash metal band encountered a problem that doctors, rehab, and therapy couldn’t fix.

For the past ten years, Dave Mustaine has been dealing with painful fingers – the cartilage has worn down from years of intense guitar playing, leaving the bones rubbing together. Despite the discomfort, he continued to play and record. While working on the album “Megadeth,” he noticed a different, sharper pain in his hand while doing pull-ups, and realized something new was wrong.

I recently spoke with Dave Mustaine, and he showed me this really noticeable ridge on his palm – he said it hurt when he was playing guitar, especially when hanging by his weight. He’d seen a doctor and was diagnosed with Dupuytren’s contracture. Apparently, it affects around 8% of people, and while it’s not life-threatening, it’s a progressive condition where your fingers curl inward, making it harder and harder to play. Mustaine seemed pretty resigned about it, saying it might not kill you, but it absolutely can end a career – a sobering thought for any musician.

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As he continued recording guitar for Megadeth, his illness made it increasingly difficult to play. He pushed through the pain, but when he was about two-thirds of the way through the album, he realized the disease was progressing too quickly for him to create another one. He admits, without his usual confidence, that he’d lost his balance and coordination. Though he didn’t want to stop making music, he knew he had to. Ultimately, he decided he wanted to finish strong and leave while he was still at his best.

Megadeth kicked off its world tour on Sunday, with 41 shows scheduled through late June. The band will finish with a final 15 concerts in North America in August. Dave Mustaine hopes Megadeth can continue touring well into 2028, but acknowledges they’ll stop when the time is right. He says they’ll play as long as they can, and if they have to end the tour sooner than expected, he’ll announce it honestly.

When Dave Mustaine realized Megadeth might not last forever, he began thinking about his entire career, all the way back to when he helped start Metallica. He’d been fired from Metallica in 1983 for his heavy drinking and difficult behavior, while they were recording their first album in New York. He arrived at rehearsal to be immediately dismissed and given a bus ticket home to Los Angeles. The experience deeply affected him. Despite Megadeth’s later success – selling millions of albums and playing huge concerts – Mustaine remained haunted by what happened with Metallica. He felt bitter about their popularity and often criticized his former bandmates publicly. Metallica responded with similar negativity.

Dave Mustaine reflects on past conflicts, wondering where he’d be if a major band hadn’t tried to hinder his progress. He recalls often being frustrated by their actions, noting it wasn’t just Metallica, but a pattern with many others. For a long period, he felt like he was battling everyone, adopting an ‘either you’re with me or against me’ mentality.

When Megadeth announced their last album would feature a cover of Metallica’s “Ride the Lightning” – a song Dave Mustaine helped write – fans had different reactions. Some expected a rebellious statement, while others hoped for a completely new take on the classic. However, Megadeth’s version is quite similar to the original. Mustaine saw it as a way to show how far he’d come since his time with Metallica, marking the beginning and end of his musical journey. Surprisingly, he also intended it as a gesture of peace towards his former bandmates.

Dave Mustaine acknowledges he may never have another opportunity to interact with James Hetfield or Lars Ulrich. He anticipated some might question his decision to record a tribute song, but he felt it was important to show respect. He’s unconcerned with their reaction, saying he’ll be satisfied whether they enjoy the song or not, or even if they choose to listen to it at all. As of now, no one from Metallica has publicly responded to the recording.

You know, when Dave Mustaine talks about his time with Metallica, and all the drama that came after, it’s really striking. He’s incredibly thoughtful and peaceful about it now. Things he used to react to with anger, he just accepts with a calm understanding. It’s a big change, and honestly, it’s fascinating to watch.

I really enjoyed my time with Metallica, and we accomplished a lot,” he said. “It’s sad how alcohol affected things, but we were all young and most of us came from difficult family backgrounds. A lot has happened since then, and I wanted to mend things with the other members before we stopped playing together. We should be friends—there’s no reason we can’t be.

I’ve been a fan of Dave Mustaine for years, and it’s been amazing to watch him grow. He used to be so quick to react, but he figured out when to just let things go, even if he slipped up sometimes. Now, he seems genuinely happy to praise other musicians as much as he talks about his own accomplishments. Honestly, it feels like he’s just focused on enjoying life and not dwelling on what could have been, and that’s really cool to see.

There were times in my career when I honestly felt like I’d hit rock bottom – moments where everything felt like it was falling apart. I’d find myself thinking, ‘Is this really what I signed up for?’ But then you get to experiences like this, where I truly feel a sense of achievement. It’s like reaching the peak of a mountain and finally being able to look out at everything I’ve worked for – it’s an amazing feeling.

Mustaine glanced up and smiled, then reflected, “I spent so much time being second best, I almost forgot what it was like to be number one.”

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2026-02-20 14:32