Album · 25 years old this year
The World Needs a Hero
The World Needs a Hero is Megadeth's ninth studio album, released in May 2001. It followed Risk (1999), which had gone down badly with critics and buyers, and it steers the band back towards a heavier, thrash-based sound. It was their first record for Sanctuary Records after leaving Capitol, and it reached number 16 on the Billboard 200.
It is also a record of firsts and lasts. Al Pitrelli appears on it as the only album with him on guitar, and it is the final Megadeth album with bassist David Ellefson until Thirteen in 2011. Vic Rattlehead returns to the cover for the first time since Rust in Peace, alongside the classic band logo. At just under 58 minutes it is their longest album, and "When", at over nine minutes, is their longest song.
The World Needs a Hero: tracklist, credits and charts
12 tracks · 57:55Tracklist
- 1DisconnectDave Mustaine5:20
- 2The World Needs a HeroDave Mustaine3:52
- 3Moto PsychoDave Mustaine3:06
- 41000 Times GoodbyeDave Mustaine6:26
- 5Burning BridgesDave Mustaine5:21
- 6PromisesDave Mustaine and Al Pitrelli4:29
- 7Recipe for Hate... WarhorseDave Mustaine5:19
- 8Losing My SensesDave Mustaine4:41
- 9Dread and the Fugitive MindDave Mustaine4:25
- 10Silent ScornDave Mustaine1:43
- 11Return to HangarDave Mustaine4:00
- 12WhenDave Mustaine9:14
- Produced by
- Bill Kennedy, Dave Mustaine, Bill Kennedy
- Recorded at
- Henson Recording Studios, Scream Studios, Studio A&M, The Saltmine Studio Oasis, Henson, Hollywood, Saltmine, Mesa, Scream, Studio City
- Recorded
- April–December 2000
- Mixed by
- Bill Kennedy
- Mixed at
- Henson Recording Studios, The Enterprise
- Engineered by
- Bill Kennedy
- Label
- Metal-is Records
- Length
- 57:55
Line-up
- Jimmy DeGrasso · drums (drum set) · guest
- David Ellefson · bass guitar · guest
- Dave Mustaine · guitar, lead vocals · guest
- Al Pitrelli · guitar, background vocals · guest
Singles
- “Moto Psycho” · April 2001
- “Dread and the Fugitive Mind” · 2001
Peak chart positions
| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 · 2001 | 16 |
| UK Albums Chart · 2001 | 45 |
| UK Rock & Metal Albums · 2001 | 5 |
| UK Independent Albums · 2001 | 7 |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon) · 2001 | 17 |
| Canadian Albums (Billboard) · 2001 | 20 |
| Finnish Albums · 2001 | 23 |
| Italian Albums · 2001 | 24 |
| French Albums · 2001 | 28 |
| Polish Albums · 2001 | 32 |
All 17 charts
| Scottish Albums · 2001 | 34 |
| German Albums · 2001 | 36 |
| Swedish Albums · 2001 | 39 |
| Austrian Albums · 2001 | 59 |
| Australian Albums (ARIA) · 2001 | 72 |
| Dutch Albums · 2001 | 80 |
| Swiss Albums · 2001 | 94 |
From MusicBrainz, Wikipedia and Wikidata. Only what the sources record is shown.
52.9
Popularity (0–100, vs the whole vault)
2.7k
ListenBrainz listeners
90k
Wikipedia views, last 12 months
701
Deezer fans (all editions)
Released the same week
Also released on 15 May
Every year →
More from Megadeth
Full discography →
Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good!
1985
Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying?
1986
So Far, So Good… So What!
1988
Rust in Peace
1990
Countdown to Extinction
1992
Youthanasia
1994
Hidden Treasures
1995
Cryptic Writings
1997
Cryptic Sounds: No Voices in Your Head
1998
Risk
1999
Breadline
2000
Capitol Punishment: The Megadeth Years
2000
Rude Awakening
2002
Still, Alive… and Well?
2002
The System Has Failed
2004
Greatest Hits: Back to the Start
2005
United Abominations
2007
That One Night: Live in Buenos Aires
2007
Warchest
2007
Anthology: Set the World Afire
2008
Endgame
2009
Rust in Peace: Live
2010
Th1rt3en
2011
Super Collider
2013
Countdown to Extinction: Live
2013
Icon
2014
Dystopia
2016
Warheads on Foreheads
2019
Unplugged in Boston
2021
The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead!
2022
Megadeth
2026
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More on Metal-is Records
The label →
Releases and pressings
How we know the release date sources disagree on the year (2000, 2001)
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 2000 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 15 May 2001 | |
| Wikidata | 12 May 2001 | |
| US release | 15 May 2001 | earliest US date |
| UK / Europe release | 14 May 2001 | earliest UK or European date |
11 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | FR | Metal-is Records | 5038456900693 | other |
| 2001 | US | Sanctuary Records | other | |
| 12 May 2001 | JP | Victor | 4988002414918 | other |
| 14 May 2001 | KR | Metal-is Records | other | |
| 14 May 2001 | GB | Sanctuary Records | 5038456900693 | other |
| 14 May 2001 | GB | Metal-is Records | 5038456900624 | other |
| 15 May 2001 | US | Sanctuary Records | 060768450325 | other |
| 1 March 2017 | XW | Sanctuary Records | 5414939546372 | other |
| 15 February 2019 | XE | BMG | 4050538373448 | other |
| 15 February 2019 | XE | BMG | 4050538373936 | other |
| 15 February 2019 | US | BMG | 4050538373448 | remaster |
Cover art sources
itunes · upscaled: minor: best source 1400x1400, upscaled to 1500 (x1.07)
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| itunes ✓ | 1400×1400 | upscaled: minor: best source 1400x1400, upscaled to 1500 (x1.07) |
| deezer | 1200×1200 | upscaled |
| fanarttv | 1000×1000 | upscaled |
| coverartarchive | 500×495 | upscaled |