Iron Maiden

Biography

Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Although fluid in the early years of the band, the line-up for most of the band's history has consisted of Harris, lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson, drummer Nicko McBrain, and guitarists Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and Janick Gers. As pioneers of the new wave of British heavy metal movement, Iron Maiden released a series of UK and US Platinum and Gold albums, including 1980's eponymous debut album, 1981's Killers×Killers2 February 1981 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracksA1The Ides of March1:48A2Wrathchild2:54A3Murders in the Rue Morgue4:14A4Another Life3:22A5Genghis Khan3:02A6Innocent Exile3:50B1Killers4:58B2Twilight Zone2:33B3Prodigal Son6:05B4Purgatory3:18B5Drifter4:47, and 1982's The Number of the Beast×The Number of the Beast29 March 1982 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1Invaders3:24A2Children of the Damned4:35A3The Prisoner6:02A422, Acacia Avenue6:36B1The Number of the Beast4:50B2Run to the Hills3:53B3Gangland3:49B4Hallowed Be Thy Name7:11 – its first album with Dickinson, who in 1981 replaced Paul Di'Anno as lead singer. The addition of Dickinson was a turning point in their career, establishing them as one of heavy metal's most important bands. The Number of the Beast is among the most popular heavy metal albums of all time, having sold almost 20 million copies worldwide.
After some turbulence in the 1990s, the return of Dickinson and Smith in 1999 led to a resurgence in popularity, with a series of new albums and highly successful tours. Their three most recent albums — The Final Frontier×The Final Frontier13 August 2010 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Satellite 15… The Final Frontier8:402El Dorado6:493Mother of Mercy5:204Coming Home5:525The Alchemist4:296Isle of Avalon9:067Starblind7:488The Talisman9:039The Man Who Would Be King8:2810When the Wild Wind Blows10:59 (2010), The Book of Souls×The Book of Souls4 September 2015 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11If Eternity Should Fail8:282Speed of Light5:023The Great Unknown6:384The Red and the Black13:345When the River Runs Deep5:536The Book of Souls10:32Disc 21Death or Glory5:132Shadows of the Valley7:323Tears of a Clown4:594The Man of Sorrows6:285Empire of the Clouds18:05 (2015), and Senjutsu×Senjutsu3 September 2021 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Senjutsu8:202Stratego5:003The Writing on the Wall6:144Lost in a Lost World9:325Days of Future Past4:046The Time Machine7:09Disc 21Darkest Hour7:202Death of the Celts10:203The Parchment12:394Hell on Earth11:19 (2021) — have all reached number 1 in more than 25 countries. Iron Maiden have sold over 130 million copies of their albums worldwide and have obtained over 600 certifications. The band is considered to be one of the most influential and revered heavy metal bands of all time. They have received multiple industry awards, including the Grammy and Brit Awards. Iron Maiden were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2026.
The band have released 41 albums, including 17 studio albums, 13 live albums, four EPs, and seven compilations. They have also released 47 singles, 20 video albums, and 2 video games. Iron Maiden's lyrics cover such topics as history, literature, war, mythology, dark fantasy, science fiction, society, and religion. As of October 2019, the band have played 2,500 live shows. For over 40 years the band have featured their signature mascot, "Eddie", on the covers of almost all of their releases.

Early years (1975–1978)

Bassist Steve Harris formed Iron Maiden in the autumn 1975. Harris attributed the band's name to a film adaptation of The Man in the Iron Mask from the novel by Alexandre Dumas, as the title reminded him of the iron maiden torture device. They originally used the name Ash Mountain, but most of the band members preferred the name Iron Maiden. After months of rehearsal, Iron Maiden made their debut at St. Nicks Hall in Poplar on 1 May 1976, before taking up a semi-residency at the Cart and Horses Pub in Maryland, Stratford. The original line-up was short-lived, with vocalist Paul Mario Day being the first to go as, according to Harris, he lacked "energy or charisma on stage". He was replaced by Dennis Wilcock, a Kiss fan who used makeup and fake blood during live performances and had earlier played with Harris and Doug Sampson in the band Smiler. Wilcock's friend, guitarist Dave Murray, was invited to join, much to the dismay of the band's guitarists Dave Sullivan and Terry Rance. Their frustration led Harris to temporarily disband Iron Maiden in 1976, though the group reformed soon after with Murray as the sole guitarist. Harris and Murray remain the band's longest-serving members and have performed on all of their releases.

Iron Maiden recruited another guitarist in 1977, Bob Sawyer, who was sacked for embarrassing the band on stage by pretending to play guitar with his teeth. Tension ensued again, causing a rift between Murray and Wilcock, who convinced Harris to fire Murray, as well as original drummer Ron Matthews. A new line-up was put together, including future Cutting Crew member Tony Moore on keyboards, Terry Wapram on guitar and drummer Barry Purkis (better known today as Thunderstick). After a single gig with the band in January 1978, Moore was asked to leave as Harris decided keyboards did not suit the band's sound. Dave Murray rejoined in late March 1978, and when Terry Wapram disapproved he was sacked. A few weeks later, Dennis Wilcock decided to leave Iron Maiden to form his own band, V1, with Wapram, and drummer Barry Purkis also left. Former Smiler drummer Doug Sampson was at Dennis' and Thunderstick's last gig, and joined the band afterwards.
Harris, Murray and Sampson spent the summer and autumn of 1978 rehearsing while they searched for a singer to complete the band's new line-up. A chance meeting at the Red Lion, a pub in Leytonstone, in November 1978 evolved into a successful audition for vocalist Paul Di'Anno. Steve Harris said, "There's sort of a quality in Paul's voice, a raspiness in his voice, or whatever you want to call it, that just gave it this great edge". At this time, Murray would typically act as their sole guitarist, with Harris commenting, "Davey was so good he could do a lot of it on his own. The plan was always to get a second guitarist in, but finding one that could match Davey was really difficult".

Record contract and early releases (1978–1981)

On New Year's Eve, 1978, Iron Maiden recorded a four-song demo at Spaceward Studios in Cambridge. Hoping the recording would help them secure more gigs, the band gave a copy to Neal Kay, who, at the time, was managing a heavy metal club called "Bandwagon Heavy Metal Soundhouse". After hearing the tape, Kay began playing the demo regularly at the Bandwagon, and one of the songs, "Prowler×Prowler21 November 1980 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAProwler3:53BRunning Free3:16", eventually went to number 1 in the Soundhouse charts, which were published weekly in Sounds magazine. A copy was also acquired by Rod Smallwood, who soon became the band's manager. As Iron Maiden's popularity increased, they released the demo on their own record label as The Soundhouse Tapes, named after the club. Featuring only three tracks (one song, "Strange World×Strange World1980 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 trackAStrange World5:45", was excluded as the band were unsatisfied with its production), all 5,000 copies sold out within weeks.

