The 10 Best Iron Maiden Songs of All-Time
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975. The line-up consists of vocalist Bruce Dickinson, guitarists Dave Murray and Adrian Smith, bassist Steve Harris and drummer Nicko McBrain. Since Iron Maiden’s inception they have released sixteen studio albums full of singles and hit songs like “The Number of the Beast” and “Run to the Hills”. In this article, we’ll be ranking the ten greatest Iron Maiden songs of all time.
10. “Blood Brothers”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmAtwvZYTe8
Off their 2000 album Brave New World, “Blood Brothers” is a track that really shows off Bruce Dickinson’s incredible vocal range. Iron Maiden’s singer is probably the most technically gifted vocalist in metal today. He had a very deep voice in “The Evil That Men Do” and “The Trooper” but in this song he definitely shows off his incredible range. With that said, this song is still quite melodic and we get a good taste of Iron Maiden’s “Power Metal” sound.
9. “The Phantom Of The Opera”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8IuFl3sMhk
From Iron Maiden’s 1980 self titled album, “The Phantom Of The Opera” is a classic example of the band’s ability to create incredibly catchy melodies. The combination of Bruce Dickinson’s high pitched screaming and his incredible vocal range make this song one of the most memorable and enjoyable songs from their 1980 album. We really get a sense of everything that makes Iron Maiden great in this song. From the perfectly executed leads, to the fantastic rhythms and percussion, to Dickinson’s unique vocals we have it all here.
8. “The Talisman”
Off their 2010 album The Final Frontier, “The Talisman” is without a doubt one of Bruce Dickinson’s most unique vocals with a very catchy chorus. Having said that, this song is a perfect example of everything that makes Iron Maiden great; from the perfectly executed riffs and solos, to the catchy chorus and steady rhythms. Iron Maiden is undoubtedly one of metal’s most consistent bands. The drumming on this track is also exceptional, just listen to the intro to this song. Nicko McBrain is one of the greatest drummers of all time and this song is yet another example of his talent.
7. “Rime Of The Ancient Mariner”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7zk4as9kzA
From the band’s 1984 album Powerslave, “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” is an epic song and one of their most popular. The song was based on Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s famous poem of the same name. This song has everything you love about Iron Maiden, from Bruce Dickinson’s unique vocals, to Dave Murray’s amazing guitar solos and riffs. Steve Harris’ bass playing is also exceptional in this song as well as Nicko McBrain’s drumming.
6. “Aces High”
Also from their 1984 album Powerslave, “Aces High” is one of the band’s most popular songs. It is an extremely fast paced song that really shows off the band’s ability to speed things up. This song has everything you love about Iron Maiden and is probably one of their best. The chorus is amazing, especially when Dickinson screams”Run, Live to fly, Fly to live Do or die!” The rhythm also fits perfectly with Dickinson’s vocals which make this song a true masterpiece.
5. “Fear Of The Dark”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0N1yY937qg
The title track from their 1992 album, this song is the perfect example of what Iron Maiden is all about. This song shows Dickinson’s incredible range and should definitely be up there with the best songs he’s ever done. The chorus, which is one of the best in metal, really gives off that true Iron Maiden feel. The combination of Bruce Dickinson’s unique vocals, and Steve Harris’ creative bass playing all make this song a true masterpiece. This song also has some really nice bass lines right before the bridge in particular, but the rhythms are fantastic throughout the entire work.
4. “Hallowed Be Thy Name”
From Iron Maiden’s third album , this song is one of the best songs on that album. From start to finish, the structure of this song is perfect and Dickinson also has his signature powerful scream in this song as well. The guitar is also fantastic from start to finish, especially during the solo in which Dave Murray’s guitar playing really shines. This song also features a really great bass line by Steve Harris.
3. “The Trooper”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G5rfPISIwo
From the band’s 1983 album Piece of Mind, this song is one of the most popular Iron Maiden songs and it’s no wonder why. This song features a very unique Iron Maiden sound with great drumming in particular. Nicko McBrain really shines in this song. It also has some fantastic guitar riffs and solos, one of which is quite possibly the best in metal. This is considered by many fans to be Iron Maiden’s best work.
2. “Run To The Hills”
From the band’s 1982 album “The Number of The Beast”, this song is considered by many to be their best work. This song features a very unique sound from the band with great guitar riffs and solos. Dave Murray shines in this song with his amazing guitar playing. Bruce Dickinson’s vocals are also spectacular, as he really puts his heart and soul into each line of the chorus in particular. The song’s content matter surrounds that of the colonizers pillaging the native Americas, and the atrocities that they brought from Europe.
1. “The Number Of The Beast”
From their 1982 album of the same name, this song is considered one of the greatest songs in metal. From start to finish, this song is amazing with a very unique sound and some great guitar riffs and solos. The guitars are also mixed perfectly with Dickinson’s vocals in order to create a very heavy sound for its time, which makes it one of the heaviest songs ever recorded. It will be clear why this song ranks number one on our list, just after one listen.
