- Piece of Mind (Remastered) · 1983
- The Number of the Beast (2015 Remaster) · 1982
- The Number of the Beast (2015 Remaster) · 1982
- The Number of the Beast (2015 Remaster) · 1982
- Fear of the Dark · 1992
- Somewhere in Time (2015 Remastered Edition) · 1986
- Powerslave (2015 Remastered Edition) · 1984
- Powerslave (2015 Remastered Edition) · 1984
- The Number of the Beast (2015 Remaster) · 1982
- Piece of Mind (Remastered) · 1983
- Iron Maiden (Remastered) · 1980
- Brave New World (2015 Remastered Version) · 2000
- Senjutsu · 2021
Essential Albums
- It all started here: the galloping basslines, the soaring choruses, the skeletal Eddie mascot snarling on the sleeve. Released in April 1980, Iron Maiden’s full-length debut was nothing short of revelatory. Led by bassist mastermind Steve Harris and fronted by ex-skinhead Paul Di’Anno, Maiden set the gold standard for the burgeoning New Wave of British Heavy Metal with the punk-injected single “Running Free,” the highlander prog of “Phantom of the Opera,” and their harmonized signature ripper “Iron Maiden.” But they also flashed a talent for ghostly atmospherics on “Remember Tomorrow” (later covered by Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats) and for serialized fiction on “Charlotte the Harlot,” a character who would go on to appear in future Maiden epics. With a grittier, streetwise sound and fewer historical themes than they would later adopt when Bruce Dickinson took over on vocals, Iron Maiden stands as an essential building block in the infrastructure of heavy metal.
Artist Playlists
- One of the biggest and best metal bands on the planet.
- Spine-chilling sides from the heavy metal pioneers make the perfect soundtrack for All Hallows’ Eve.
- A visual feast of studded leather, creepy imagery, and Eddie cameos.
- Bow down to Eddie the Head.
- Scorching metal anthems haunted by the tortured visage of Eddie the Head.
About Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden embodies the sound and spirit of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, a scrappy, late-’70s/early-’80s movement that revolutionized heavy music. The London-formed band wields a twin-guitar attack driven by both speed and nuance—a perfect match for Bruce Dickinson’s vibrato-heavy yawp—as well as smart lyrics that draw on Greek mythology (1983’s “Flight of Icarus”) and English poetry (1984’s “Rime of the Ancient Mariner”). Bassist Steve Harris formed Iron Maiden on Christmas Day 1975, and the band cycled through many lineups in the subsequent years, adding guitarists Dave Murray and Adrian Smith—and a mighty shape-shifting mascot named Eddie—along the way. After debuting in 1980 with a self-titled LP recorded with vocalist Paul Di’Anno, Iron Maiden came into their own with 1982’s The Number of the Beast. Their first album with frontman Bruce Dickinson, it topped the UK charts and produced the signature screamers “Run to the Hills” and “The Number of the Beast.” The ensuing decades have been kind to Iron Maiden, as the band has earned numerous worldwide No. 1 albums (including 2015’s The Book of Souls) and continues to be a popular live act known for elaborate, theater-like stage productions. Above all, however, the group has elevated metal to an art form, proving that academic and musical inspirations can coexist loudly.
- ORIGIN
- London, England
- FORMED
- 1975
- GENRE
- Metal