You wanted the best, you got it! Do you agree with our TOP 20 of the best ever Iron Maiden songs?
We worked up our list of the 10 worst Iron Maiden songs last week, and probably agitated some of you with our choices. Shall we see if we get along better this week? Torgrim and Christer agreed on 21 songs for nomination, and then voted separately. Here’s Maiden Revelations’ list of the best 20 Maiden songs:
Runner up) CHILDREN OF THE DAMNED (1982)
A Beast of an album, a number of great children, and barely missing out on the top 20 of Maiden tunes is no defeat. Most other songs in the history of music would cut off a chorus to get there. It doesn’t say so in the official credits, but Bruce co-wrote this song with Steve. They never looked back, did they?
20) SIGN OF THE CROSS (1995)
From the darkness of the Maiden era most controversial, that in which Blaze replaced Bruce. Someone had to keep writing songs in the mid-1990s, and Steve delivered a milestone that still stands proud. In time Bruce returned to do his own version of it, but what could he have done if Blaze hadn’t been there to help craft the original?
19) COMING HOME (2010)
One from the late era of Maiden reuniting with Bruce and Adrian. How did they stay together for the long haul? Maybe by combining their art with the piloting of airplanes, the craft of songwriting, and the unconditional love for their fans. When Bruce, Adrian and Steve get together to shape a message, with such a revealing title, it sounds like this:
18/17 tied) STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND (1986)
How would Maiden have made it through the 1980s without Adrian? Not that the 80s should have worried Maiden, but Adrian pushed the boundaries and set the bar higher, with songs and solos like this. He also wrote Wasted Years for the same record. Like it was easy!
18/17 tied) THE WICKER MAN (2000)
Who missed Adrian? Who missed Bruce? What a way to signal a comeback! After a decade of Maiden music that even the most loyal fans would have to admit was controversial, Adrian returned for 2000 with an opening riff that bleeds effortlessly into a stadium-sized Maiden number, co-written with Bruce and Steve, and complete with a proper metal production by Kevin Shirley. There was much rejoicing!
16) REMEMBER TOMORROW (1980)
And let it never be forgotten, Bruce would have had no place to start unless Paul had been there before him. The lyrics Paul wrote for this song are still among the most haunting Maiden ever recorded, the music by Steve is ambitious way beyond their scene at the time, and that was their first album! This might be the ultimate version, wherein Bruce delivers a faultless interpretation of Paul’s original:
15) THE LONGEST DAY (2006)
The longest jump, in the timeline! Bruce has come and gone and come again. A Matter Of Life And Death is an intense experience, a serious album, all of which the band performed live. They meant it, and we mean it when we put this track on the list. Here’s a representative of Maiden’s most cohesive post-2000 album, co-written by the unbeatable team of Adrian, Bruce and Steve.
14) THE PRISONER (1982)
No one can take anything away from the late great Clive, whose awesome drumming is all over this track, but even Bruce knew the drums well enough to give Adrian the beat to start the riff that Steve turned into… and so on. Here’s a track that was always great, but which was so rarely heard until Maiden brought it back for their 2012-14 tour.
13) SEVENTH SON OF A SEVENTH SON (1988)
Steve keeps cropping up here, having had more than a finger in the pie with most of what Maiden do. Again he writes the song, and what a song, and what a title track. And what a way to end Maiden’s glorious 1980s.
12) THE TROOPER (1983)
Oh, it sounds so obvious, doesn’t it? Sure, we could all write a riff like the opening to The Trooper. Sure, we could all jam that song full of melodies that a third of the planet’s population would recognize. Well, most of us didn’t. Steve did:
11/10 tied) ALEXANDER THE GREAT (1986)
In the 1980s, Steve specialised in writing EPIC metal songs that aspiring writers are still trying to copy or reinvent. For each album, we could look forward to another EPIC that would forever define Iron Maiden. This one was never played live, believe it or not, and it remains all the more mythical because of it…
11/10 tied) TO TAME A LAND (1983)
…while this one is only slightly less so, having been performed on stage in 1983. Steve’s first overtly Eastern-sounding track, excepting one riff in the Genghis Khan instrumental, To Tame A Land showed the way and many EPIC songs would follow, way into the 2000s.
09) ACES HIGH (1984)
But Steve could also write instant metal, could he not? This track came to be the ultimate Maiden show opener, in no small part thanks to its appearance on the Live After Death album and video. It was resurrected for four separate tours in the millennium reunion era, including this career-high performance from 2014:
08) PASCHENDALE (2003)
Dance Of Death is not the greatest album Maiden has recorded, but some of their greatest songs can be found there, chief of which is this monumental (yes, EPIC) track by Adrian. It features spine-chilling lyrics from Steve about the ”kindermord” that happened on battlefields of World War I, and sports a bravura orchestral production by the man who managed to lift Maiden’s sound into the 2000s, Kevin Shirley.
