Megadeth
Explore the band's historical lineups, musicians, and studio albums.
Active12 formations17 studio albums
Formation chronology
Newest first
Formation 12 of 12
Nov 2023 – Present
Members
- Dave MustaineLead Vocals, GuitarFrom Nov 2023
- Teemu MäntysaariLead, Rhythm, Acoustic GuitarsFrom Nov 2023
- James LoMenzoBassFrom Nov 2023
- Dirk VerbeurenDrumsFrom Nov 2023
Formation facts
- Kiko Loureiro took an unusually active role in preparing his own successor. When family responsibilities forced him away from Megadeth's 2023 touring, Loureiro assembled a list of possible replacements and recommended Teemu Mäntysaari. He then invited Mäntysaari to his home, gave him access to guitar presets and equipment, had him study concerts and personally worked through the band's stage details with him. Loureiro said he wanted the transition to be as clean as possible and to make clear that he was leaving Megadeth on good terms.
- On August 14, 2025, Dave Mustaine announced that Megadeth's next record would be the band's final studio album and that a global farewell tour would follow. Rather than having the band end unexpectedly, Mustaine framed the decision as a rare opportunity to close the career on his own terms and spend the following years celebrating it with fans. The self-titled album was released on January 23, 2026 and then accomplished something no previous Megadeth record had: it reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
- Megadeth's final album deliberately reaches back to Dave Mustaine's career before Megadeth existed. Its bonus track is a new version of Metallica's "Ride the Lightning," which Mustaine co-wrote with James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich and Cliff Burton. Mustaine said including it was his way of coming full circle and paying respect to where his career began. More than four decades after his dismissal from Metallica helped lead to Megadeth's creation, one of those early compositions became part of Megadeth's final studio statement.
Studio albums
- Megadeth (Jan 2026)
Formation 11 of 12
Jun 2021 – Jul 2021
Members
- Dave MustaineLead Vocals, GuitarJun 2021 – Jul 2021
- Kiko LoureiroGuitarJun 2021 – Jul 2021
- Dirk VerbeurenDrumsJun 2021 – Jul 2021
- Steve Di GiorgioBassJun 2021 – Jul 2021
Formation facts
- Work on the album that became The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead! was already underway when Dave Mustaine announced on June 17, 2019 that he had throat cancer. Most of Megadeth's scheduled shows were cancelled while he began treatment, but Mustaine specifically told fans that he, Kiko Loureiro, David Ellefson and Dirk Verbeuren were still working on the follow-up to Dystopia. The record therefore developed through a period in which Mustaine was simultaneously undergoing cancer treatment and trying to keep Megadeth's next chapter moving.
- The album's bass was effectively recorded twice. After David Ellefson left Megadeth in May 2021, Mustaine decided that Ellefson's completed performances would not appear on the record and had every bass part replaced. Steve Di Giorgio was brought in for the job and later described spending roughly 13 days in the studio, including adapting to playing with a pick more than he normally would. James LoMenzo returned for touring, but the bass heard on the released album is Di Giorgio's replacement performance.
Studio albums
- The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead! (Sep 2022)
Formation 10 of 12
Apr 2015 – Jul 2016
Members
- Dave MustaineLead Vocals, GuitarApr 2015 – Jul 2016
- David EllefsonBassApr 2015 – Jul 2016
- Kiko LoureiroGuitarApr 2015 – Jul 2016
- Chris AdlerDrumsApr 2015 – Jul 2016
Formation facts
- Kiko Loureiro's Megadeth audition happened at remarkable speed. Before flying to Nashville, he gave himself a weekend to prove he could handle the material, learning "Hangar 18," "Symphony of Destruction," "Trust" and "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" and filming audition performances almost immediately afterward. Loureiro later laughed at mistakes in the videos, but the point was to show that he had the technique and musical vocabulary to master the catalog quickly. He flew to Nashville the following Monday and got the job.
- Dystopia was made with another unusual lineup transition. Lamb of God drummer Chris Adler came in specifically for the album while Loureiro became Megadeth's new guitarist; Dirk Verbeuren replaced Adler after the record was released. Then, on February 12, 2017, the title track gave Megadeth something the band had failed to win throughout decades of nominations: its first Grammy, for Best Metal Performance. The Recording Academy now lists Dystopia as Megadeth's sole Grammy victory.
