The band’s debut album, Killing Is My Business… and Business is Good!, released through Combat Records in 1985, attracted major label interest and became popular in both underground and mainstream metal circles.Īfter signing with Capitol Records, Megadeth released its major-label debut Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying? in 1986, which eventually went platinum, followed by So Far, So Good… So What! in 1988.Īround that time, Mustaine’s behavior became erratic, leading him to enter rehab and the band to partially break up. In 1984, it replaced Lee Rausch with jazz fusion drummer Gar Samuelson and guitarist Chris Poland. In the early years, Megadeth’s line-up changed regularly. Alongside Anthrax, Metallica and Slayer, Megadeth is credited as being one of the driving forces of thrash metal music over the ‘80s and ‘90s, dropping the progressive rock influences common and instead emphasizing the skills of its instrumentalists.

Formerly the lead guitarist of highly revered metal band Metallica, Dave Mustaine formed Megadeth alongside bassist David Ellefson in 1983.