07/06 tied) POWERSLAVE (1984)
Bruce could not be out-maneuvered in the realm of EPICS. His impressive songwriting for the band he joined just a couple of years earlier reached a climax with the title track to what many consider the ultimate Maiden album – Powerslave. Egypt, pyramids, pharaos, the afterlife. Mythical! Magical!
07/06 tied) RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER (1984)
Combine Maiden with Samuel Taylor Coleridge and you get the EPIC to end all EPICS. Bound together by a milestone production courtesy of the one and only Martin Birch, this Steve composition is what all other EPICS, Maiden’s or otherwise, will always be measured against. The King of EPICS.
05) WHERE EAGLES DARE (1983)
Steve seems to have thought that new drummer Nicko should have a proper introduction. Cue this track! A different kind of opening song for an album, a different kind of solo section from any other Maiden song, letting Dave go with the flow as he loves to do. Here’s a modern day performance with the band at peak form:
04) PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1980)
Steve himself has singled out this song, his own work, as the point where he felt he could see (or hear) where Maiden would be heading. Little wonder! Phantom sums up Maiden through the ages, in a way that very few bands can claim about a track on their debut album.
03) REVELATIONS (1983)
As if to prove that the uncredited work he did on his first album with the band was just a starting point, Bruce chipped in with some stellar songwriting on Piece Of Mind, the best of which is this inimitable blend of metal and contemplation. Maiden’s three-guitar attack, adding Janick to the classic line-up, revels in such stuff:
02) INFINITE DREAMS (1988)
Seventh Son absolutely rules! This Steve composition is the second representative on the list. And what a representative! Simply one of the very best songs Maiden ever recorded, which says a bit. All the colors of the Maiden rainbow are present, all the tension, all the beauty. Put your headphones on and listen to the guitar work on this track…
01) HALLOWED BE THY NAME (1982)
…but there is no debate. Even after having tired of endless versions of this track over the course of decades, there is no question that Hallowed is the ultimate Maiden song. The drama, the melody, the fury, the twin guitars, the unreal vocal performance. No matter what this band will ever do, Steve’s gallows pole lament will always stand tall as their crowning metal achievement:
So, we’ve had our say. Now you have yours in the comments! We’ll just leave you with a few other tracks that weren’t nominated, but which we admit to love…
Christer’s guilty pleasures: Can I Play With Madness (1988), Run Silent Run Deep (1990) and Brave New World (2000) could have made the list any day of the week!
Torgrim’s guilty pleasures: Caught Somewhere In Time (1986), The Clansman (1998) and Dance Of Death (2003) don’t get enough love!
Maiden Revelations 
Good List !
Mine would have to be :
20: The Pilgrim
19: Fear Of The Dark
18: The Clansman
17: The Sign Of The Cross
16: The Rime Of the Ancient Mariner
15: Caught Somewhere In Time
14: Killers
13: The Ghost Of The Navigator
12: Blood Brothers
11: The Trooper
10: Phantom Of The Opera
09: Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
08: Infinite Dreams
07: Wasted Years
06: The Reincarnation Of Benjamin Breeg
05: Dance Of Death
04: For the Greater Good of God
03: Brave New World
02: Paschendale
01: Hallowed Be Thy Name
My top 20 :-
20. Another Life/Purgatory
19. Ghost of the Navigator
18. Lord of the Flies
17. Remember Tomorrow
16. The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
15. Sea of Madness
14. Rainmaker
13. The Lonliness of the Long Distance Runner
12. Stranger in a Strange Land
11. The Longest Day
10. The Aftermath
09. Paschendale
08. The Phantom of the Opera
07. Revelations
06. Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
05. Powerslave
04. The Clansman
03. Be Quick or be Dead
02. Caught Somewhere in Time
01. The Evil that Men Do
Great list! My own would probably have to be (tentatively, since narrowing a list of the best Maiden songs down to 20 still leaves out many, many amazing songs):
20. Tailgunner
19. Out of the Silent Planet
18. The Prisoner
17. From Here to Eternity
16. Killers
15. The Wicker Man
14. Murders in the Rue Morgue
13. Dance of Death
12. Blood Brothers
11. Heaven Can Wait
10. Remember Tomorrow
9. Powerslave
8. Invaders
7. The Number of the Beast
6. Where Eagles Dare
5. Fear of the Dark
4. Flight of Icarus
3. The Evil that Men Do
2. Aces High
1. The Trooper
Among those that just missed the cut (and which, on any given day, might find their way into the Top 20 the when I happen to listen to them) are Purgatory, The Nomad, No More Lies, Prowler, Hallowed Be They Name, Can I Play With Madness, and Children of the Damned.
