Megadeth is an American thrash metal band founded in Los Angeles in 1983 by guitarist and vocalist Dave Mustaine, who had just been fired from Metallica. Alongside Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax, they form the so-called "Big Four" of thrash metal - a genre they helped define with albums like Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? (1986) and Rust in Peace (1990). Over more than 40 years the band sold over 50 million records worldwide, earned a Grammy for Best Metal Performance (Dystopia, 2016), and in January 2026 released their self-titled final album, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 - their first-ever chart-topper.
Megadeth are playing European headline festival dates in June 2026, including Graspop Metal Meeting (June 18) and Hellfest (June 20), as part of their farewell world tour.
The self-titled final album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 dated February 7, 2026 - the band's first-ever chart-topper in nearly 40 years of chart history.
Megadeth released their self-titled final studio album on January 23, 2026, via Dave Mustaine's Tradecraft imprint in partnership with BLKIIBLK/Frontiers.
Megadeth announced six European headline shows for summer 2026, including dates in Gelsenkirchen, Vienna and Almaty (their live debut in Kazakhstan).
Dave Mustaine announced in August 2025 that the upcoming self-titled album would be Megadeth's last, and that a farewell world tour would follow.