In December 1979, the band secured a major record deal with EMI and asked Dave Murray's childhood friend, Adrian Smith of Urchin, to join the group as their second guitarist. Busy with his own band, Smith declined and Dennis Stratton was hired instead. Shortly after, Doug Sampson left due to health issues and was replaced by ex-Samson drummer Clive Burr at Stratton's suggestion on 26 December 1979. Iron Maiden's first appearance on an EMI album was on the Metal for Muthas compilation (released on 15 February 1980) with two early versions of "Sanctuary×Sanctuary16 May 1980 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracksA1Sanctuary3:12A2Prowler3:56B1Drifter (live)6:25B2I've Got the Fire (live)3:00" and "Wrathchild×Wrathchild21 April 1981 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAWrathchild2:54BGenghis Khan3:06". The release led to a tour including several other bands linked with the new wave of British heavy metal movement.
Iron Maiden released their self-titled debut album in 1980, which debuted at number 4 in the UK Albums Chart. In addition to the title track, the album included other early favourites such as "Running Free×Running Free8 February 1980 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksARunning Free3:18BBurning Ambition2:41", "Transylvania", "Phantom of the Opera" and "Sanctuary" – which was not on the original UK release, but appeared on the US version and subsequent remasters. The band embarked on a headline tour of the UK, before opening for Kiss on their 1980 Unmasked Tour's European leg as well as supporting Judas Priest on select dates. After the Kiss tour, Dennis Stratton was dismissed from the band as a result of creative and personal differences, and was replaced by Smith in October 1980. In December, the band played at the Rainbow Theatre in London, where their first live video was filmed. Live at the Rainbow was released in May 1981, and "Iron Maiden" and "Wrathchild" from this video received heavy rotation on MTV during its first hours on the air as the first metal videos ever.

In 1981, Iron Maiden released their second studio album, Killers×Killers2 February 1981 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracksA1The Ides of March1:48A2Wrathchild2:54A3Murders in the Rue Morgue4:14A4Another Life3:22A5Genghis Khan3:02A6Innocent Exile3:50B1Killers4:58B2Twilight Zone2:33B3Prodigal Son6:05B4Purgatory3:18B5Drifter4:47. Although many tracks were written prior to their debut release, it had two new songs: "Prodigal Son" and "Murders in the Rue Morgue" (the latter's title was taken from the short story by Edgar Allan Poe). Unsatisfied with the production on their debut album, the band hired veteran producer Martin Birch, who would continue to work with Iron Maiden until his retirement in 1992. The record was followed by the band's first world tour with their debut performance in the United States opening for Judas Priest at the Aladdin Theatre in Paradise, Nevada. Killers marked the band's USA album charts debut, reaching number 78 on the Billboard 200, and they booked 132 shows to promote the album, including their first concert in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. During the summer, Iron Maiden played several festivals in Europe, including at the Golden Summernights 1981 festivals at Zeppelinfeld in Nuremberg in front of 100,000 people.

Success (1981–1985)

By 1981, Paul Di'Anno was demonstrating increasingly erratic behaviour, particularly due to his drug usage, about which Di'Anno comments, "It wasn't just that I was snorting a bit of coke, though; I was just going for it non-stop, 24 hours a day, every day ... the band had commitments piling up that went on for months, years, and I just couldn't see my way to the end of it. I knew I'd never last the whole tour. It was too much". Di'Anno was dismissed following the Killer World Tour with the band already having selected his replacement. After a meeting with Rod Smallwood at the Reading Festival, Bruce Dickinson, formerly of Samson, auditioned for Iron Maiden in September 1981 and was immediately hired. The following month, Dickinson went out on the road with the band on a small headlining tour in Italy and a one-off show at the Rainbow Theatre in the UK. For the last show, and in anticipation of their forthcoming album, the band played "Children of the Damned" and "22 Acacia Avenue", introducing fans to their new material.
In 1982, Iron Maiden released their third studio album, The Number of the Beast×The Number of the Beast29 March 1982 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1Invaders3:24A2Children of the Damned4:35A3The Prisoner6:02A422, Acacia Avenue6:36B1The Number of the Beast4:50B2Run to the Hills3:53B3Gangland3:49B4Hallowed Be Thy Name7:11, which became the band's first number 1 record on the UK Albums Chart, was a Top 10 hit in many other countries, and reached number 33 on the Billboard 200. At the time, Dickinson was in the midst of legal difficulties with Samson's management and was not permitted to add his name to any of the songwriting credits, although he still made what he described as a "moral contribution" to "Children of the Damned", "The Prisoner", and "Run to the Hills×Run to the Hills12 February 1982 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksARun to the Hills3:53BTotal Eclipse4:28". The band embarked on a world tour, dubbed The Beast on the Road, with shows in North America, Japan, Australia and Europe, including a headline appearance for 40,000 people at the Reading Festival. Iron Maiden played 188 shows in 10 months. The Beast on the Road's US leg proved controversial when an American conservative political lobbying group claimed Iron Maiden were Satanic because of the new album's title track and "demonic" cover art, and a group of Christian activists destroyed Iron Maiden records in protest. Dickinson later said the band treated this as "silliness" and the demonstrations in fact gave them "loads of publicity". The Number of the Beast sold 2.5 million copies in its first year, 14 million by 2010, and 20 million by 2022.