Studio albums
- Dystopia (Jan 2016)
Formation 9 of 12
Feb 2010 – Nov 2014
Members
- Dave MustaineLead Vocals, GuitarFeb 2010 – Nov 2014
- David EllefsonBassFeb 2010 – Nov 2014
- Chris BroderickGuitarFeb 2010 – Nov 2014
- Shawn DroverDrumsFeb 2010 – Nov 2014
Formation facts
- David Ellefson returned to Megadeth in February 2010, just in time for the Rust in Peace 20th-anniversary tour. Four months later, Megadeth, Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax shared a stage together for the first time as the Big Four, beginning in Warsaw and continuing across Europe. The timing gave Ellefson's return an unusually symbolic quality: the bassist from Megadeth's early and classic years was back as the major thrash bands finally appeared together after decades of intertwined history.
- "Sudden Death" was created for a video game rather than a Megadeth album. Dave Mustaine wrote and recorded the song specifically for the story-driven Quest Mode in Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, where it served as part of the game's climactic challenge. The experiment escaped its original medium almost immediately: "Sudden Death" earned Megadeth its ninth Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance and was later included on TH1RT3EN.
- The title TH1RT3EN was more than a stylized reference to Megadeth's 13th studio album. Mustaine was born on September 13 and says he first picked up a guitar at age 13, making the number a recurring part of his own history. The album also marked Ellefson's first Megadeth studio recording after his 2010 return, bringing a founding member back onto a new record for the first time in roughly a decade.
Studio albums
- Super Collider (Jun 2013)
- Thirteen (Nov 2011)
Formation 8 of 12
Jan 2008 – Jan 2010
Members
- Dave MustaineLead Vocals, GuitarJan 2008 – Jan 2010
- Chris BroderickGuitarJan 2008 – Jan 2010
- Shawn DroverDrumsJan 2008 – Jan 2010
- James LoMenzoBassJan 2008 – Jan 2010
Formation facts
- When Glen Drover left Megadeth, he recommended Chris Broderick as a possible replacement. Mustaine watched Broderick's playing online, arranged to meet him and decided he had found what the band needed. Broderick brought an unusually deep technical background, including formal classical-guitar training, and Endgame became his first Megadeth recording. Mustaine was so impressed that he publicly compared the feeling of finding Broderick to what Ozzy Osbourne must have felt discovering Randy Rhoads.
- "The Hardest Part of Letting Go... Sealed with a Kiss" began with a complaint from Mustaine's wife: after 17 years of marriage, she told him he had never written a song for her. He did, but then gave the lyrics a macabre twist inspired by Edgar Allan Poe, with the second half imagining someone being sealed inside a wall. Mustaine joked that his wife did not particularly appreciate that part of her long-awaited song.
Studio albums
- Endgame (Sep 2009)
Formation 7 of 12
Mar 2006 – Dec 2007
Members
- Dave MustaineLead Vocals, GuitarMar 2006 – Dec 2007
- Glen DroverGuitarMar 2006 – Dec 2007
- Shawn DroverDrumsMar 2006 – Dec 2007
- James LoMenzoBassMar 2006 – Dec 2007
Formation facts
- Megadeth began recording United Abominations in April 2006 at Hook End Manor, a 16th-century English country house that had once belonged to Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour. The more memorable piece of recording history for Mustaine, however, was the drum kit: John Bonham's kit was rented for Shawn Drover to use during the sessions. The album therefore paired a newly stabilized Megadeth lineup with a studio environment carrying some unusually heavy rock history of its own.
- For United Abominations, Megadeth revisited "À Tout le Monde" as a duet with Lacuna Coil singer Cristina Scabbia. Mustaine said he had long wanted to hear the song as a duet and chose Scabbia after other possibilities, including Lisa Marie Presley, fell through. The new version was sped up toward the tempo Mustaine said the song had originally been intended to have, while Glen Drover added an extended lead section that connected with Marty Friedman's original solo.
