Countdown to Extinction

This article is about the Megadeth album. For the theme park attraction formerly known as Countdown to Extinction, see Dinosaur (Disney's Animal Kingdom).

Countdown to Extinction
1 old skinny man looking up w/ open mouth (center), band name (top), album name (bottom)
Cover art by Hugh Syme
Studio album by
Megadeth
ReleasedJuly 14, 1992 (1992-07-14)[1]
RecordedJanuary 6 – April 28, 1992
StudioThe Enterprise, Burbank
Genre
Length47:26
LabelCapitol
Producer
Megadeth chronology
Rust in Peace
(1990) 		Countdown to Extinction
(1992) 		Youthanasia
(1994)
Singles from Countdown to Extinction
  1. "Symphony of Destruction"
    Released: July 21, 1992
  2. "Foreclosure of a Dream"
    Released: October 13, 1992
  3. "Sweating Bullets"
    Released: February 16, 1993
  4. "Skin o' My Teeth"
    Released: April 12, 1993

Countdown to Extinction is the fifth studio album by American thrash metal band Megadeth, released on July 14, 1992,[2] through Capitol Records. It was the group's second studio release to feature the "classic" lineup of Dave Mustaine, Marty Friedman, David Ellefson and Nick Menza, with all of them contributing to songwriting on the album. The album features some of the band's best known songs such as "Symphony of Destruction", "Sweating Bullets", and "Skin o' My Teeth", which enjoyed significant chart success and made a great musical impact.

Countdown to Extinction received positive reviews from music critics, who noted its politically oriented lyrics and simplified sound in comparison to their previous record. The album entered the Billboard 200 at number two, the band's highest position ever. It eventually achieved double platinum status and became their most commercially successful album. The record was nominated for Best Metal Performance at the 1993 Grammy Awards, while the album's title track won the Humane Society's Genesis Award for raising awareness for animal rights issues.

In 2012, in recognition of the album's 20th anniversary, Megadeth kicked off a 20th anniversary tour in South America, playing the album in its entirety. In addition, a 20th anniversary special edition of the album was released in November 2012, and a live album featuring a performance of the full album was released in September 2013.

  1. ^ Grow, Kori (July 14, 2022). "Megadeth's 'Countdown to Extinction' at 30: How the Thrashers Finally Proved Themselves". Rolling Stone. rollingstone.com. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  2. ^ "Countdown To Extinction". Archived from the original on August 11, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2022.