In December 1982, drummer Clive Burr was fired from the band and replaced by Nicko McBrain, who previously played for Trust. Although Harris said the dismissal took place because his live performances were affected by offstage activities, Burr later claimed he was unfairly ousted from the band. The band then recorded the first of three consecutive albums at Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas. In 1983, they released their fourth studio album, Piece of Mind×Piece of Mind16 May 1983 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1Where Eagles Dare6:132Revelations6:493Flight of Icarus3:504Die With Your Boots On5:265The Trooper4:126Still Life4:567Quest for Fire3:428Sun and Steel3:279To Tame a Land7:26, which reached the number 3 spot in the UK and number 14 on the Billboard 200. Piece of Mind features the singles "The Trooper×The Trooper1983 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1The Trooper4:102Cross Eyed Mary3:55" and "Flight of Icarus×Flight of Icarus11 April 1983 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Flight of Icarus3:512I’ve Got the Fire2:40", the latter being one of the band's few songs to gain substantial airplay in the US. Iron Maiden played 147 concerts in Europe and North America as a part of the World Piece Tour. This was also their first major North American tour as headliners, selling out Madison Square Garden with a crowd of 20,000.
After the success of Piece of Mind and its supporting tour, the band released their fifth studio album, Powerslave×Powerslave3 September 1984 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Aces High4:3222 Minutes to Midnight6:033Losfer Words (Big ’Orra)4:154Flash of the Blade4:055The Duellists6:076Back in the Village5:027Powerslave7:118Rime of the Ancient Mariner13:39, on 9 September 1984. The album features the singles×The SinglesAlbum · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 19 tracks1Burning Ambition2:402Women in Uniform3:093Total Eclipse4:274I've Got the Fire2:385Cross-Eyed Mary3:536Rainbow's Gold4:547King of Twilight4:528Reach Out3:309Sheriff of Huddersfield3:3310That Girl5:0311Juanita3:4512Massacre2:5513All in Your Mind4:2914Kill Me Ce Soir6:1515I'm a Mover3:2616Communication Breakdown2:4117Nodding Donkey Blues3:1318Roll Over Vic Vella4:4619I Can't See My Feelings3:49 "2 Minutes to Midnight×2 Minutes to Midnight6 August 1984 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksA2 Minutes to MidnightBRainbow’s Gold" and "Aces High×Aces High22 October 1984 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracksAAces High4:31B1King of Twilight4:49B2The Number of the Beast (live version)4:57", the title track, and "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" (based on Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem Rime of the Ancient Mariner). Powerslave was another chart success, reaching number 12 on the Billboard 200 and eventually number 1 in the UK. The band's fifth studio album sold over 4 million copies in its first year after the premiere. The tour following the album, called World Slavery Tour, was the band's largest to date with 193 shows in 28 countries over 13 months, playing to an estimated 3,500,000 people. Many shows were played back to back in the same city, such as in Long Beach, California, where the band played four consecutive concerts at Long Beach Arena for a combined audience of 54,000 fans. Iron Maiden also made their debut appearance in South America, where they co-headlined the Rock in Rio festival with Queen for an audience estimated at 350,000–500,000 people. The tour started in August 1984 with five shows in Poland. Iron Maiden were the first Western artists to bring full-scale production behind the Iron Curtain. The band's third official video, entitled Behind the Iron Curtain, was released in October 1984. The World Slavery Tour documentary brought footage of the band touring Eastern Europe in 1984, performing shows in the countries visited, Behind the Iron Curtain was the first documentary ever published by a Western artist that showed them touring the countries of Eastern Bloc. The documentary movie was broadcast by MTV and local TV stations around the world.
The tour was physically gruelling for the band, who demanded six months off when it ended (although this was later reduced to four months). This was the first substantial touring break in the group's history, including the cancellation of a proposed supporting tour for the new live album, with Bruce Dickinson threatening to quit unless the tour ended. In October 1985, Iron Maiden released the double live album and home video, Live After Death×Live After Death14 October 1985 · Album · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Aces High5:2922 Minutes to Midnight6:063The Trooper4:294Revelations6:125Flight of Icarus3:506Rime of the Ancient Mariner13:097Powerslave7:358The Number of the Beast4:359Hallowed Be Thy Name7:3110Iron Maiden4:2211Run to the Hills3:5212Running Free3:25. A critical and commercial success, it peaked at number 19 on the Billboard 200 and number 2 in the UK. The album was recorded at Long Beach Arena and also features additional tracks from four nights at London's Hammersmith Apollo.

Experimentation (1986–1989)

Returning from their time off, the band added different musical elements to their 1986 studio album, Somewhere in Time×Somewhere in Time29 June 1986 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Caught Somewhere in Time7:252Wasted Years5:073Sea of Madness5:414Heaven Can Wait7:215The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner6:316Stranger in a Strange Land5:447Deja-Vu4:568Alexander the Great8:35. These focused on synthesised bass and guitars to add textures and layers to the sound. The release performed well across the world, particularly the single "Wasted Years×Wasted Years1986 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAWasted Years5:06BReach Out3:25", but included no writing credits from Dickinson, whose material was rejected by the rest of the band. The album was the band's biggest American chart success to date, reaching number 11 on the Billboard 200 and number 2 in the UK charts. The Somewhere on Tour was also a success. The band played 157 shows for over two and a half million fans, including eighty-one shows in North America. Once again, Iron Maiden visited Poland, Hungary and Yugoslavia to play for tens of thousands of fans in each country. The experimentation evident on Somewhere in Time continued on their next album, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son×Seventh Son of a Seventh Son11 April 1988 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Moonchild5:422Infinite Dreams6:093Can I Play With Madness3:314The Evil That Men Do4:365Seventh Son of a Seventh Son9:546The Prophecy5:057The Clairvoyant4:278Only the Good Die Young4:43, which was released in 1988. A concept album recorded at Musicland Studios in Munich and based on the 1987 novel Seventh Son by Orson Scott Card, it was the band's first record to include keyboards, which were performed by Harris and Smith. Dickinson's enthusiasm was also renewed as his ideas were accepted for this album. Another popular release, it became Iron Maiden's third album to hit number 1 in the UK charts and reached number 12 on the Billboard 200.
On 8 May 1988, Iron Maiden played a show at the legendary heavy metal venue L'Amour in Brooklyn under the name "Charlotte and the Harlots". L'Amour was a regular hang-out for many band members and particularly Steve Harris, who knew DJ/Host/Booker Chuck Kaye.
During the following tour, the band headlined the Monsters of Rock festival at Donington Park on 20 August 1988, playing to the largest crowd in the festival's history (107,000). The tour concluded with several headline shows in the UK in November and December 1988, with the concerts at the NEC Arena, Birmingham, recorded for a live video, entitled Maiden England. The video debuted at top spots of worldwide music videos charts. In May, the group set out on a supporting tour, which saw them perform 103 shows to well over two million people worldwide over seven months. To recreate the album's keyboards onstage throughout the tour, the group recruited Michael Kenney, Steve Harris' bass technician; Kenney has served as the band's live keyboard player ever since, also performing on the band's four following albums.

Upheaval (1989–1994)

