Megadeth’s Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying? (40-Year Anniversary)

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For most non-metal listeners, the main band they consider is Metallica. They are more or less a household name. However, Megadeth would go on to create albums that defined thrash metal. They’re a band fuelled by frontman Dave Mustaine’s messy departure from Metallica. Yet, they were able to reinforce the power of what the genre stood for. Their second album, ‘Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying?‘ was released in September 1986, becoming one of the group’s most critically acclaimed releases.

Major Competition

It was produced by Mustaine and Randy Burns, with additional mixing after it garnered the interest of Capitol Records. It feels different to their first album, ‘Killing Is My Business…and Business Is Good!‘. Aggression and revenge fill that first release. Yet this release had much more to prove. They needed to show their strength as a band.

The year saw hard competition for thrash metal, with Metallica releasing ‘Master Of Puppets‘ in March and Slayer’s ‘Reign In Blood‘ coming in mid-October. When 3/4 of the thrash big four released an album in the same year, it demonstrates how the genre was at a major high point. All four bands pushed each other to raise the bar. The tension between Megadeth and Metallica was definitely still prominent after Mustaine departed the band only three years prior.

Opening with ‘Wake Up Dead’ proves that this LP will provide the hard-hitting, fast-tempo music the band had gained traction for. Out of the big four, Megadeth provided some of the most technical playing. Chris Poland would demonstrate great guitar playing during this era. Furthermore, tracks like ‘The Conjuring‘ would cement Megadeth’s legacy for having a heavy focus on satanic lyricism around this era. This would change down the line as the frontman later found faith and would refuse to play some of his earlier songs.

Social Commentary

The title track remains one of my personal favourites from the band and the wider genre. It’s a song that opened my eyes to what metal had to offer. Right from David Ellefson’s opening bass lick, it’s clear this is a song you can’t forget easily. The band has often considered the political and social climate at the time of writing in their lyricism. This track, and the title of the LP, are no different. The name comes from a Reader’s Digest article that included the phrase “Peace sells, but nobody’s buying it“. The iconic cover art also signifies the band’s distaste for American society and politics. Megadeth’s mascot, Vic Rattlehead, poses as an estate agent in front of a ruined United Nations headquarters.

The song’s lyrics tell the story through the perspective of someone who adheres to social norms yet still hasn’t reached the American dream. The band has provided some great political and social commentary within the lyrics throughout their career. Another famous example is their 1990 classic ‘Holy Wars…The Punishment Due‘. That track is inspired by the violence over religion that was taking place in Northern Ireland at the time.

Legacy

Megadeth would go on to release their magnum opus, ‘Rust In Peace’, four years later. If this record hadn’t solidified their status as classic thrash legends, that certainly would. However, ‘Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying?‘ remains a fan favourite and one of their most highly regarded albums amongst critics. Regardless of whether it is the best thrash metal record of all time, it definitely signifies a milestone for both the band and the genre.

Since its release, there have been countless remixes and remasters. This includes the 2011 25th anniversary remaster and a 2004 remix and remaster. There’s clearly still a space for the release in modern music, with Megadeth announcing a limited edition box set to celebrate its 40-year anniversary. But who’s buying it?

Rating: 8/10

Megadeth are on Instagram, X, TikTok and Threads. You can stream ‘Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying?‘ below or buy it, and read more anniversary pieces here.

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