Addendum: it occurs to me that I, somehow, forgot 2 Minutes to Midnight, which is a baffling, egregious oversight. Especially since it slides in somewhere around #5. But narrowing down a list of the best Maiden songs to just 20 is almost impossible anyway.
Calling somebody else’s choice impossible to understand (baffling) as well as conspicuously bad and offensive (egregious) is over the top, I think. Especially when you seem to agree that narrowing it down is almost impossible anyway.
I was talking about my own choice.
Then you’re way too harsh on yourself! 🙂
That list is uhmm uhmm, there’s too much reunion songs on it.
Anyway, here’s mine (no particular order) :
20. Judas Be My Guide
19. Chains of Misery
18. Hooks in You
17. Justice of the Peace
16. The Evil That Men Do
15. Moonchild
14. Caught Somewhere in Time
13. Wasted Years
12. Heaven Can Wait
11. Flash of the Blade
10. Powerslave
9. Revelations
8. Flight of Icarus
7. Die With Your Boots On
6. 22 Acacia Avenue
5. Aces High
4. 2 Minutes to 12
3. The Duellists
2. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
1. Back in the Village
And you have NO reunion songs but FOUR from the 1990s? In any case, you also leave about 3/4 of the list to the 1980s, like us. 😉
hmm? here comes my list..
20. Mother of mercy
19. Hallowed be thy name
18. Be quick or be dead.
17. Sun and steel
16. Quest for fire
15. Run silent run deep
14. Killers
13. Run to the hills
12. Fear of the dark
11. Alexander the great
10. Bring your daughter
9. Aces high
8. No prayer for the dying
7. Moonchild
6. The rime of the ancient mariner
5. Blood brothers
4. Wasting love
3. The prophecy
2. Judas be my guide
1. Fates warning
First of all, I have to say that I’m a brazilian fan. So, sorry about my English. After almost a year reading the posts of this excellent blog, I couldn’t lose the opportunity to do my list (what a hard work!):
20. The Talisman
19. Murders In The Rue Morgue
18. Deja Vu
17. Paschendale
16. Sign Of The Cross
15. Ghost Of The Navigator
14. Prodigal Son
13. Caught Somewhere In Time
12. To Tame A Land
11. The Duellists
10. Only The Good Die Young
09. Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
08. The Trooper
07. Aces High
06. Children Of The Damned
05. Phantom Of The Opera
04. Poweslave
03. Infinite Dreams
02. Rime Of The Ancient Mariner
01. Hallowed Be Thy Name
Songs that could be into the list if it was made a month ago or in the next couple of weeks: Remember Tomorrow, Purgatory, The Number Of The Beast, Revelations, Alexander The Great, Fates Warning, Brave New World, Rainmaker, These Colours Don’t Run and For The Greater Good Of God.
Your English is great! And your list too! 🙂
I agree with most of the songs in your list but.. Coming Home… I would pick The Talisman instead
The Talisman certainly gets our vote as one of the most incredible Bruce performances in history! Coming Home made the list in part because of its message and ability to unite fans across the globe. Blood Brothers could be said to do the same.
Very difficult task!
My list:
20. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
19. Killers
18. Fear of the Dark
17. Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
16. Brave New World
15. Caught Somewhere in Time
14. Dance of Death
13. Hallowed Be Thy Name
12. The Wicker Man
11. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
10. Stranger in a Strange Land
9. Aces High
8. Sigh of the Cross
7. Revelations
6. Powerslave
5. Moonchild
4. Alexander the Great
3. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
2. Phantom of the Opera
1. Infinite Dreams
Surprised no one has ‘The Alchemist’ on their list. Best track on TFF in my opinion.
I like that one!
Here is my top 20:
20. Fear of the Dark
19. Coming Home
18. Aces High
17. The Wicker Man
16. Children of the Damned
15. Wasted Years
14. The Prisoner
13. Seventh Son of Seventh Son
12. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
11. Moonchild
10. The Longest Day
9. Paschendale
8. 2 Minutes to Midnight
7. Phantom of the Opera
6. The Evil that Men Do
5. Run to the Hills
4. The Trooper
3. Powerslave
2. Revelations
1. Hallowed be Thy Name
That was difficult! Strong contenders for the top 20:
Brighter than a Thousand Suns
The Talisman
Remember Tomorrow
Where Eagles Dare
Flight of Icarus
The Number of the Beast
Can I Play With Madness
Infinite Dreams
Brave New World
Stranger in a Strange Land
Amazing band with too many great songs!!! 😆
This is my top 20 list (in particular way). 14 out of 20 songs are from the 80’s era. Seems to me this is Maidens most amazing era.