During a break in 1989, guitarist Adrian Smith released a solo album with his band ASAP, entitled Silver and Gold. Vocalist Bruce Dickinson also began work on a solo album with former Gillan guitarist Janick Gers, releasing Tattooed Millionaire in 1990, followed by a tour. At the same time, to mark the band's 10-year recording anniversary, Iron Maiden released a compilation collection, The First Ten Years×The First Ten Years12 February 1990 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search), a series of 10 CDs and double 12-inch singles. Between 24 February and 28 April 1990, the individual parts were released one by one, each containing two of Iron Maiden's singles, including the original B-sides.
Iron Maiden then began work on a new studio record. During the pre-production stages, Adrian Smith left the band due to differences with Steve Harris regarding the direction the band should be taking. Smith disagreed with the "stripped down" style they were leaning towards and preferred to continue with the sound and writing that had brought them success with Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son. Janick Gers, having worked on Dickinson's solo project, was chosen to replace Smith and became the band's first new member in seven years. The album No Prayer for the Dying×No Prayer for the Dying1 October 1990 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Tailgunner4:152Holy Smoke3:503No Prayer for the Dying4:234Public Enema Number One4:135Fates Warning4:126The Assassin4:357Run Silent Run Deep4:368Hooks in You4:089Bring Your Daughter… to the Slaughter4:4510Mother Russia5:33 was released in October 1990. It contained the hit singles "Holy Smoke×Holy Smoke10 September 1990 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAHoly Smoke3:47BAll In Your Mind5:58" and "Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter", the band's first – and, to date, only – UK Singles Chart number 1, originally recorded by Dickinson's solo project for the soundtrack of A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child. Iron Maiden's eighth studio album debuted at number 2 on the UK albums chart and number 17 on the Billboard 200. No Prayer for the Dying was a return to their musical roots, especially in the simplicity of composition. In total, Iron Maiden played for some two million fans on the No Prayer on the Road tour.
After another break, the band recorded their next studio album, Fear of the Dark×Fear of the Dark11 May 1992 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Be Quick or Be Dead3:242From Here to Eternity3:383Afraid to Shoot Strangers6:564Fear Is the Key5:355Childhood’s End4:416Wasting Love5:517The Fugitive4:548Chains of Misery3:379The Apparition3:5510Judas Be My Guide3:0911Weekend Warrior5:4012Fear of the Dark7:19, which was released in 1992. The title track became a regular part of the band's concert setlists. Achieving their fourth number 1 on the UK albums chart and number 12 on the Billboard 200, the release also included the number 2 single "Be Quick or Be Dead×Be Quick or Be Dead13 April 1992 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Be Quick or Be Dead3:252Nodding Donkey Blues3:193Space Station No. 53:47", the number 21 single "From Here to Eternity×From Here to Eternity29 June 1992 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1From Here to Eternity3:382Roll Over Vic Vella4:483Public Enema Number One (live)3:574No Prayer for the Dying (live)4:24", and the softer "Wasting Love×Wasting Love1992 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Wasting Love4:562Tailgunner (live)4:053Holy Smoke (live)3:354The Assassin (live)4:25". The album featured the first songwriting by Gers, and no collaboration between Harris and Dickinson on songs. The extensive worldwide tour that followed included their first-ever Latin American leg, although Christian organisations prevented Iron Maiden from performing in Chile and accused them of being "emissaries of satanic propaganda", and headlining the Monsters of Rock festivals in seven European countries. Iron Maiden's second performance at Donington Park, for a sold-out audience of 75,000, was filmed for the audio and video release Live at Donington and featured a guest appearance by Adrian Smith, who joined the band to perform "Running Free×Running Free8 February 1980 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksARunning Free3:18BBurning Ambition2:41". The tour also saw conflicts between Bruce Dickinson and rest of the band.
In 1993, Dickinson left the band to pursue his solo career, but agreed to remain for a farewell tour and two live albums (later re-released in one package). The first, A Real Live One, was released in March 1993 and featured songs from 1986 to 1992, and the second, A Real Dead One, was released after Dickinson left the band and featured songs from 1980 to 1984. The tour did not go well, with Steve Harris claiming Dickinson would only perform properly for high-profile shows, and that at several concerts, he would only mumble into the microphone. Dickinson denied he was under-performing, saying it was impossible to "make like Mr. Happy Face if the vibe wasn't right", and that news of his exit from the band had prevented any chance of a good atmosphere during the tour. Dickinson played his farewell show with Iron Maiden on 28 August 1993. The show was filmed, broadcast by the BBC, MTV and released on video under the name Raising Hell.

Difficulties (1994–1999)

In 1994, the title track from the Fear of the Dark album received a Grammy Awards nomination for "Best Metal Performance", a first for Iron Maiden. The band listened to the thousands of tapes sent in by vocalists before convincing Blaze Bayley, formerly of the band Wolfsbane, who had supported Iron Maiden in 1990, to audition for them. Harris' preferred choice from the outset, Bayley had a different vocal style from his predecessor and ultimately received a mixed reception among fans.
After a three-year hiatus – a record for the band at the time – Iron Maiden released their next studio album, The X Factor×The X Factor2 October 1995 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Sign of the Cross11:182Lord of the Flies5:043Man on the Edge4:134Fortunes of War7:245Look for the Truth5:106The Aftermath6:217Judgement of Heaven5:128Blood on the World’s Hands5:589The Edge of Darkness6:39102 A.M.5:3811The Unbeliever8:10. The band had their lowest chart position since 1981 for an album in the UK, debuting at number 8; however, the album went on to win "Album of the Year" awards in France, Spain and Germany. The record included the 11-minute epic "Sign of the Cross", the band's longest song since "Rime of the Ancient Mariner", as well as the singles "Man on the Edge×Man on the EdgeAugust 1995 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Man on the Edge4:192The Edge of Darkness6:403Justice of the Peace3:384Blaze Bayley Interview Part 25:55" (based on the film Falling Down) and "Lord of the Flies×Lord of the Flies1996 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Lord of the Flies5:042My Generation3:383Doctor, Doctor4:50", based on the novel Lord of the Flies. The release is notable for its "dark" tone, inspired by Steve Harris' divorce. The band toured for the rest of 1995 and 1996, playing their first shows in Israel and South Africa as well as Malta, Bulgaria and Romania in Europe, before concluding in the Americas. The biggest show of the whole tour was a headline appearance for 60,000 people at the Monsters of Rock festival in São Paulo, Brazil. The X Factor sold 1.3 million copies, the lowest sales result since 1981. After the tour, Iron Maiden released a compilation album, Best of the Beast×Best of the Beast23 September 1996 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 27 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Virus6:142Sign of the Cross11:173Man on the Edge4:134Afraid to Shoot Strangers (live)6:505Be Quick or Be Dead3:246Fear of the Dark (live)7:247Bring Your Daughter… to the Slaughter4:458Holy Smoke3:509The Clairvoyant4:2810Can I Play With Madness3:3211The Evil That Men Do4:3512Heaven Can Wait7:2213Wasted Years5:08Disc 21Rime of the Ancient Mariner (live)13:272Running Free (live)3:2932 Minutes to Midnight6:054Aces High4:325Where Eagles Dare6:146The Trooper4:157The Number of the Beast4:548Run to the Hills3:569Hallowed Be Thy Name7:1610Wrathchild2:5711Phantom of the Opera7:1212Sanctuary3:1613Strange World5:2514Iron Maiden4:02. The band's first compilation, it included a new single, "Virus×Virus1996 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1Virus (edit)3:542Man on the Edge4:133Afraid to Shoot Strangers (live)6:5042 Minutes to Midnight6:045The Trooper4:156The Number of the Beast4:537Wrathchild2:568Strange World5:259Iron Maiden4:01", in which the lyrics attack critics who had recently written off the band.
In 1998, Iron Maiden released Virtual XI, whose chart scores were the band's lowest to date. The album peaked at number 16 in the UK, the band's lowest for a new studio record. At the same time, Steve Harris assisted in remastering the band's entire discography, up to and including Live at Donington. Bayley's tenure in Iron Maiden ended in January 1999 when he was asked to leave during a band meeting. The dismissal took place due to issues Bayley had experienced with his voice during the Virtual XI World Tour, although Janick Gers said this was partly the band's fault for forcing him to perform songs pitched outside the natural range of his voice.

