AHC: Make Anthrax more popular

Basically, how would you make it so that Anthrax are the thrash band to make it big, instead of Metallica?
 
Two things come to mind:

The fairly obvious: convince MTV to air the video for "Madhouse" in 1985. It's been enduringly popular, and the original stated reasons for MTV refusing to air it (insensitive to the mentally ill) make no sense. Given the positive relationship between Scott Ian and MTV (I'm thinking of the "Let Anthrax Destroy My House" promo on MTV in the late '80s), and given Ian's TV-friendly personality -- as demonstrated by his numerous appearances on VH1s "Best Of" specials -- it's easy to imagine "Madhouse" becoming a sleeper hit in '85.

The commercial one that will probably make you cringe: put a power ballad on 1987's Among the Living. Don't give me that look! Even if you don't like power ballads -- and seriously, if you don't, why not?? -- they were essentially the key to metal acts becoming successful mainstream acts in the 80s.

Put a song like "November Rain" on Among the Living, and you've got a band with the potential of... well, Guns 'n Roses.
 
Two things come to mind:

The fairly obvious: convince MTV to air the video for "Madhouse" in 1985. It's been enduringly popular, and the original stated reasons for MTV refusing to air it (insensitive to the mentally ill) make no sense. Given the positive relationship between Scott Ian and MTV (I'm thinking of the "Let Anthrax Destroy My House" promo on MTV in the late '80s), and given Ian's TV-friendly personality -- as demonstrated by his numerous appearances on VH1s "Best Of" specials -- it's easy to imagine "Madhouse" becoming a sleeper hit in '85.

The commercial one that will probably make you cringe: put a power ballad on 1987's Among the Living. Don't give me that look! Even if you don't like power ballads -- and seriously, if you don't, why not?? -- they were essentially the key to metal acts becoming successful mainstream acts in the 80s.

Put a song like "November Rain" on Among the Living, and you've got a band with the potential of... well, Guns 'n Roses.

The Madhouse idea makes sense, but as for the power ballad idea, im not sure if that would cause them to be more popular. Bands like Overkill and Testament had ballads in the late 80s and that didnt break them out of second tier (Anthrax did have kind of a ballad with black lodge, which was a minor hit, but didnt exactly make them a household name).
 
The commercial one that will probably make you cringe: put a power ballad on 1987's Among the Living. Don't give me that look! Even if you don't like power ballads -- and seriously, if you don't, why not?? -- they were essentially the key to metal acts becoming successful mainstream acts in the 80s.

Put a song like "November Rain" on Among the Living, and you've got a band with the potential of... well, Guns 'n Roses.

Actually, I think that could have killed the band as a serious contender.
When they did finally do a ballad I think they got it spot on: With This

Definately more video airplay would have helped, Among The Living with the right push I think could hve broken them out, and certainly Persistance of Time should have been the one to put them over the top.
 
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