Iron Maiden: Their 40 Best Songs, Ranked
As Iron Maiden’s third album (and first with singer Bruce Dickinson), ‘The Number of the Beast,’ hits its 40th anniversary, the question on everyone’s mind is… how the HELL has…
As Iron Maiden’s third album (and first with singer Bruce Dickinson), ‘The Number of the Beast,’ hits its 40th anniversary, the question on everyone’s mind is... how the HELL has this band not been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Go to any major rock festival in the U.S. this year (or any year), and nearly every band on the bill owes Maiden a debt (and they all probably have worn out their share of Maiden cassettes, CDs and t-shirts).
The band has released a handful of classic albums, including The Number of the Beast. And with their most recent two double(!) albums, The Book of Souls and Senjutsu , they've shown that there's still more gas in the tank. Here, we rank their classics, starting with their debut album, going all the way up through 2021’s excellent Senjutsu. And here's hoping that the Rock Hall does the right thing and puts Maiden on the ballot in 2023 (in the meantime, they'd better induct Judas Priest this year).
40. “Days Of Future Past” from ‘Senjutsu’ (2021)
Sanctuary39. “Drifter” from ‘Killers’ (1981)
SanctuaryVisit my website https://vinyl-records.nl for complete album information and thousands of album cover photos
38. “Moonchild” from ‘Seventh Son of A Seventh Son’ (1988)
Sanctuary37. “The Prisoner” from ‘The Number of the Beast’ (1982)
Sanctuary36. “Revelations” from ‘Piece of Mind’ (1983)
Sanctuary35. “Death or Glory” from ‘The Book of Souls’ (2015)
Sanctuary34. “The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg” from “A Matter of Life and Death” (2006)
Sanctuary33. “Holy Smoke” from ‘No Prayer For The Dying’ (1990)
Sanctuary32. “The Red and the Black” from ‘The Book of Souls’ (2015)
Sanctuary31. “Strange World” from ‘Iron Maiden’ (1980)
Sanctuary30. “Stranger in a Strange Land” from “Somewhere in Time” (1986)
Sanctuary29. “Can I Play With Madness” from ‘Seventh Son of a Seventh Son’ (1988)
Sanctuary28. “Blood Brothers” from ‘Brave New World’ (2000)
Sanctuary27. “Wasted Years” from ‘Somewhere in Time’ (1986)
Sanctuary26. “Still Life” from “Piece of Mind’ (1983)
Sanctuary25. “Paschendale” from ‘Dance of Death’ (2003)
Sanctuary24. “If Eternity Should Fail” from ‘The Book of Souls’ (2015)
Sanctuary23. “Where Eagles Dare” from ‘Piece of Mind’ (1983)
Sanctuary22. “Fear of the Dark (live)” from ‘Rock in Rio’ (2002)
Sanctuary21. “The Writing On The Wall” from ‘Senjutsu’ (2021)
Sanctuary20. “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” from ‘Powerslave’ (1984)
Sanctuary19. “Infinite Dreams” from ‘Seventh Son of a Seventh Son’ (1988)
Sanctuary18. “Killers” from ‘Killers’ (1981)
SanctuaryVisit my website https://vinyl-records.nl for complete album information and thousands of album cover photos
17. “Powerslave” from ‘Powerslave’ (1984)
Sanctuary16. “Wrathchild” from ‘Killers’ (1981)
SanctuaryVisit my website https://vinyl-records.nl for complete album information and thousands of album cover photos
15. “Prowler” from ‘Iron Maiden’ (1980)
Sanctuary14. “Children of the Damned” from ‘The Number of the Beast’ (1982)
Sanctuary13. “Phantom of the Opera” from ‘Iron Maiden’ (1980)
Sanctuary12. “The Wicker Man” from ‘Brave New World’ (2000)
Sanctuary11. “Seventh Son of a Seventh Son” from ‘Seventh Son of a Seventh Son’ (1988)
Sanctuary10. “Flight of Icarus” from ‘Piece of Mind’ (1983)
Sanctuary9. “Running Free (live)” from ‘Maiden Japan’ (1981)
Iron Maiden8. “Intro (Churchill’s Speech)/Aces High (live)” from ‘Live After Death’ (1985)
Sanctuary7. “Remember Tomorrow” from ‘Iron Maiden’ (1980)
Sanctuary6. “Hallowed Be Thy Name” from ‘The Number of the Beast’ (1982)
Sanctuary5. “2 Minutes To Midnight” from ‘Powerslave’ (1984)
Sanctuary4. “Iron Maiden” from ‘Iron Maiden’ (1980)
3. “The Number of the Beast” from ‘The Number of the Beast’ (1982)
2. “The Trooper” from ‘Piece of Mind’ (1983)
1 “Run to the Hills” from ‘The Number of the Beast” (1982)
SanctuaryThe album’s title track was the one that parents and religious “leaders” were sweating (and moaning) over, but had ‘The Number of the Beast’ LP been released today, “Run To The Hills” might have gotten more attention. It depicts the colonization of America, and the first verse comes from the perspective of Native Americans. The first lines: “White man came across the sea/He brought us pain and misery.” A later verse includes the quote “the only good Indians are tame.” The song has been played so many times, and the repetition may have dulled the lyrics to those who have heard them over and over. But listen to them carefully, they’re as hard-hitting as the music (no mean feat) and are as thought-provoking as the best metal and rock and roll lyrics.
