12 Worst Sellout Albums In Hard Rock

During the mid 90's, thrash metal was going through a bit of a transitionary period. Though the genre had dominated most of the 80's underground scene with breakneck tempos and jaw-dropping solos, Metallica showed that the genre could reach a much brighter audience with their self-titled Black Album. Fellow thrashers were certainly paying attention, but none more so than Dave Mustaine.

Knowing the potential of a hooky single, Mustaine steered Megadeth towards poppier territory on Cryptic Writings, which did a decent job on the charts thanks to the single "Trust." It may have been a good start, but those pop inclinations became a bit too much once the band recorded Risk. Instead of gently incorporating some softer touches into their sound, this sounds like Megadeth turning into an alternative rock act without any real warning.

There are some genuinely interesting artistic choices like the use of an electric violin, but as a whole, the record feels like odds and ends that should have been left on the cutting room floor rather than being put onto a major album release. While they would course correct just a few years later with The Worlds Needs a Hero, this example of pop pandering seems like sacrilege coming out of one of the Big 4 of thrash.