Countdown to Extinction is the fifth studio album by American heavy metal band Megadeth, released on July 14, 1992 through Capitol Records. It is their best-selling album, eventually achieving double platinum status. The album also produced the band's most successful hit singles, "Symphony of Destruction", "Sweating Bullets", "Skin o' My Teeth" and "Foreclosure of a Dream", videos were made for all singles and also for "High Speed Dirt". This was the last album to feature the Combat Records company logo on the back of the album. 　　  　　Countdown to Extinction was nominated for Best Metal Performance at the 1993 Grammy Awards and the title track of the album won the Humane Society's Genesis Award, making Megadeth the only heavy metal band to be given this honor. 　　  　　According to the 2004 remastered version liner notes, Dave Mustaine was upset with the album only reaching #2 on the charts (behind Billy Ray Cyrus), and thus set out to make a #1 album. 　　  　　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. (wiki) 　　  　　------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 　　  　　by Steve Huey 　　  　　Megadeth guns for arena thrash success and gets it on Countdown to Extinction. Following the lead of 1991's Metallica, Megadeth trades in their lengthy, progressive compositions for streamlined, tightly written and played songs more conducive to radio and MTV airplay. Cries of "sellout" seem pointless when the results are artistically (as well as commercially) successful; songs like the mega-hit "Symphony of Destruction," "Skin O' My Teeth," "Foreclosure of a Dream," and "Sweating Bullets" are among the band's best.