"This is a perfect time for us to tell you that it's our last album." Megadeth to retire, announce final album and farewell tour to come in 2026

Dave Mustaine on stage snarling — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Dave Mustaine has stunned the metal world by revealing that Megadeth are set to call it a day. The thrash metal icon confirmed the news earlier today in an official statement, where he explains that the band's upcoming studio album, due out in 2026, will be their last, with a global farewell tour to follow.

“There's so many musicians that have come to the end of their career, whether accidental or intentional,” the frontman explains. “Most of them don't get to go out on their own terms on top, and that's where I'm at in my life right now. I have traveled the world and have made millions upon millions of fans and the hardest part of all of this is saying goodbye to them.

“We can't wait for you to hear this album and see us on tour," he adds. "If there was ever a perfect time for us to put out a new album, it's now. If there was ever a perfect time to tour the world, it's now. This is also a perfect time for us to tell you that it's our last studio album. We've made a lot of friends over the years and I hope to see all of you on our global farewell tour.

"Don't be mad, don't be sad, be happy for us all, come celebrate with me these next few years," Mustaine concludes. "We have done something together that's truly wonderful and will probably never happen again. We started a musical style, we started a revolution, we changed the guitar world and how it's played, and we changed the world. The bands I played in have influenced the world. I love you all for it. Thank you for everything.”

Megadeth's final studio album will land in 2026 via Mustaine's own Tradecraft imprint, in partnership with Frontiers Label Group’s newly launched BLKIIBLK label.

Formed by Dave Mustaine in 1983 following his unceremonious dismissal from Metallica, Megadeth would go on to become a key force in the burgeoning thrash metal movement and one of the most influential metal bands of all time.

They have released sixteen studio albums, the most recent of which, The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead!, was released in 2022.

Merlin was promoted to Executive Editor of Louder in early 2022, following over ten years working at Metal Hammer. While there, he served as Online Editor and Deputy Editor, before being promoted to Editor in 2016. Before joining Metal Hammer, Merlin worked as Associate Editor at Terrorizer Magazine and has written for Classic Rock, Rock Sound, eFestivals and others. Across his career he has interviewed legends including Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy, Metallica, Iron Maiden (including getting a trip on Ed Force One courtesy of Bruce Dickinson), Guns N' Roses, KISS, Slipknot, System Of A Down and Meat Loaf. He has also presented and produced the Metal Hammer Podcast, presented the Metal Hammer Radio Show and is probably responsible for 90% of all nu metal-related content making it onto the site.

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