Metallica. Megadeth. Both bands have defined the musical genre of hard rock and thrash metal for over 30 years. Some of us prefer the Bay Area thrashers that are Metallica, and others prefer the Dave Mustaine-driven metal-mania that is Megadeth. Both bands have influenced generations of musicians since their inception in the 1980's, but without question one band stands tall above the other. Metallica is the standard by which all other hard rock, heavy metal, and thrash bands are now measured. And let's be clear right from the start: we can have this discussion until we are all blue in the face, if we were to base this firmly on opinion. We can exhaust all viable arguments and lines of logic, we can pick and nitpick and pick again until we feel we have covered all the bases. In the end, the fact that Metallica is the better band cannot be denied, and it is something that can be measured and reflected accordingly. So I will provide you with the facts for this argument, and give you six quick reasons why Metallica are simply better than Megadeth.
6. Established 1981
Formed in 1981, Metallica has seen currently 33+ years of dominance in the world of hard rock and heavy metal. That legacy spans over 12 studio albums, multiple live albums, and one recent full-length music concert film. The band is currently on hiatus, having just performed at the 2014 Grammy Awards, and they are in the process of starting their next studio album. Megadeth was formed in 1983, two years after Metallica kicked out Megadeth founding member Dave Mustaine, who would then go on and form his own group. Megadeth's career spans a less impressive 28 years, along with an official band retirement break from 2002 to 2004 to add to their docket. The band is currently on tour overseas, and plans to start work on another original album sometime this year. So without question, Metallica has been around longer, and they have been instrumental in establishing and sustaining metal music in America for decades. Their influence is far reaching across multiple genres of music, across multiple eras, and across multiple generations of rock music fans around the world. Megadeth, not so much time put in, and not near enough influence.