Reunion and renewed success (1999–2005)

The band entered into talks with Dickinson, who agreed to rejoin during a meeting in Brighton in January 1999, along with guitarist Adrian Smith, who was telephoned a few hours later. With Gers remaining, Iron Maiden now had a three-guitar line-up (nicknamed "The Three Amigos"), and embarked on a hugely successful reunion tour. Dubbed The Ed Hunter Tour, it tied in with the band's newly released greatest hits collection, Ed Hunter, whose track listing was decided by a poll on the group's website, and also contained a computer game starring Eddie, the band's mascot.
Not satisfied with the results from Harris' Barnyard Studios, located on his property in Essex, which had been used for the last four Iron Maiden studio albums, the band recorded the new release, Brave New World×Brave New World2000 · Studio album · DemoSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1The Wicker Man4:352Ghost of the Navigator6:503Brave New World6:184Dream of Mirrors9:215The Nomad9:06, at Guillaume Tell Studios in Paris, France in November 1999 with producer Kevin Shirley. Iron Maiden continued to find inspiration in movies and books, as shown in songs like "The Wicker Man×The Wicker ManApril 2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1The Wicker Man4:382Futureal (live)3:003Man on the Edge (live)4:42" – based on the 1973 British cult film The Wicker Man – and "Brave New World" – a title taken from the Aldous Huxley novel Brave New World. The album revisited the more progressive and melodic sound featured in some earlier recordings, along with elaborate song structures and keyboard orchestration. The album was a commercial and artistic success.
The reunion world tour that followed had over 100 dates (including 31 shows of the 1999 tour), and culminated on 19 January 2001 in a show at the Rock in Rio festival in Brazil, where Iron Maiden played to an audience of over 250,000. While the performance was being produced for a CD and DVD release in March 2002, under the name Rock in Rio, the band took a year off from touring, although they played three consecutive shows at Brixton Academy to raise funds for former drummer Clive Burr, who had recently announced that he had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. The band performed two further concerts for Burr's MS Trust Fund charity in 2005, and 2007, before his death in 2013. During the 2000–2002 tour, Iron Maiden played 91 shows for over two million people in 33 countries. In addition to their touring success, the band was nominated twice for the annual Grammy Awards and received the International Achievement Award at the 2001 Ivor Novello Awards. In November 2001, a documentary movie about the making of The Number of the Beast album was produced by BBC as a part of the Classic Album series.
Following their summer 2003 Give Me Ed... 'Til I'm Dead Tour, with 57 shows in Europe and North America and headlining large festivals such as Roskilde, Heineken Jammin' Festival, Rock am Ring and Rock im Park (combined attendance of 130,000) and the first Download Festival held at Donington Park; a successor to Monsters of Rock, Iron Maiden released Dance of Death, their thirteenth studio album. It met with worldwide critical and commercial success, reaching number 2 on the UK Albums Chart and number 18 on the Billboard 200. Produced by Kevin Shirley, now the band's regular producer, many critics felt this release reached the standard of their earlier efforts. Historical and literary references were present, with "Montségur" focussing on the Cathar stronghold conquered in 1244, and "Paschendale" relating to the First World War battle.
During the Dance of Death Tour 2003–04, which began in September 2003, Iron Maiden played 53 shows across Europe, North America, Latin America and Japan. The band's performance at Westfalenhalle, in Dortmund, Germany, was recorded and released in August 2005 as a live album and DVD entitled Death on the Road×Death on the Road29 August 2005 · Album · LiveSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Wildest Dreams4:522Wrathchild2:493Can I Play With Madness3:304The Trooper4:125Dance of Death9:236Rainmaker4:027Brave New World6:108Paschendale10:189Lord of the Flies5:06Disc 21No More Lies7:502Hallowed Be Thy Name7:323Fear of the Dark7:284Iron Maiden4:505Journeyman7:036The Number of the Beast4:587Run to the Hills4:24. In 2005, the band announced the Eddie Rips Up the World Tour, which, tying in with their 2004 DVD entitled The History of Iron Maiden – Part 1: The Early Days, only featured material from their first four albums. As part of this celebration of their earlier years, "The Number of the Beast×The Number of the Beast29 March 1982 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1Invaders3:24A2Children of the Damned4:35A3The Prisoner6:02A422, Acacia Avenue6:36B1The Number of the Beast4:50B2Run to the Hills3:53B3Gangland3:49B4Hallowed Be Thy Name7:11" single was re-released and went straight to number 3 on the UK Chart. The tour featured many headlining stadium and festival dates, including a performance at Ullevi Stadium in Sweden to an audience of almost 60,000. This concert was also broadcast live on satellite television across Europe to approximately 60 million viewers. The band completed the tour by headlining the Reading and Leeds Festivals on 26–28 August, and the RDS Stadium in Ireland on 31 August.

Continued success and expanded tours (2005–2014)

At the end of 2005, Iron Maiden began work on A Matter of Life and Death, their fourteenth studio album, which was released in autumn 2006. War and religion are recurring themes in the lyrics and the cover artwork. The release was a critical and commercial success, marking the band's first top ten on the Billboard 200 and debuting at number one in the album charts of 13 countries. The supporting tour saw mixed critical reception, but included the band's first performance in Dubai at the Dubai Desert Rock Festival for 25,000 people, followed by a concert in Bangalore Palace Grounds, the first of any heavy metal band in India. The band then played a string of European dates, including an appearance at Download Festival, their fourth headline performance at Donington Park, to approximately 80,000 people.

