Megadeth's 5 Best Rock 'n' Roll Songs, Ranked

The following list of Megadeth's five best rock 'n' roll songs proves the thrash metal titans know how do dial it back a notch while still serving top-class riffs and attitude.

We know it might seem counterintuitive to use "Megadeth" and "rock 'n' roll" in the same sentence, especially since Dave Mustaine formed the band with a mission to play harder and faster than Metallica after they fired him. He certainly achieved those goals on paradigm-shifting albums such as Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? and Rust in Peace, handily earning a spot among the "Big 4" of thrash.

READ MORE: All 6 Metallica Songs Co-Written by Dave Mustaine Ranked Worst to Best

But something shocking happened in the '90s: Megadeth mellowed out, if only a little. Buoyed by the success of 1992's slightly more measured Countdown to Extinction, the band toyed with slower tempos, simpler riffs and more melodic hooks. The result was a batch of songs that departed from Megadeth's early breakneck thrash sound but still rocked abundantly in their own way.

That latter category is the one we're highlighting in the following list. Read on to see Megadeth's five best rock 'n' roll songs ranked from worst to best.

5. "A Tout Le Monde" (Youthanasia, 1994)

Following the commercial success of Countdown to Extinction, Megadeth continued pursuing a more accessible hard rock sound on 1994's Youthanasia. The album's second single, "A Tout Le Monde," is a mournful song about love and loss that marked Megadeth's first genuine power ballad. Despite its slow, chugging tempo and tender vocals, "A Tout Le Monde" has enough crunchy riffs and flashy leads to earn a spot on this list — and to fit effortlessly into the 1994 rock climate upon release.

4. "Angry Again" (Hidden Treasures, 1995)

Originally released on the 1993 Last Action Hero soundtrack, "Angry Again" bridges the gap between Megadeth's knotty thrash and commercial hard rock eras. The snarling, harmonized guitar leads evoke their earlier work, while the chugging riffs and mid-tempo stomp are optimized for hard rock radio and lighter-waving singalongs — which explains why "Angry Again" has been a setlist staple for decades.

READ MORE: Megadeth Albums Ranked From Worst to Best

3. "Trust" (Cryptic Writings, 1997)

Megadeth brought their commercial hard rock sound to its logical conclusion on Cryptic Writings, starting the album on a high note with the anthemic "Trust." A tribal drum intro that's more than a little reminiscent of Metallica's "Enter Sandman" gives way to darkly melodic riffs and one of Mustaine's most compelling mid-career choruses. The acoustic interlude and lurching bridge elevate the drama while still keeping "Trust" firmly rooted in rock 'n' roll territory.

2. "Train of Consequences" (Youthanasia)

We'll concede that "Train of Consequences" is borderline metal with its machine-gun intro riff and Mustaine's snarling vocals. But the killer drum groove and sweet, sweet arpeggiated guitars in the chorus are pure rock 'n' roll. However you want to classify it, there's no denying "Train of Consequences" represents the best of mid-'90s Megadeth, seamlessly blending melody and muscle.

1. "Sweating Bullets" (Countdown to Extinction, 1992)

You could credibly argue that much of Countdown to Extinction leans further toward hard rock than metal, but the one song that absolutely qualifies as rock 'n 'roll is "Sweating Bullets." The maddeningly catchy single features a bouncy groove, simple riffs and Mustaine's signature tongue-in-cheek talk-singing, making it a logical setlist staple. "Sweating Bullets" might have polarized fans of Megadeth's high-speed thrash attack, but it's earned its status as a rightful classic and the band's best rock 'n' roll song.