Megadeth have plenty to toast this week as their self-titled final studio album has debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in the United States, marking the band’s highest-ever position on the chart. The album also landed at No. 3 in the UK album chart, marking another best position success.
“After 40 years of delivering Megadeth music, playing shows around the world, I have nothing but gratitude at this moment,” Dave Mustaine said.
“Finding out that our last Megadeth record is also our first #1 only further validates my will to go out on top. Thank you to my family, Teemu Mantasaari, James LoMenzo, Dirk Verbueren, Chris Rakestraw, and all our fans for making this possible. Megadeth would not be as successful as we are.
“I would also like to thank the people behind the scenes, our management, Danny Nozell, Justis Mustaine, and Steve Ross at CTK, and our label BLKIIBLK/Tradecraft.”
Released last week (January 23), the Grammy Award-winning and multi-platinum Heavy Metal titans have also landed at No. 1 in Australia and Austria, with a string of Top 5 placements across Europe and beyond.
Mustaine’s fellow band members were equally proud. “Absolutely amazing news,” Teemu Mäntysaari said. “Thank you and congrats to our entire extended Megadeth family.”
“I want to sincerely thank all our friends and fans who grabbed a copy,” James LoMenzo said. “We’re over the moon.”
“It feels unbelievable to sit atop the charts with an album that’s uncompromisingly Megadeth,” Dirk Verbeuren said. “Huge thanks to all of you who support us. You made this happen! See you on tour.”
BLKIIBLK on Megadeth
“This moment represents the culmination of the trust Dave and the Megadeth team placed in our label, BLKIIBLK/Frontiers Label Group, to deliver these results,” Jeff Stevenson, General Manager, Frontiers Label Group, said.
“As our label and its owner, Serafino Perugino, celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2026, the timing felt right to proudly partner in this next chapter with a band that has shaped music history since its formation in 1983.”
Tom Lipsky, A&R USA, Frontiers Label Group, added, “This achievement is a testament to the relationship that Dave Mustaine and Megadeth have built with fans over the course of their career.”
“The impact Megadeth has made on music has forever been cemented. And, now with this long overdue #1 all-genre album, the band is going out on top,” Danny Nozell, Megadeth’s manager and Founder/CEO of CTK Enterprises, said.
“I am so proud of Justis Mustaine, Steve Ross, and the entire CTK team, our RESULTS GLOBAL marketing team, SRO PR, and our partners at BLKIIBLK/Frontiers Label Group and The Orchard for bringing this project to life.”
Key chart positions (so far):
- United States: No. 1 (Billboard 200) – previous peak No. 2
- Australia: No. 1 – previous peak No. 2
- Austria: No. 1 – previous peak No. 8
- Finland: No. 2 (No. 1 physical)
- Sweden: No. 2 (No. 1 physical) – previous peak No. 9
- Belgium: No. 2 – previous peak No. 6
- United Kingdom: No. 3 – previous peak No. 6
- Germany: No. 3 – previous peak No. 6
- Netherlands: No. 4 – previous peak No. 7
- Italy: No. 5 – previous peak No. 15
- New Zealand: No. 5 – the band’s highest chart position ever
More international debuts are expected, with additional territories still being compiled at press time.