Studio albums
- United Abominations (May 2007)
Formation 6 of 12
Oct 2003 – Apr 2004
Members
- Dave MustaineLead Vocals, GuitarOct 2003 – Apr 2004
- Chris PolandLead GuitarOct 2003 – Apr 2004
- Jimmie Lee SloasBassOct 2003 – Apr 2004
- Vinnie ColaiutaDrumsOct 2003 – Apr 2004
Formation facts
- The System Has Failed was not originally supposed to be a Megadeth album. After recovering from his arm injury, Mustaine began making what he intended as his first solo record. During the process, he learned that he still owed another Megadeth album under an existing agreement and that his solo work could remain tied up until he fulfilled it. The project therefore changed names rather than musical direction, becoming Megadeth's 2004 comeback record.
- The album was assembled with an unusual studio cast rather than a functioning Megadeth touring lineup. Chris Poland returned to play lead guitar, Jimmie Lee Sloas handled bass, and acclaimed session drummer Vinnie Colaiuta recorded the drums. Mustaine later said Colaiuta completed the entire album's drum parts in only three days. When Megadeth went back on the road, Mustaine built a different touring band around Glen Drover, James MacDonough and eventually Shawn Drover.
Studio albums
- The System Has Failed (Sep 2004)
Formation 5 of 12
Jan 2000 – Apr 2002
Members
- Dave MustaineLead Vocals, GuitarJan 2000 – Apr 2002
- David EllefsonBassJan 2000 – Apr 2002
- Al PitrelliGuitar, Backing VocalsJan 2000 – Apr 2002
- Jimmy DeGrassoDrumsJan 2000 – Apr 2002
Formation facts
- After the experimentation of Risk, Megadeth deliberately moved back toward heavy metal on The World Needs a Hero. The album also arrived during an awkward label transition. Mustaine later said Capitol agreed to release Megadeth but required a greatest-hits package and a delay before the new record could appear; meanwhile, advance copies of The World Needs a Hero circulated through eBay and Napster. The album became a conscious attempt to restore Megadeth's musical identity during a rapidly changing music business.
- In January 2002, Dave Mustaine fell asleep with his arm compressed against a chair and severely damaged the radial nerve controlling his left hand. He could no longer properly feel or move it, making guitar playing impossible, and announced Megadeth's breakup that April. Months of physical therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic treatment and weight training followed. Even after the nerve healed, Mustaine had to learn to play guitar again, turning what appeared to be a career-ending injury into the beginning of Megadeth's eventual return.
Studio albums
- The World Needs a Hero (May 2001)
Formation 4 of 12
Jul 1998 – Jan 2000
Members
- Dave MustaineLead Vocals, GuitarJul 1998 – Jan 2000
- David EllefsonBass, Backing VocalsJul 1998 – Jan 2000
- Marty FriedmanGuitarJul 1998 – Jan 2000
- Jimmy DeGrassoDrumsJul 1998 – Jan 2000
Formation facts
- Risk was an intentional attempt to push Megadeth beyond its established metal formula, and "Crush 'Em" became the clearest example. Mustaine later said the song made him feel that he had crossed a line with the band's credibility, yet it also escaped the normal album cycle in a way few Megadeth songs had. After appearing on the Universal Soldier: The Return soundtrack, "Crush 'Em" migrated into NHL arenas and professional wrestling through WCW.
- The stylistic experiment also helped bring the longest-running Megadeth guitarist partnership to an end. After Risk, Mustaine wanted the band to move back toward heavier material, while Marty Friedman was increasingly interested in a different musical direction. Friedman announced his departure in December 1999 and played his final Megadeth show in Seattle on January 14, 2000. The very next night, Al Pitrelli made his first appearance with the band in Vancouver.
Studio albums
- Risk (Aug 1999)
Formation 3 of 12
Feb 1990 – Jul 1998
Members
- Dave MustaineLead Vocals, GuitarFeb 1990 – Jul 1998
- David EllefsonBass, Backing VocalsFeb 1990 – Jul 1998
- Marty FriedmanGuitarFeb 1990 – Jul 1998
- Nick MenzaDrumsFeb 1990 – Jul 1998
Formation facts
- The Friedman/Menza lineup arrived just as Megadeth entered one of its biggest growth periods. Rust in Peace was the first Megadeth album with both musicians, and within months the band was touring Europe on Clash of the Titans with Slayer, Testament and Suicidal Tendencies. The 1991 North American version paired Megadeth with Slayer, Anthrax and Alice in Chains and became one of heavy metal's landmark package tours. Megadeth had moved from lineup instability into the quartet that would make four consecutive studio albums.
