
Legendary band announces next album and tour will be their last as they retire after 42 years
Founded by Dave Mustaine in 1983 after the singer's acrimonious departure from Metallica, the San Francisco band have consistently pumped out memorable riffs ever since.
2
But the band will call it a day after the completion of their tour next year.
Mustaine said: 'There's so many musicians that have come to the end of their career, whether accidental or intentional.
'Most of them don't get to go out on their own terms on top, and that's where I'm at in my life right now. I have traveled the world and have made millions upon millions of fans and the hardest part of all of this is saying goodbye to them."
He continued: 'We can't wait for you to hear this album and see us on tour. If there was ever a perfect time for us to put out a new album, it's now.
'If there was ever a perfect time to tour the world, it's now. This is also a perfect time for us to tell you that it's our last studio album. We've made a lot of friends over the years and I hope to see all of you on our global farewell tour. Don't be mad, don't be sad, be happy for us all, come celebrate with me these next few years.
'We have done something together that's truly wonderful and will probably never happen again,' he concludes. 'We started a musical style, we started a revolution, we changed the guitar world and how it's played, and we changed the world. The bands I played in have influenced the world. I love you all for it. Thank you for everything.'
Devastated fans can't believe it.
Another wrote: "This made me feel so sad."
A third said: "Farewell, kings. It's been a great run!"
Music video for Dave Mustaine's Megadeth hit Holy Wars... The Punishment Due
The band are best known for albums such as Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good!, Peace Sells… but Who's Buying?, and Rust in Peace.
There has been a revolving door of members over the years with only Mustaine being ever-present. The current line up consists of Mustaine, James LoMenzo, Dirk Verbeuren and Teemu Mäntysaari.
Megadeth are synonymous with skeletal mascot Vic Rattlehead and have released 16 albums to date, the last of which - The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead! - came out in 2022.
Over the course of their career they've been nominated for 12 Grammys, winning their first and only gong in 2017 for their track Dystopia, which triumphed in the Best Metal Performance category.
Mustaine, who overcame throat cancer in 2020, has had a long-standing rivalry with Metallica, for which he co-wrote early tracks such as Metal Militia, Phantom Lord, The Four Horsemen, Ride the Lightning, and The Call of Ktulu.
Brian Slagel, Metal Blade Records owner, previously said: 'Dave was an incredibly talented guy, but he also had an incredibly large problem with alcohol and drugs. He'd get wasted and become a real crazy person, a raging megalomaniac, and the other guys just couldn't deal with that after a while.
'I mean, they all drank of course, but Dave drank more… much more,' Slagel continues. 'I could see they were beginning to get fed up of seeing Dave drunk out of his mind all the time.'
But in 2010, tensions softened and the so-called Big Four of thrash - Anthrax, Slayer, Metallica and Megadeth - played together on the same bill.
2
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Independent
28 minutes ago
- The Independent
Stranger Things creators are reportedly eyeing deal with Paramount
Matt and Ross Duffer, creators of Netflix 's Stranger Things, are reportedly in advanced negotiations to move to Paramount to create new exclusive TV shows and films. The potential move would see the Duffer Brothers reunite with former Netflix executives Cindy Holland and Matt Thunell, now heading streaming and TV studios at Paramount, respectively. Paramount reportedly aims for the siblings to focus on developing tentpole movies, marking a significant coup for the company following its merger with Skydance. Despite the potential move, the Duffer Brothers still have several unreleased titles with Netflix, including The Boroughs and Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, and are expected to confirm a Stranger Things spin-off. The fifth and final season of Stranger Things is scheduled for release in three batches later this year, with episodes dropping on November 26, Christmas Day, and New Year's Eve.


The Independent
28 minutes ago
- The Independent
Alicia Silverstone says George Clooney was a ‘big brother' to her during Batman and Robbin
Alicia Silverstone, who portrayed Batgirl in the 1997 film Batman & Robin, revealed that co-star George Clooney acted like a 'big brother' and supported her on set. Silverstone, then 20, recounted the challenges of wearing the film's elaborate costumes, which made bathroom breaks impossible. Despite its reputation as the worst Batman film, Silverstone noted that some, particularly her gay friends, consider it their favorite due to its camp style. Clooney, who played Batman, has openly expressed his regret about the movie, labelling it a 'waste of money' and joking he would not make it again. The film's silly tone marked a significant departure from previous darker Batman portrayals and led to a long hiatus for the character on screen until Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins in 2005.


Daily Mail
29 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Joy Taylor defends male cheerleaders in the NFL with brutal 'slavery' attack on critics
Joy Taylor has slammed ' conservatives ' taking issue with the rise in male cheerleaders in the NFL, accusing them of confecting 'outrage over nothing'. It emerged earlier this week that the New Orleans Saints have hired more male performers for the upcoming season. The Saints will reportedly be one of a dozen NFL teams to include male cheerleaders on their squad - up from seven in 2024. The trend has sparked outrage in some quarters but those critics were mocked by former Fox Sports host Taylor. 'So teaching kids (that) slavery was not a big deal is acceptable but male cheerleaders is where "conservatives" draw the line,' she wrote on social media alongside three laughing emojis. 'Also this isn't new so as usual, OUTRAGE over nothing.' The Los Angeles Rams claimed to have made history in 2018 when they added Quinton Peron and Napoleon Jinnies to their dance squad. Jesse Hernandez soon followed, becoming the first male member the New Orleans 'Saintsations'. This season, New Orleans will have a total of 12 men on the 2025 Saints Cheer Krewe Roster after three women were replaced following tryouts. The other teams with male cheerleaders are the Panthers, Buccaneers, Chiefs, Colts, Titans, Patriots, 49ers, Eagles, Rams, Ravens and the Vikings. Minnesota also faced a backlash from some fans after footage of two new male cheerleaders went viral. The team have since released a statement. It read: 'While many fans may be seeing male cheerleaders for the first time at Vikings games, male cheerleaders have been part of previous Vikings teams and have long been associated with collegiate and professional cheerleading. 'In 2025, approximately one third of NFL teams have male cheerleaders. Every member of the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders program has an impressive dance background and went through the same rigorous audition process. 'Individuals were selected because of their talent, passion for dance and dedication to elevating the game day experience. We support all our cheerleaders and are proud of the role they play as ambassadors of the organization.' Meanwhile, Taylor's nine-year stint at Fox came to an abrupt end last month after the network reportedly failed to renew her contract.