On 5 September 2007, the band announced their Somewhere Back in Time World Tour, tying in with the DVD release of their Live After Death album. The setlist for the tour consisted of songs from the 1980s. They played their first concerts in Costa Rica and Colombia and their first shows in Australia and Puerto Rico since 1992. The tour led to the release of a new compilation album, entitled Somewhere Back in Time×Somewhere Back in Time2008 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Can I Play With Madness2Wasted Years3The Number of the Beast, which included a selection of tracks from their 1980 eponymous debut to 1988's Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, as well as several live versions from Live After Death. In 2008–09 in Latin America the band played 27 concerts for about a million people in total, a record for a heavy rock performer. The tour continued with two legs in the US and Europe in the summer of 2008. The sole UK concert took place at Twickenham Stadium, marking the first time the band would headline a stadium in their own country. The 2008 tour was the second highest-grossing tour of the year for a British artist. The final leg included the band's first appearances in Peru and Ecuador, as well as their return to Venezuela and New Zealand after 17 years. The band also played another show in India at the Rock in India festival to a crowd of 20,000. At their concert in São Paulo on 15 March, Dickinson announced on stage that it was the largest non-festival show of their career, with an overall attendance of 100,000 people. The final leg ended in Florida on 2 April after which the band took a break. Overall, the tour reportedly had an attendance of over two and a half million people worldwide over both years. At the 2009 Brit Awards, Iron Maiden won the award for best British live act.
On 20 January 2009, the band announced they were planning to release a full-length documentary film in select cinemas on 21 April 2009. Entitled Iron Maiden: Flight 666, it documented the first part of the Somewhere Back in Time World Tour (between February and March 2008). Flight 666 was co-produced by Banger Productions and was distributed in cinemas by Arts Alliance Media and EMI, with D&E Entertainment sub-distributing in the US. The film went on to have a Blu-ray, DVD, and CD release in May and June, topping the music DVD charts in 25 countries. In most of them the release went Gold, Platinum or Multi-Platinum.
The band had begun composing new material and booked studio time in early 2010 with Kevin Shirley producing, and The Final Frontier was announced on 4 March and featured three singles "The Final Frontier×The Final Frontier13 August 2010 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Satellite 15… The Final Frontier8:402El Dorado6:493Mother of Mercy5:204Coming Home5:525The Alchemist4:296Isle of Avalon9:067Starblind7:488The Talisman9:039The Man Who Would Be King8:2810When the Wild Wind Blows10:59", "El Dorado×El Dorado8 June 2010 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1El Dorado6:49" and "Coming Home×Coming Home2010 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Coming Home (radio edit)4:302Coming Home (album version)5:52", as well as epic, progressive opuses "Isle of Avalon", "The Talisman" and "When The Wild Wind Blows". The album, the band's fifteenth, was released on 16 August to critical acclaim. It was also the band's greatest commercial success to that point, reaching number 1 in twenty-eight countries worldwide, including a debut at number 4 on Billboard 200.
The album's supporting tour saw the band perform 101 shows across the globe to an estimated audience of over two and a half million, including their first visits to Singapore, Indonesia, and South Korea. "El Dorado" won the Best Metal Performance award at the 2011 Grammy Awards, the band's first win after two previous nominations. On 15 March, a new compilation to accompany 2009's Somewhere Back in Time was announced. The double disc set covers the period 1990–2010 (the band's most recent eight studio albums). In 2012, the band announced a new live album and DVD release entitled En Vivo!×En Vivo!2012 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1The Final Frontier4:102The Wicker Man5:063Coming Home5:57, based on footage from the Chile concert. The DVD topped the music video charts around the world. In addition to the concert footage, the video release includes an 88-minute tour documentary, entitled Behind the Beast, containing interviews with the band and their crew. In December 2012, one song from the release ("Blood Brothers") was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance at the 2013 Grammy Awards.
On 15 February, the band announced their third retrospective Maiden England World Tour 2012–14, which was based around the video Maiden England. The tour commenced in North America in the summer of 2012 and was followed by further dates in 2013 and 2014, and included the band's fifth headline performance at Donington Park with 100,000 fans in attendance. Iron Maiden closed the tour in July 2014 at Sonisphere Festival, Knebworth, having undertaken 100 shows in 32 countries before an estimated audience of more than 2.7 million people.

Latest albums and tours (2015–present)

The band's 2015 album, The Book of Souls×The Book of Souls4 September 2015 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11If Eternity Should Fail8:282Speed of Light5:023The Great Unknown6:384The Red and the Black13:345When the River Runs Deep5:536The Book of Souls10:32Disc 21Death or Glory5:132Shadows of the Valley7:323Tears of a Clown4:594The Man of Sorrows6:285Empire of the Clouds18:05, was released on 4 September. The band's first original studio album not to be issued by EMI outside North America, following Parlophone's acquisition by Warner Music Group in 2013, it was a icritical and commercial success, becoming the band's fifth UK number 1 album and hit number 4 on Billboard 200 in the US. The new release reached the number one position in the album charts of 43 countries. The new record was recorded at Guillaume Tell Studios in late summer 2014; its closing song, "Empire of the Clouds×Empire of the Clouds16 April 2016 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Empire of the Clouds18:012Maiden Voyage – The Story Behind Empire of the Clouds21:07", penned by Dickinson, surpassed "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" (from 1984's Powerslave) as Iron Maiden's longest song, at 18 minutes in length.

In February 2016, the band embarked on The Book of Souls World Tour, with shows in 35 countries across six continents, including their first performances in China, El Salvador, and Lithuania. It was the band's biggest album tour since 1996. In total, Iron Maiden played 117 shows on six continents for well over two and a half million people. The band then launched the Legacy of the Beast World Tour in Europe in 2018, with North and South American shows following in 2019. The tour was inspired by the band's new mobile game and comic series released in 2017, entitled Legacy of the Beast. The tour was received very positively by fans and critics, spanning up to three years with 140 shows, performing to over 3.5 million fans. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the rescheduling of nearly one million tickets from 2020, first to 2021, and then to 2022. A live double album from the Legacy of the Beast World Tour called Nights of the Dead was recorded during three sold-out concerts in Mexico City's Palacio de los Deportes for a combined audience of over 70,000 people.
On 19 July 2021, the band announced that their seventeenth studio album, Senjutsu×Senjutsu3 September 2021 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Senjutsu8:202Stratego5:003The Writing on the Wall6:144Lost in a Lost World9:325Days of Future Past4:046The Time Machine7:09Disc 21Darkest Hour7:202Death of the Celts10:203The Parchment12:394Hell on Earth11:19, would be released on 3 September 2021. Senjutsu eventually reached the top of the best-seller lists in 27 countries, but it was the band's first album in fifteen years not to reach number one on the UK charts, although it did top the UK Rock & Metal Singles and Albums Charts. In total, Senjutsu reached the top three in 55 countries and the top five in 63 countries. In September, the band and Kiss were inducted legacy members into The Metal Hall of Fame alongside Triumph, Stryper, guitarist Marty Friedman, and photographer Mark Weiss.
The band started their 25th global tour, The Future Past World Tour, with a concert in Ljubljana in May 2023. Throughout the 2023–24 world tour, Iron Maiden performed 81 shows for almost two million fans. Following the conclusion of the tour in São Paulo in December 2024, McBrain retired from touring, but remained a member of Iron Maiden who would be involved with studio projects. British Lion drummer Simon Dawson was announced as his touring replacement.
The band began its 26th global tour, Run for Your Lives World Tour, in May 2025, to celebrate the band's 50th anniversary and is focused on the band's first nine studio albums. Over a million tickets were sold for the first thirty-two shows for the European leg in 2025, which was later extended in 2026. After an EddFest festival on 11 July 2026, a celebration of the band's 50th anniversary, and the South American shows later in the year, the band are set to take a break from touring until at least 2028.
On 14 July 2026, the band announced a partnership with Pophouse Entertainment, covering the resale of copyright stakes in the music catalog, reissues, merchandising, image, logo, and Eddie's character. The agreement includes a theatrical concert film, a museum, and advanced digitalization of the group's image.

