The Big Four
 

Do you think that Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax should be replaced with Overkill, Exodus and Testament?

This is a tired topic. Basing it on popularity is at least a somewhat objective measurement. Otherwise, nobody would ever agree on what bands to include.

overkill sues napster

Overkill, Exodus and Testament are only slightly less popular than Megadeth or Anthrax.

I think it depends who you're talking to.

When I was in middle school, everybody knew who Anthrax, Megadeth, and even Voivod were because they were all on Guitar Hero II. There were daily discussions about how hard "Hangar 18" was to play on expert mode. It was considered like a right of passage to play "Hangar 18" on expert mode among my friends. "Hangar 18 expert mode" is a meme I still see sometimes. This was 13-14 year-olds first experience with metal that wasn't "Enter Sandman".

Among the older generation, maybe, but among my generation, hell no.

Overkill have sold more than 16 million albums ( excluding the US ).

I think $$$ is a better indication of popularity than sales.

If we're talking modern day popularity, at least in metal circles, then yeah I'd say those three could replace the other three.

there's lotsa good bands

Hell no! Exodus (mostly) sucks and Testament's only good album is their newest album. Overkill is good, but the only big four band they're better than (strongest material vs strongest material), is Anthrax. Anthrax barely has strong material.

I love Overkill's 80's and 90's albums, but I'd still put at least Megadeth and Metallica over them.

EDIT: If you really mean just how big they are in terms of fans, show attendance, sales... The factors that defined the big four to begin with, then I don't know. I don't have the numbers, but my insticts tell me Anthrax are has-beens compared to most of these other bands.