Megadeth strives for arena thrash success and gets it. On »Countdown to Extinction«, Megadeth swap their long-winded, progressive compositions for tight, compactly written and played songs that are better suited to radio and MTV airplay, or to the broad fan base of rock music worldwide. The album reached number 2 on the U.S. Billboard chart and was certified double platinum in 1992. Countdown To Extinction was nominated for a Grammy in 1992 in the category »Best Metal Performance«.