Megadeth recently received backlash as fans are comparing their “cash grab” $500 boxset to Metallica’s reissues. This reaction followed an announcement shared on Instagram.
The announcement detailed a limited collector’s edition boxset celebrating the 40th anniversary of the band’s iconic album.
“Forty years after the release of ‘Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying?,’ the case has been reopened,” Megadeth said. “This limited collector’s edition boxset documents one of the most defining eras in our history through rare recordings, signed artwork, recreated archival material and evidence housed within a custom red Vic Realtors briefcase inspired by the world of ’Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?’”
This announcement prompted criticism from fans who compared the release to Metallica’s reissues.
“$500 for just the album and one live show?” a fan wrote on Reddit. “When compared to what you get in the Metallica collector boxes you get a whole lot more bang for your buck, and at half the cost!”
Other fans pointed out the lack of previously released bonus material and questioned the inclusion of certain memorabilia.
“Wow it doesn’t even include all the material from the last set, like the Randy Burns mixes?” another fan commented. “That to me was a huge draw for that last set (by the way, was 1/5 the cost of this set). Also who the hell is interested in these stupid coins they keep releasing?”
Some fans expressed frustration with the band’s commercial direction, describing the release as a cash grab.
“Who knew this was going to be another cashgrab?” another fan added. “Folks, Megadeth doesn’t have any more unreleased material, video footage or the likes to be seen. No unreleased interviews with Gar Samuelson, no lore like Ghost, no unreleased demos of any 90s song worth mentioned, no nothing, all you are gonna get is a signed poster a vinyl that changes colors and drama about Hetfield not returning Mustaine’s calls back in 1994. It’s not how the band and brand were conceived +20 years ago when it became a full fledge business. Money goes on tours, on records and in Dave + son pockets, that’s it. Be happy that the band still tours and keep your coins.”
The band has not yet responded to the fan feedback.
The criticism has focused less on the boxset itself and more on how much it delivers for its price tag. This is especially true when placed next to similar reissues from the band’s peers. The contents of the package have been widely discussed since the announcement.
The “Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying?” 40th anniversary briefcase edition is limited to 1,500 units. It includes a custom red Vic Realtors briefcase, a gold vinyl pressing of the original album, and a black vinyl pressing of a 1987 live performance at the Phantasy Theater in Cleveland. The set also features an autographed print signed by Dave Mustaine, Megadeth-branded handcuffs, a “de-classified dossier,” recreated show memorabilia, a collector coin, and a patch set. Fans have been weighing this limited run and specific mix of items against the $500 asking price.
By contrast, Metallica’s reissues have long been cited as the benchmark for value in metal box sets. The digital deluxe edition of the “Master of Puppets” remastered box set was priced between $99.99 and $119.99. It features the remastered album alongside six live shows, demos, and rough mixes pulled from Lars Ulrich’s and James Hetfield’s vaults.
The physical edition of that same release widens the gap further. The limited edition deluxe box set includes a 108-page hardcover book, three LPs, ten CDs, a cassette, and two DVDs. It also contains a lithograph, handwritten lyrics, and six buttons. Similar expanded archival packages have accompanied Metallica’s other reissues. Fans repeatedly point to these packages when measuring Megadeth’s new offering.
The album at the center of the dispute carries real weight in Megadeth’s history. “Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying?” is the band’s second studio album. It was first released in Japan on September 19, 1986, and in the United States on September 25, 1986, through Capitol Records. The record is often regarded as a thrash metal milestone.
That status was built on the record’s commercial performance as much as its sound. The album marked Megadeth’s commercial and critical breakthrough, eventually selling more than a million copies in the US alone, while it set the band on the path that defined the rest of its career. That legacy is precisely what the 40th anniversary package is meant to honor, even as fans debate whether the price does it justice.