Image and legacy

Iron Maiden have received numerous nominations, honours and awards including Grammy Awards and equivalents awards in many countries, Brit Awards, Ivor Novello Awards, and Juno Awards. They have ranked highly in many polls of the greatest metal artists of all time. In 2012 The Number of the Beast was voted as Best British Album Ever by the British public as part of Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. In 2016, the staff of Loudwire named them the second-best metal band of all time.
Iron Maiden were inducted into Hollywood RockWalk, BPI Hall of Fame and Kerrang! Hall of Fame in 2005. Band's mascot Eddie the Head is a part of the British Music Experience permanent exhibition. In April 2021, the band's former members (Paul Di'Anno, Blaze Bayley, and illustrator Derek Riggs) were inducted into the Metal Hall of Fame. In 2016 Iron Maiden were given the titles of Honorary Visitors of the Country Award in El Salvador, and in 2019 they were honored as Visitors Of The Nation and Chamber of Deputies of Argentina, the first time the honor was given to an international artist. In January 2023 Iron Maiden were honoured by Royal Mail with dedicated postal stamps and cards. The band were honoured with an official Royal Mint coin commemorating their 50th anniversary in July 2025, joining The Royal Mint's Music Legends series. In June 2026, the band's manager, Rod Smallwood, received the "Order of the British Empire" (OBE). This recognition completed the band's 50th Anniversary celebrations.
Iron Maiden received three nominations for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the 2020s: the first in early 2021, the second in February 2023, and the third in May 2026. The band was inducted on 13 April 2026, but will not attend the ceremony due to scheduling conflicts. All current recording members of the band will be inducted along with four former members including vocalists Paul Di'Anno, Blaze Bayley, drummer Clive Burr and guitarist Dennis Stratton. According to data published in the magazine Pollstar in 2025, Iron Maiden concerts had generated more than $1 billion in revenue since 1982. Iron Maiden was also the fifth-highest earning artist based on concert ticket sales between November 2024 and October 2025, with a revenue of $128 million and 1.32 million net ticket sales over 41 concerts.
Iron Maiden have sold over 130 million copies of their albums worldwide, despite little radio or television support. According to many sources all audio-visual catalogue of the band have sold in over 200 million copies worldwide, including regular albums, singles, compilations, and videos. Their third studio album, The Number of the Beast×The Number of the Beast29 March 1982 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1Invaders3:24A2Children of the Damned4:35A3The Prisoner6:02A422, Acacia Avenue6:36B1The Number of the Beast4:50B2Run to the Hills3:53B3Gangland3:49B4Hallowed Be Thy Name7:11, is among the most popular heavy metal albums of all time and the most commercially successful release of the band, having sold almost 20 million copies worldwide. As of 2022 their releases have been certified silver, gold and platinum around 600 times worldwide.

In 1979–1980, visual artist Derek Riggs created the macabre mascot named Eddie The Head. Since then, Eddie has been an integral part of the stage and media image of the group. Originally a papier-mâché mask which would squirt fake blood during their live shows, the character featured on the band's debut album cover, also done by Derek Riggs. Eddie was painted exclusively by Riggs until 1992, at which point the band began using artwork from other artists, including Melvyn Grant. A large puppet version of Eddie has appeared many times during carnival celebrations in Rio de Janeiro and other South American cities. During the Cavalcade of Magi 2021 in the Spanish city of Cadiz, next to dolls representing characters known from the world of pop culture, there was a huge, inflatable mummy inspired by the image of the Iron Maiden mascot from 1985.
Iron Maiden's distinct logo has adorned all of the band's releases since their debut, 1979's The Soundhouse Tapes EP. The typeface originates with Vic Fair's poster design for the 1976 science fiction film, The Man Who Fell to Earth, also used by Gordon Giltrap, although Steve Harris claims he designed it himself, using his training as an architectural draughtsman.
The niece of Clive Burr, Rayne Leat, is a professional wrestler and wrestles with a metalhead gimmick under the moniker "The Maiden of Metal", in reference to Burr and Iron Maiden. Leat also revealed that the jacket she wears to the ring belonged to Burr.

Influence on other artists and the genre

Iron Maiden have influenced numerous artists and bands representing different genres of rock and metal music. Kiss co-founder Paul Stanley said Iron Maiden "have helped spawn an entire genre of music" and influenced literally thousands of other artists. According to Guitar World, Iron Maiden's music has "influenced generations of newer metal acts, from legends like Metallica to current stars like Avenged Sevenfold." Metallica members Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Jason Newsted have cited Iron Maiden as a major influence on their work. Other bands and artists directly influenced by Iron Maiden include Ghost, Avenged Sevenfold, In Flames, Anthrax, Exodus, Alice in Chains, Megadeth, Testament, Helloween, Dream Theater, Blind Guardian, Slipknot, Disturbed, Opeth, Sabaton, Emperor, Cradle of Filth, Sikth, Pantera, Darkest Hour, Killswitch Engage, Fozzy, All That Remains, Parkway Drive, Gamma Ray, Powerwolf, Volbeat, and My Chemical Romance.
Journalist Geoff Barton says the band's music constituted an important passage between the classic heavy rock school during the 1960s and 1970s, based on rhythm and blues, and contemporary heavy metal, characterised by sub-genre diversification and stylistic eclecticism. Music journalist Götz Kühnemund said "Iron Maiden were (and still are) the inspiration for all the heavy metal bands we know today because they're an intrinsically heavy metal group. They're equally important for those who play power metal, speed, thrash, death, black, nu metal, metal core and hard rock – almost every genre." The journalist stated the band introduced a DIY approach to all rock music. According to Rock 'n Roll Fantasy Camp the style and attitude of Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain has inspired generations of heavy-metal drummers that followed. Music writer, heavy metal expert and radio broadcaster Scott Penfold stated band's "influence on the genre is immeasurable, as they not only inspired subsequent generations of metal bands but also revolutionised live shows with their elaborate stage productions, further cementing their status as pioneers of heavy metal." Quentin Thane Singer of Forbes, claimed that "Dave Murray’s and Adrian Smith’s dueling guitar harmonies, galloping riffs and epic guitar solos have influenced nearly every significant band to come out of the metal genre since the mid ‘80s."
Music journalist and the writer Neil Daniels said Iron Maiden "redefined the whole genre blending classic heavy rock influence with punky vibe, twin guitars attack and progressive approach which finally have created the new quality. [The] Band's influence on generations of rock and metal bands cannot be overstated. They elevated metal to an art form, proving that academic and musical inspirations can coexist." The band's profile by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame says "in the 1980s, Iron Maiden released seven high-octane albums that cemented them as one of the greatest rock bands – creating a blueprint for how heavy metal bands should look, sound and tour." According to Metal Hammer Iron Maiden is the second band to Black Sabbath, which has had the most significant impact on metal and heavy rock music.