- "Symphony of Destruction" was much simpler than the technical material Megadeth was known for, and that simplicity helped change the band's scale. Mustaine says the song seemed to write itself, with part of the lyric beginning on the back of a receipt. Producer Max Norman made a key structural suggestion by moving the final verse until after Marty Friedman's solo. The song became one of Megadeth's signature tracks, while Countdown to Extinction reached No. 2 in the United States and went double platinum.
- Megadeth could not find a Phoenix studio it liked for Youthanasia, so the solution was to build one. The band and producer Max Norman created a temporary recording facility in a rented warehouse, allowing the musicians to work together locally on the album. Marty Friedman later recalled that the studio was a one-record project: after Youthanasia was finished, it was dismantled and the equipment sent back to Los Angeles. The unusual setup was documented in Evolver: The Making of Youthanasia.
Studio albums
- Cryptic Writings (Jun 1997)
- Youthanasia (Nov 1994)
- Countdown to Extinction (Jul 1992)
- Rust in Peace (Sep 1990)
Formation 2 of 12
Jul 1987 – Aug 1988
Members
- Dave MustaineLead Vocals, GuitarJul 1987 – Aug 1988
- David EllefsonBass, Backing VocalsJul 1987 – Aug 1988
- Jeff YoungGuitarJul 1987 – Aug 1988
- Chuck BehlerDrumsJul 1987 – Aug 1988
Formation facts
- A disastrous misunderstanding at Megadeth's May 11, 1988 concert in Antrim, Northern Ireland gave birth to one of the band's defining songs. Mustaine heard a bootleg-shirt seller refer to "the Cause," misunderstood the political meaning, and made comments from the stage that inflamed an already divided crowd. The band had to leave under heavy security. Mustaine later turned the experience into "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due," transforming an embarrassing mistake into one of Megadeth's most enduring songs.
- Megadeth's version of the Sex Pistols' "Anarchy in the U.K." ended up featuring an actual Sex Pistol. David Ellefson has recalled that producer Paul Lani knew Steve Jones and brought him into the sessions to play guitar. Jeff Young had already recorded a solo, but Jones's appearance changed the final recording. It was an unusual collision between the British punk band that helped inspire thrash's attitude and the Megadeth lineup then trying to follow Peace Sells.
Studio albums
- So Far, So Good... So What! (Jan 1988)
Formation 1 of 12
Dec 1984 – Jun 1987
Members
- Dave MustaineLead Vocals, GuitarDec 1984 – Jun 1987
- David EllefsonBass, Backing VocalsDec 1984 – Jun 1987
- Chris PolandGuitarDec 1984 – Jun 1987
- Gar SamuelsonDrumsDec 1984 – Jun 1987
Formation facts
- Megadeth entered the studio to make Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! with only an $8,000 recording budget. Dave Mustaine later recalled arriving to find that roughly half of it had already been spent on food and drugs, leaving the band to make its debut with about $4,000. Mustaine and David Ellefson were effectively homeless during part of this period and stayed with engineer Karat Faye. The primitive circumstances helped produce a debut whose rawness became part of its identity.
- "Peace Sells" came together with unusual speed. David Ellefson recalls Mustaine picking up his fretless bass while the two were staying with engineer Karat Faye, working out the riff, then taking it to rehearsal where Gar Samuelson and Chris Poland joined in. Within a couple of hours, the core of the song was there. Its opening bass line later became the music behind MTV News, giving Megadeth a piece of mainstream cultural recognition far beyond metal radio.
- Dave Mustaine wrote the music for "In My Darkest Hour" on September 27, 1986, after learning that his former Metallica bandmate Cliff Burton had been killed in a tour-bus crash. Mustaine has described it as the rare song he wrote essentially in one sitting. The lyrics were not about Burton, but the loss shaped the music's unusually somber character. The song would not appear until So Far, So Good... So What!, but its creation belongs to the Poland/Samuelson era.
Studio albums
- Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? (Sep 1986)
- Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! (May 1985)