Editing Countdown to Extinction (section)

{{About|the Megadeth album|the theme park attraction formerly known as Countdown to Extinction|Dinosaur (Disney's Animal Kingdom)}}
{{good article}}
{{Short description|1992 studio album by Megadeth}}
{{Infobox album
| name       = Countdown to Extinction
| type       = studio
| artist     = [[Megadeth]]
| cover      = Countdown album cover.jpg
| caption    = Cover art by [[Hugh Syme]]
| alt        = 1 old skinny man looking up w/ open mouth (center), band name (top), album name (bottom)
| released   = {{Start date|1992|7|14}}<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Grow|first=Kori|title=Megadeth's 'Countdown to Extinction' at 30: How the Thrashers Finally Proved Themselves|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|publisher=rollingstone.com|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/megadeth-countdown-to-extinction-interview-1383170/|date=July 14, 2022|access-date=July 15, 2022}}</ref>
| recorded   = January 6 – April 28, 1992
| venue      =
| studio     = The Enterprise, [[Burbank, California|Burbank]]
| genre      = {{hlist|[[Heavy metal music|Heavy metal]]|[[thrash metal]]}}
| length     = {{Duration|m=47|s=26}}
| label      = [[Capitol Records|Capitol]]
| producer   = {{hlist|[[Max Norman]]|[[Dave Mustaine]]|}}
| prev_title = [[Rust in Peace]]
| prev_year  = 1990
| next_title = [[Youthanasia]]
| next_year  = 1994
| misc       = {{Singles
 | name        = Countdown to Extinction
 | type        = studio
 | single1     = [[Symphony of Destruction]]
 | single1date = July 21, 1992
 | single2     = Foreclosure of a Dream
 | single2date = October 13, 1992
 | single3     = [[Sweating Bullets (song)|Sweating Bullets]]
 | single3date = February 16, 1993
 | single4     = [[Skin o' My Teeth]]
 | single4date = April 12, 1993
}}
}}
'''''Countdown to Extinction''''' is the fifth studio album by American [[thrash metal]] band [[Megadeth]], released on July 14, 1992,<ref name="Release date">{{cite web|title=Countdown To Extinction|url=https://megadeth.com/releases/5056/|access-date=July 14, 2022|archive-date=August 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220811231319/https://megadeth.com/releases/5056/|url-status=dead}}</ref> 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 (song)|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 journalism|music critics]], who noted its politically oriented lyrics and simplified sound in comparison to their previous record. The album entered the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] at number two, the band's highest position ever. It eventually achieved [[RIAA certification|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 [[The Humane Society of the United States|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 [[Countdown to Extinction: Live|a live album]] featuring a performance of the full album was released in September 2013.