History YMMV / Megadeth

* AdaptationalEarlyAppearance: Although "Crown of Worms" was used on the ''Countdown to Extinction'' remaster, it wasn't recorded during the album's sessions, instead being done in 1993 during the period Mustaine worked with Music/DiamondHead. The song was first released in the ''Youthanasia'' period, being the B-side to "Train of Consequences" and an alternate take appearing on the Japanese version. It is likely it appeared on the ''Countdown'' remaster and not the ''Youthanasia'' one because of the remasters being limited to four bonus tracks apiece and ''Youthanasia'' having more outtakes to include.

* RecycledSoundtrack: Many examples:
** Mustaine's songs "Jump in the Fire" and "The Mechanix" were both brought to Metallica and rewritten by them after Dave was fired from the band, whilst keeping the same riffs. Both had the lyrics completely changed, and the latter was renamed "The Four Horsemen" and slowed down. Similarly, Mustaine's song "Hangar 18" was reworked into "The Call of Ktulu" after he left the band, and riffs he wrote for another song were reused in "Leper Messiah". Megadeth would record versions of both "The Mechanix"[[note]]Renamed to simply "Mechanix"[[/note]] and "Hangar 18".
** The earliest Megadeth setlists featured "Burnt Offerings", "Blood and Honor", "Conjure Me", "Next Victim", a guitar solo named "Quicksand", in addition to an instrumental version of "Hook in Mouth". The first four songs were reworked respectively as "Set the World Afire", "Wake Up Dead", "The Conjuring" and "My Last Words". "Quicksand" was divided up into the intros to "502" and "The Skull Beneath the Skin". Lyrics were written for "Hook in Mouth" later on.
** "Evil That's Within" and "Bullprick" were both recorded during the ''Youthanasia'' sessions but left off, and were rewritten as "Sin" and "FFF" on ''Cryptic Writings'' (the remaster of which features the ''Youthanasia'' outtakes as bonus tracks). The same is true of "Vortex", but it didn't receive a significant difference in the lyrics.
** "Wanderlust" from ''Risk'' is a rearranged version of an as yet unreleased ''Cryptic Writings'' outtake called "Smoking Gun", something mentioned in the ''Risk'' remaster booklet.
** According to Mustaine, "Deadly Nightshade" from ''[=Th1rt3en=]'' is a completed version of an unreleased song from the ''Youthanasia'' period too.

* BadassDecay:
** If you regarded Dave Mustaine as badass in the first place (also considering he has a third-degree black belt in Tae kwon do), his decline from "snarky but sociopolitically aware metal musician" to "racist, homophobic, bigoted, ConspiracyTheorist loudmouthed asshole" is very unnerving to witness.
%% The band itself suffered from this during TheNineties and TheNewTens, although ''Dystopia'' gladly helped this issue.

* GrowingTheBeard: Their most remembered era takes place in TheEighties and part of TheNineties. Part of their era in the TurnOfTheMillennium could also be seen as this.

** At some point in time, Marty Friedman became hooked on ''[[Literature/MariaWatchesOverUs Marimite]]''. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehjSVnra_3M He even wrote one of the ending themes]], potentially RealMenWearPink.
*** Friedman has lived in UsefulNotes/{{Tokyo}} since 2003, speaks fluent Japanese, plays for [[JapanesePopMusic J-pop]] singers (among others) and hosts two metal-themed TV shows. Quite busy.

** The band itself suffered from this during TheNineties and TheNewTens, although ''Dystopia'' gladly helped this issue.

* EpicRiff:

** Fans of the band also have one with, of all acts, Music/BillyRayCyrus. "Symphony of Destruction" was released around the same time that Cyrus' mega smash hit "Achy Breaky Heart" was getting heavy airplay and becoming an international sensation, sending his album ''Some Gave All'' to #1 on the Billboard Charts. "Symphony" was at ''[[SecondPlaceIsForLosers #2.]]'' The notion that a cheesy country OneHitWonder was the only thing keeping Megadeth from a #1 record has been a thorn in the side of many a fan.

