Dave Mustaine discussed how changes in metal music over the decades affected the genre’s core identity, speaking on Chris Jericho.
Mustaine was asked what he thought resonated about metal music across so many generations. He pointed to a shift in how bands approached the genre, particularly when keyboard-heavy acts emerged in the early 2000s.
Question: “What do you think that is about this music that resonates for so many generations?”
“Our generation of metal… I think that the music was more genuine,” Mustaine said. “I think that there came a time, not saying that any of these bands were responsible for it, but when bands around the Linkin Park era came out, a lot of bands were coming out and and doing metal with keyboards and stuff like that.”
He compared this shift to another industry change that he saw as damaging. “And I believe that started to do the same thing that morphing the Billboard top 200 charts with the country chart. It ruined the charts in my opinion.”
Mustaine drew on his own chart experience to illustrate his point. “The first time I had a record come out once the country music and and rock music merged was when Billy Ray Cyrus got to number one record and I got a number two record and I would have had a number one if it wasn’t for those two charts merging. So is it a pet peeve of mine? Is it a you know a bone of contention? Yeah, I guess so. Do I like Billy Ray Cyrus? No. Do I think that it was a good record? Apparently, it’s the number one record and I can appreciate that.”
Despite his frustration with the chart situation, he remained open-minded. “So, you know, hopefully one day you know, I’ll get to meet him and and watch him do his thing and and sing, you know, it’s got to be a good record if it’s number one.”
Mustaine made these comments while discussing how metal has evolved and changed over the decades.
Mustaine’s frustration with the chart merger stems from his experience in 1992. Megadeth’s fifth studio album Countdown to Extinction debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 on July 14, 1992, blocked from the top spot by Billy Ray Cyrus’ debut album Some Gave All, which spent 17 weeks at number one. The country and rock chart merger prevented Mustaine’s album from reaching the peak position.
The symphonic metal movement that Mustaine referenced took off in the 2000s with bands like Epica, After Forever, Delain, and Leaves’ Eyes leading the way. These female-fronted acts made keyboards and orchestral elements central to their sound, representing a departure from the guitar-driven approach that defined thrash metal. The subgenre’s growth reflected how metal was branching into new directions during that period.
Megadeth has experienced a resurgence in recent years. The band released a self-titled album on January 23, 2026, which became Megadeth’s only album to reach number one on the Billboard 200, selling 73,000 units. The group began a multi-year farewell tour in 2026. As one of the “big four” of thrash metal alongside Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax, Megadeth has remained a defining force in the genre for 40 years.
