Megadeth Leader Dave Mustaine Shares the Iconic Albums That Shaped His Musical Journey (As Told to Metal Hammer)

A Taste Without Borders: The Essential Records That Forged the Mind of Megadeth’s Mastermind

Megadeth frontman and heavy metal icon Dave Mustaine recently sat down with the renowned British magazine Metal Hammer to share the ultimate playlist of his life. This exclusive list features the milestone records that laid the foundation for his musical tastes, inspired his legendary guitar riffs, and accompanied him through the wildest chapters of his career.

David Bowie – Changesonebowie (1976)

The first album I ever bought…

"The very first record I ever got was Hotter Than Hell by Kiss, but... I stole it," Dave admits candidly. "At the high school I went to, there were some truly great musicians in my social circle. We had the jocks, and we had the druggy crowd, and most of the latter really loved music and often played it themselves. Everyone respected David Bowie. Diamond Dogs was one of those tracks I especially loved, and Rebel Rebel was just cool. I have to say, the lyrics of Diamond Dogs really resonated with me and where my life was heading: 'As they pulled you out of the oxygen tent, you asked for the latest party…' I don't know if any line could better describe my attitude toward life at that exact moment!"

UFO — Phenomenon (1974)

The album that reminds me of high school…

"It's either Phenomenon by UFO or Let There Be Rock by AC/DC—those are the two albums I listened to the most during that period. I also listened to a lot of Black Sabbath, though I can't quite remember which specific album stood out the most... Probably the one with the song Changes (note: referring to Vol. 4). We'd light up a joint, and Changes would start playing. Ironically, that was my least favorite Sabbath song, which is why it stuck in my head. But I'll still give the crown to UFO. We spun that record constantly."

Led Zeppelin — Presence (1976)

My favorite album of all time…

"It's so hard to narrow it down to just one record. Diamond Head meant the world to me. The same goes for Mercyful Fate records. I remember cruising down the highway with James Hetfield, blasting Venom and Motörhead—those were two bands we were completely obsessed with. But if you hold a gun to my head and demand my all-time favorite album, I'll say Presence by Led Zeppelin. It came out right when I was starting to truly get into them, because when their earlier records dropped, I was simply too young."

Judas Priest — Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)

The one album that embodies the true essence of heavy metal…

"What defines metal for me? It all boils down to No Sleep Till Hammersmith by Motörhead—that album was the absolute embodiment of reckless abandon, freedom, and killer guitar riffs. But when it comes to classic heavy metal, Sad Wings Of Destiny by Judas Priest is unquestionably one of the greatest opuses of all time. Hearing Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing's twin-guitar harmony and whatever the hell Rob Halford is doing as a vocalist... Who even sings like that? No one else! I was so obsessed with Priest that I actually went to a hat shop and bought a fedora just like the one Glenn Tipton wore on the back cover of that vinyl. But I've got curly hair, and hats don't sit very well on it, so I didn't wear it for long."

Motörhead – Ace Of Spades (1980)

The album that makes you put the pedal to the metal…

"And once again, I have to mention Motörhead. Though it's worth noting that the guitar work on Iron Maiden's Killers is top-tier as well. That was an important record for me too, but Maiden's tempos weren't quite as blistering as Motörhead's fastest tracks. That is the ultimate soundtrack to floor the gas pedal... or end up in jail!"

Aztec Camera – Love (1987)

Nobody will believe I have this album in my collection…

"We were in Paris, and the hotel room TV was playing MTV. I remember I was sick at the time, and Roddy Frame was on the screen performing Deep And Wide And Tall. He is a brilliant pop songwriter. You'll notice that metal musicians who enjoy long, successful careers are usually people who listen to music far outside the metal genre and draw inspiration beyond it. If we just endlessly copy our peers from the scene, we go nowhere. I also own a Scritti Politti single for Wood Beez. Someone left it behind along with a record player in an apartment David Ellefson and I were renting, and I just kept it. But that song is a bit too poppy for my taste."

Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here (1975)

The album with the best artwork…

"This one is an easy choice. I have to say Wish You Were Here, featuring the iconic cover with two businessmen shaking hands while one of them is engulfed in flames. Storm Thorgerson is an incredible artist! So much so that his protégé, Hugh Syme, went on to create album covers for Megadeth's Countdown To Extinction and Youthanasia. We wanted something original and thought-provoking, not just a standard illustration. People had already slapped expectations on us, so everyone kept asking, 'Where's Vic?' (note: Vic Rattlehead, the band's mascot). As for the Youthanasia cover, it actually shocked some people. They genuinely thought we hung real babies from a clothesline and took a photo of it! In reality, we invited mothers with their babies, laid the kids on a white table lit from underneath, and asked the moms to hold their little ones by the toes so it looked like they were dangling upside down. I think it turned out brilliantly."

Angel — Angel (1975)

The most underrated album of all time…

"This band released their records on Casablanca Records. Back then, they and Kiss were like Yin and Yang. Kiss wore black, and Angel wore white. They had a fantastic guitarist named Punky Meadows, whom Frank Zappa used to poke fun at in his songs. But he wrote some amazing tracks like Tower and Any Way You Want. They were almost prog-rock, but brilliant songs. I always wanted to cover Tower. The vocalist had a very unusual voice—you need to be exceptionally open-minded to appreciate his style because of his ultra-fast vibrato, which turns a lot of people off. But they were one of my favorite bands growing up."

Johnny Winter – Still Alive And Well (1973)

The album I want played at my funeral…

"I always joke about this. I'm not waiting to die! I'm not afraid of death—I've already died once. But not to live at all, not to have the chance to share life? I love my family, I love my band, I love what's happening in my life right now, and my career is going wonderfully. I truly believe the metal community right now... well, the pendulum has swung in a positive direction for all of us—not just the 'Big Four,' but for the 'little four hundred' too!"

Megadeth – Dystopia (2016)

The album I want to be remembered by…

"Considering my level of playing, the quality of the songs, the triumphant reunion with David Ellefson, and having Kiko [Loureiro] as such an insanely talented guitarist, at that moment I chose Dystopia (note: Dave gave this interview in 2016). But now that we have Dirk Verbeuren in the band, I'm genuinely excited for what comes next. When we step into the rehearsal room, warm up before shows, and hear Dirk laying down blast beats, I wonder what Megadeth will sound like when we record the next album with those crushing drum tracks. It's bound to push my playing to supernatural limits. I'm thrilled because I can play fast metal, but with a drummer like that, the musical depth Kiko brings, and Ellefson holding down the fort, I'm really looking forward to the next record. I started thinking about it the very day we walked out of the studio after finishing Dystopia. That's how inspired I am!"