** ''Music/PeaceSellsButWhosBuying'' is hailed as a classic, leading to follow-up album ''Music/SoFarSoGoodSoWhat'' being dismissed as the band's rushed attempt at keeping themselves active. It does help that the latter is sandwiched between the former and their other classic, ''Music/RustInPeace''.

** ''Music/PeaceSellsButWhosBuying'' is hailed as a classic, leading to follow-up album ''So Far, So Good... So What!'' being dismissed as the band's rushed attempt at keeping themselves active. It does help that the latter is sandwiched between the former and their other classic, ''Music/RustInPeace''.

* SacredCow: ''Rust in Peace'' is as universally loved in the metal community as Metallica's ''Music/RideTheLightning'' and ''Music/MasterOfPuppets'', and criticizing it won't be taken kindly. ''Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?'' isn't too far behind.

** ''Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?'', followed by the rushed ''So Far, So Good... So What!''
** ''Rust in Peace'' became the standard test to anything that came after it.

** Slightly inverted with ''So Far, So Good... So What!'' While it still has its fans, it went from being universally praised by music critics when it first came out to being viewed less favorable amongst those same critics who see it as a run-of-the-mill thrash metal album that didn’t do much for the band and felt it was lyrically weaker than their first 2 albums. Being a rushed production hasn’t helped either.

* FanNickname: [[FaceOfTheBand Musto]], [[IAmTheBand MegaDave]].

** Within the fandom, fans of Poland and fans of Friedman. While fans of one greatly respect and enjoy the contributions of the other, the debate on who was the all-time best Megadeth lead guitarist centers around those two. Fans of Poland prefer his jazz fusion style and trademark legato runs and wide vibrato, as well as the overall jazziness of their sound from that era that Gar Samuelson also helped provide, while fans of Friedman prefer his blend of contemporary 80s shredder and 70s guitar hero styles and his Eastern scales.

** At some point in time, Marty Friedman became hooked on ''[[LightNovel/MariaWatchesOverUs Marimite]]''. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehjSVnra_3M He even wrote one of the ending themes]], potentially RealMenWearPink.

** The song “Mission To Mars” from ''The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!'', which is literally about Dave dreaming of becoming an astronaut!

** In the runup to "The Sick, The Dying, And The Dead"'s release, people were sceptical due to the firing of Dave Ellefson during it's production. However, it turned out to be very well received.

** {{Averted|trope}} by the 2018 remix/remaster version of ''Killing Is My Business...'', which isn't as hot a mix as the 2002 version and dials the drums and bass back while still preserving the 2002 version's across-the-board quality improvements. Critical reception of this edition has generally been positive.

** Fans of the band also have one with, of all acts, Creator/BillyRayCyrus. "Symphony of Destruction" was released around the same time that Cyrus' mega smash hit "Achy Breaky Heart" was getting heavy airplay and becoming an international sensation, sending his album ''Some Gave All'' to #1 on the Billboard Charts. "Symphony" was at ''[[SecondPlaceIsForLosers #2.]]'' The notion that a cheesy country OneHitWonder was the only thing keeping Megadeth from a #1 record has been a thorn in the side of many a fan.

** Mustaine's songs "Jump In The Fire" and "The Mechanix" were both brought to Metallica and rewritten by them after Dave was fired from the band, whilst keeping the same riffs. Both had the lyrics completely changed, and the latter was renamed "The Four Horsemen" and slowed down. Similarly, Mustaine's song "Hangar 18" was reworked into "The Call Of Ktulu" after he left the band, and riffs he wrote for another song were reused in "Leper Messiah". Megadeth would record versions of both "The Mechanix" and "Hangar 18".

** According to Mustaine, "Deadly Nightshade" from Thirteen is a completed version of an unreleased song from the ''Youthanasia'' period too.