20. The Prisoner
19. Invaders
18. Mother Russia
17. The Legacy
16. Revelations
15. Phantom Of The Opera
14. Powerslave
13. Killers
12. Blood Brothers
11. The Clansman
10. Where Eagles Dare
09. Rime Of The Ancient Mariner
08. Hallowed Be Thy Name
07. Stranger In A Strange Land
06. The Prophecy
05. Run To The Hills
04. Alexander The Great
03. Paschendale
02. The Talisman
01. Infinite Dreams
20: Dance of Death
19: The clansman
18: Sign of the cross
17:Fear of the Dark
16:The evil that men do
15:Reveletions
14: Where Eagles Dare
13: 22 acacia avenue
12: Children of the damned
11: Flight of Icarus
10: Aces High
9: Alexander the great
8: Caught Somewhere in time
7: Stranger in a Strange land
6: Infinite dreams
5: Wasted years
4: The Rime of the ancient mariner
3: The Trooper
2: Phantom of the opera
1: Halloweed be thy Name
The evil that men do is one of the best song they ever did it has the greatest guitar opening ever. I also love fortunes of war, i’d put that in top 5. Also mother russia would be there somewhere as would fates warning and of course blood brothers should be in a top 20 never liked To tame a land much, and where is Strange world one of the best rock ballads of all time.
Wasted Years is also one of the best rock songs of all time, but it didn’t make the list. 😉
Hey guys I just met your website today while I was looking for a HD wallpaper for my ps4 and I am enjoying it.. Sorry for my English.. I am from Ecuador.. And here is my very hard worked top 20.
20. Deja vu
19. Journeyman
18. 2 minutes to midnight
17. Fear of the dark
16. Infinite dreams
15. Coming home
14. The number of the beast
13. Brighter than a thousand suns
12. Afraid to shoot strangers
11. Remember tomorrow
10. When the wild wind blows
9. Flight of Icarus
8. Lord of the flies
7. The Trooper
6. Can I play with madness
5. Ghost of the Navigator
4. Hallowed be thy name
3. Aces High
2. Wasted years
1. The evil that men do
Thanks for visiting, Jorge! Stick around, it’s going to be an exciting year for Maiden fans. 🙂
I’m another guy who recently stumbled on this site and I’m really digging it. I’ll be honest and say that I’ve only been a casual Maiden fan since Fear of the Dark… as I just sorta figured the band was cooked once Bruce left. I eventually picked up used copies of the Blaze era CDs… I’m sure they are still tucked away in a box somewhere, but it’s been at least 15 years since I revisited them… Since Bruce came back, I’ve kept up on the releases, seen them live when they hit Detroit, but can’t say I listen to the newer albums nearly as much as I listened to their classic stuff during my youth… So my list will be heavy on the earlier stuff, take it for what it’s worth.
20 – Mother Russia
19 – Genghis Khan
18 – Back in the Village
17 – Be Quick or Be Dead
16 – Iron Maiden
15 – Die With Your Boots On
14 – 2 Minutes to Midnight
13 – Flash of the Blade
12 – Wicker Man
11 – Caught Somewhere in Time
10 – Paschendale
09 – Number of the Beast
08 – Run to the Hills
07 – Purgatory
06 – Remember Tomorrow
05 – Infinite Dreams
04 – Revelations
03 – Aces High
02 – Hallowed Be Thy Name
01 – To Tame a Land
Great list! Very hard to argue with your top 5. 🙂
I have received the occasional odd look from Maiden fans when I profess my love for “To Tame a Land”…. and while the lyrics are complete sci-fi goof…. damn that music is so good. I’d have to take my time and revisit the whole library, but I can’t imagine a better Harris epic from a musical perspective.
mine
1.hallowed be thy name
2.Empire of clouds
3.2 minutes to midnight
4.wrathchild
5.Phantom of opera
6.Dance of death
7.Powerslave
8.Infinite Dreams
9.seventh son of seventh son
10.Trooper
11.Wasted years
12.Fear of dark
13.Thin line between love and hate
14.Legacy
15.When wild wind blows
16.Paschendale
17.Rime of Ancient mariner
18.Aces high
19.Sign of cross
20.Clansman
Make a new one with the book
My Top 20. I think I’m the first to put something on here from the new album? Which I think is SICK by the way. UP THE IRONS!!!!