Appearance in media

The first heavy metal videos broadcast by MTV were the live versions of "Iron Maiden" and "Wrathchild×Wrathchild21 April 1981 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAWrathchild2:54BGenghis Khan3:06" taken from the official VHS Live at the Rainbow. In 1989, Iron Maiden took part in the Rock Aid Armenia project (also known as Live Aid Armenia) - a humanitarian project by the British music industry. The project aimed to raise funds to help people affected by the earthquake in Armenia in 1988.
The number of releases in tribute to the British band can be estimated in the hundreds, with an extremely wide range of stylistic variants. In 2008, Kerrang! released Maiden Heaven: A Tribute to Iron Maiden, an album composed of Iron Maiden cover songs performed by Metallica, Machine Head, Dream Theater, Trivium, Coheed and Cambria, Avenged Sevenfold, and other groups influenced by the band. In 2010, Maiden uniteD, an acoustic tribute band consisting of members of Ayreon, Threshold and Within Temptation, released Mind the Acoustic Pieces, a re-interpretation of the entire Piece of Mind album. As of 2021 nearly 200 Iron Maiden cover audio-visual releases exist (each featuring various artists), including piano, electro, string quartet and hip-hop tributes.
On 14 March 2025, the band announced Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition, a feature documentary film created in cooperation with Universal Pictures. Released in cinemas worldwide in May 2026, the documentary was directed by Malcolm Venville and produced by Dominic Freeman. Burning Ambition features humorous testimonies from famous Maiden superfans, including Javier Bardem, Lars Ulrich and Gene Simmons. Helen Parker, known as EVP Universal Pictures Content Group, was chosen as executive producer. According to Thames & Hudson, the visual book entitled "Iron Maiden: Infinite Dreams – The Official Visual History" will be published in the same period accompanying the movie.

Claims of Satanic references

The 1982 release of The Number of the Beast created some controversy for the band. The artwork and title track led to Christian groups in the United States branding the band as Satanists, encouraging people to destroy copies of the release. The band's manager, Rod Smallwood, later said the groups initially burnt the records, but later decided to destroy them with hammers due to fear of breathing in the melting vinyl's fumes. The protests were not restricted to the US, with Christian organisations preventing Iron Maiden from performing in Chile in 1992.
The band have always denied the notion they are Satanists, with lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson doing so on-stage in the Live After Death concert video. Steve Harris has since commented that "It was mad. They completely got the wrong end of the stick. They obviously hadn't read the lyrics. They just wanted to believe all that rubbish about us being Satanists." Harris has also said that "The Number of the Beast×The Number of the Beast29 March 1982 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1Invaders3:24A2Children of the Damned4:35A3The Prisoner6:02A422, Acacia Avenue6:36B1The Number of the Beast4:50B2Run to the Hills3:53B3Gangland3:49B4Hallowed Be Thy Name7:11" song was inspired by a nightmare he had after watching Damien: Omen II, and also influenced by Robert Burns' "Tam o' Shanter". The band's drummer, Nicko McBrain, has been a born-again Christian since 1999.

Ed Force One

For their Somewhere Back in Time World Tour in 2008 and 2009, Iron Maiden commissioned an Astraeus Airlines Boeing 757 as transport. The aeroplane was converted into a combi configuration, which enabled it to carry the band, their crew and stage production, allowing the group to perform in countries which were previously deemed unreachable logistically. It was also repainted with a special Iron Maiden livery, which the airline decided to retain after receiving positive feedback from customers.

The aircraft, named "Ed Force One" after a competition on the band's website, was flown by Dickinson until 2022, as he was also a commercial airline pilot for Astraeus; the plane also appears in the documentary Iron Maiden: Flight 666. For The Book of Souls World Tour in 2016, the band upgraded to an ex-Air France Boeing 747-400 jumbo jet which allows for more space without the aircraft having to undergo a significant conversion to carry their equipment.
In 2025, the band announced that the 747-400 they used during 2016's The Book of Souls World Tour would be scrapped, and keychains constructed from the plane's parts could be collected by fans. "She's been scrapped but bits of her will live on," Dickinson said. The keychains were sold for €66.66, which is a reference to the band's album The Number of the Beast×The Number of the Beast29 March 1982 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1Invaders3:24A2Children of the Damned4:35A3The Prisoner6:02A422, Acacia Avenue6:36B1The Number of the Beast4:50B2Run to the Hills3:53B3Gangland3:49B4Hallowed Be Thy Name7:11.

Musical style and influences

Steve Harris, Iron Maiden's bassist and primary songwriter, has said his influences include Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Uriah Heep, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Yes, Jethro Tull, Thin Lizzy, UFO, Queen, Wishbone Ash and Golden Earring. Iron Maiden covered a song by Golden Earring called "Kill Me Ce Soir" on the B-side of the single "Holy Smoke×Holy Smoke10 September 1990 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAHoly Smoke3:47BAll In Your Mind5:58". In 2010 Harris said, "I think if anyone wants to understand Maiden's early thing, in particular the harmony guitars, all they have to do is listen to Wishbone Ash's Argus album. Thin Lizzy too, but not as much. And then we wanted to have a bit of a prog thing thrown in as well, because I was really into bands like Genesis and Jethro Tull. So you combine all that with the heavy riffs and the speed, and you've got it." In 2004, Harris explained the band's "heaviness" was inspired by "Black Sabbath and Deep Purple with a bit of Zeppelin thrown in." Harris also developed his own playing style, which guitarist Janick Gers describes as "more like a rhythm guitar." Harris's bass technique is responsible for the band's galloping style, heard in such songs as "The Trooper×The Trooper1983 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1The Trooper4:102Cross Eyed Mary3:55" and "Run to the Hills×Run to the Hills12 February 1982 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksARun to the Hills3:53BTotal Eclipse4:28".
The band's guitarists, Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, and Janick Gers, each have their own individual influences and playing styles. Dave Murray is known for his legato technique which, he says, "evolved naturally. I'd heard Jimi Hendrix using legato when I was growing up, and I liked that style of playing." Stating that he "was inspired by blues rock rather than metal," Adrian Smith was influenced by Johnny Winter and Pat Travers, leading to him becoming a "melodic player." Janick Gers prefers a more improvised style, largely inspired by Ritchie Blackmore, which he says is in contrast to Smith's "rhythmic" sound.
Singer Bruce Dickinson, who typically works in collaboration with guitarist Adrian Smith, has an operatic vocal style, inspired by Arthur Brown, Peter Hammill, Ian Anderson and Ian Gillan, and is often considered to be one of the best heavy metal vocalists of all time. Although Nicko McBrain has only received one writing credit, on the Dance of Death album, Harris often relies on him while developing songs. Adrian Smith commented, "Steve loves playing with him. [They] used to work for hours going over these bass and drum patterns."
Throughout their career, the band's style has remained largely unchanged, although the addition of guitar synthesisers on 1986's Somewhere in Time, keyboards on 1988's Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, and an attempt to return to the "stripped down" production of their earlier material on 1990's No Prayer for the Dying marked some experimentation. In recent years, however, the band have begun using more progressive elements in their songs, which Steve Harris describes as not progressive "in the modern sense, but like Dream Theater, more in a 70s way". Greg Prato of Ultimate-Guitar wrote, "By and large, Iron Maiden's long and lengthy career can be categorised into two separate eras: "punk Maiden" and "prog Maiden". According to Harris, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son was the band's first album which was "more progressive", and they would return to this style in 1995's The X Factor, which he states is "like an extension of Seventh Son..., in the sense of the progressive element to it". The development contrasts with the band's raw-sounding earlier material, which AllMusic states was "clearly drawing from elements of punk rock", although Harris firmly denies this.