Iron Maiden, a heavy metal band, was established in London in 1975 by Steve Harris, who was also the band’s primary songwriter and bassist. During the 1980s, Iron Maiden reached the pinnacle of their fame and success, and they are often regarded as a forerunner of the new wave of heavy metal.
Even though there have been numerous personnel shifts within the band throughout its existence, it is still active today.
Since the band’s inception, they have distributed a total of forty albums, comprised of sixteen studio albums, thirteen live albums, seven compilation albums, and four extended plays (EPs). In addition to that, they have issued a total of 45 singles and 20 video albums. The following is a ranking of the top 10 Iron Maiden albums in order.
1. Powerslave (1984)
The album “Powerslave” by Iron Maiden is considered to be the best of the band’s discography Louder Sound. It was the band’s fourth album, and it reached its highest position in the United Kingdom at number two, while also reaching its highest position in the United States at number twelve.
The song “Flash of the Blade,” which is featured on the album, is regarded by several music experts as being among the very best heavy metal songs ever written.
The title tune, “Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” “2 Minutes to Midnight,” and “Aces High” are also quite impressive songs that can be found on this album.
2. The Number of the Beast (1982)
Iron Maiden’s third studio album, titled “The Number of the Beast,” topped the album charts in the UK and became their most successful release to date. It was awarded the Platinum certification in both the United Kingdom and the United States, and in Canada, it received the Triple Platinum certification.
Iron Maiden’s most iconic songs, including “22 Acacia Avenue,” “Hallowed Be Thy Name,” and “Children of the Damned,” may all be found on this album in their original versions.
The album was met with opposition from social conservatives, and the band was accused of being Satanists. This occurred even though the CD was of high quality and enjoyed widespread acclaim.
3. Somewhere In Time (1986)
It seems like ‘Somewhere In Time,‘ out of all the albums that Iron Maiden released in the 1980s, is the one that gets the least amount of attention.
However, it was one of the most popular albums in the United States, reaching number 11 on the charts and becoming a huge commercial success.
It was also a successful album in Europe, achieving its highest position in Finland, which was number one, as well as number two in the United Kingdom. Iron Maiden has distributed the singles “Wasted Years” and “Stranger in a Strange Land,” both of which are taken from this album.
4. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988)
Iron Maiden is a heavy metal band from the United Kingdom. In 1988, the band released their seventh studio album, titled Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.
It is a concept album that depicts the story of a prophetic figure known as the Seventh Son, who is endowed with supernatural abilities and charged with the mission of rescuing humanity from the brink of extinction.
Iron Maiden is responsible for some of rock music’s most memorable tracks, including the album’s namesake tune as well as “Can I Play with Madness” and “The Evil That Men Do.” It was well received by both the public and the critics, and it is now commonly considered to be one of the band’s top albums.
5. A Matter of Life & Death (2006)
The heavy metal band Iron Maiden from the United Kingdom released their fourteenth studio album, titled A Matter of Life and Death, in the year 2006.
The band’s prior releases, including a good number of their earlier albums, have a sound that is more similar to alternative rock than to the progressive rock style of this album. Songs like “Different World,” “The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg,” and “For the Greater Good of God” are included in it.
The album was a commercial success, ranking in the top ten in a number of countries, and garnered favorable reviews from those who review music professionally. Many Iron Maiden fans agree that it is one of the band’s latter albums that ranks among their favorites in their catalog.
6. Piece of Mind (1983)
The heavy metal band Iron Maiden from the United Kingdom released their fourth studio album, titled Piece of Mind, in the year 1983. This album was the first Iron Maiden album to feature drummer Nicko McBrain, and it contains some of the band’s most renowned songs, including “The Trooper,” “Flight of Icarus,” and “Where Eagles Dare.”
Eddie, the band’s mascot, made his first appearance with the release of Piece of Mind. Eddie has since become an integral part of Iron Maiden’s visual identity and is featured on the cover of the album.
The album was a commercial success, charting in various countries, and is recognized as one of the band’s best albums by a large majority of music critics and fans.
7. Killers (1981)
The heavy metal band Iron Maiden from the United Kingdom released their second studio album, titled Killers, in the year 1981. This was the final Iron Maiden album to feature vocalist Paul Di’Anno, who was succeeded by Bruce Dickinson for the band’s following album.
Songs on the album include “Wrathchild,” “Killers,” and “Purgatory.” The album was also the last Iron Maiden album. Killers was welcomed with a variety of responses from critics at its initial release; nonetheless, it has since become a favorite of fans and is regarded by many as a classic album in the heavy metal genre.
In addition, the album featured the artwork of Derek Riggs, who went on to design the artwork for a number of legendary album covers for Iron Maiden.
8. Iron Maiden (1980)
1980 saw the release of Iron Maiden, the first studio album by the British heavy metal group. The album helped establish Iron Maiden as one of the major bands in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement and includes famous songs like “Prowler,” “Running Free,” and “Phantom of the Opera.”
The band gained a following in the UK and Europe thanks to the album’s favorable reviews from critics. One of the best albums by Iron Maiden is frequently listed as their self-titled release, which is regarded by many fans as a heavy metal genre classic.
9. The Book of Souls (2015)
Iron Maiden, a British heavy metal band, released The Book of Souls as their sixteenth studio album in 2015. The double album, which has 92 minutes of music in all, includes songs like “Speed of Light,” “The Red and the Black,” and “Empire of the Clouds.”
In addition, veteran Iron Maiden producer Kevin Shirley contributed to the record, while Griffin Dickinson, Bruce Dickinson’s son, received composition credit.
The Book of Souls garnered positive reviews from both critics and readers, and it was a commercial success, peaking at number one on charts in various nations. Iron Maiden’s first studio album after Dickinson’s successful battle with cancer was also the album.
10. Brave New World (2000)
The British heavy metal band Iron Maiden’s Brave New World, their twelfth studio album, was released in 2000. After leaving the band in the 1990s, lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson and guitarist Adrian Smith both made their comebacks with the album.
With tracks like “The Wicker Man,” “Blood Brothers,” and “Brave New World,” Brave New World has received plaudits from critics and fans alike as a return to form for Iron Maiden.
Iron Maiden’s reputation as one of the most significant and durable bands in heavy metal was cemented by the album’s commercial success, which made it reach the top of the charts in multiple nations.