Wasted years
Evil that men do
Caught Somewhere In Time
Can I play with madness
Stranger in a Strange Land
Rime Of The Ancient Mariner
Heaven Can Wait
Number Of The Beast
Aces High
Iron Maiden
Moonchild
The Trooper
Powerslave
If Eternity Should Fail
Fear Of The Dark
Infinite Dreams
Two Minutes To Midnight
Sea Of Madness
Revelations
Speed Of Light
1. No prayer for the dying
2.Rainmaker
3.Seventh son…
4.Alexander the great
5.Wasted years
6.Hallowed be ..
7.To tame a land
8.Fear of the dark
9.Dream of mirrors
10.Dance of death
11.The educated fool
12.Sun and steel
13.Quest for fire
14.Infinite Dreams
15.Can i play with madness
16.Tears of a clown
17.Afraid to shoot strangers
18.The nomad
19.Montsegur
20.Empire of the clouds
My Top 23 list. A bit different, I know. But I prefer all those old smashers (as I´m from germany, my english is not the best, please excuse) and the old and newer earworms with catchy melodies, riffs and solos. In short: everything with strong emotions and character. Enjoy or shake your head in disbelief 😉
23. Another life
22. Strange world
21. Drifter
20. Be quick or be dead
19. Fear of the dark
18. Aces high
17. Empire of the clouds
16. Murders in the rue morgue
15. Purgatory
14. Sanctuary
13. Women in uniform (yes, I know it´s a cover, but I don´t care…so much energy in this one)
12. Run to the hills
11. Number of the beast
10. No more lies
9. Remember tomorrow
8. Powerslave
7. Flash of the blade
6. Children of the damned
5. Rainmaker
4. Wasted years
3. Paschendale
2. Prisoner
1. Revelations
… somehow I totally forgot Hallowed be thy name. It´s on 3. before Paschendale. So it´s a Top 24 list 🙂
I think we all agree that Hallowed Be Thy Name is Maiden’s best song and that Infinite Dreams is a true masterpiece.
Really like the Best/Worst lists! How about one for best closers?
Good idea!
25. Stranger in a Strange Land
24. Speed of Light
23. The Evil That Men Do
22. Revelations
21. The Book of Souls
20. Wrathchild
19. The Wicker Man
18. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
17. Ghost of the Navigator
16. The Red and the Black
15. Powerslave
14. Fear of the Dark
13. If Eternity Should Fail
12. Flight of Icarus
11. Blood Brothers
10. 2 Minutes to Midnight
9. Wasted Years
8. Where Eagles Dare
7. Children of the Damned
6. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
5. Run to the Hills
4. Paschendale
3. The Number of the Beast
2. The Trooper
1. Hallowed be Thy Name
Flight of Icarus!
My top 20:
20. Shadows of the Valley
19. Wasting Love
18. Judas Be My Guide
17. Prowler
16. When Two Worlds Collide
15. Aces High
14. The Trooper
13. The Number of the Beast
12. Bring Your Daughter… To The Slaughter
11. Wasted Years
10. Out of the Silent Planet
9. Run To The Hills
8. Powerslave
7. Judgement of Heaven
6. Rainmaker
5. Wrathchild
4. The Evil That Men Do
3. Blood Brothers
2. The Wicker Man
1. Fear of the Dark
It is a very difficult choice , because Maiden have so many hits and my favorites ! But i think this 20 is the most beloved songs by my !
UP THE IRONS from Bulgaria !!!
Im new on Iron Maiden, so i havent heard every Maiden song, so im gonna make my list (temporal) of songs i have heard.
20. Fear Of The Dark
19. Paschendale
18. Remember Tomorrow
17. Killers/Wrathchild
16. The Book Of Souls/Red and the Black
15. 2 Minutes to Midnight
14. 22 Acacia Avenue
13. The Evil That Men Do/If Eternity Should Fail
12.Run To The Hills
11. The Number Of The Beast
10. Alexander The Great
9. Aces High
8. The Trooper
7. Phantom Of The Opera
6. Blood Brothers
5. Dance Of Death
4. Empire Of the Clouds
3. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
2. Rime Of The Ancient Mariner
1. Hallowed Be Thy Name
Honorable Mentions: Brave New World, The Wicker Man, The Thin Line Between Love And Hate, Futureal, Prowler, Transylvania/Strange World, Murders In The Rue Morgue, Iron Maiden, Children Of The Damned, Moonchild
You could leave out all the songs in your top 20, start with different songs and you can still end up with a really good top 20 list, songs like bring your daughter, evil that man do, blood brothers, fear of the dark, number of beast , caught somewhere in time, wasted time and whole lot of other songs are as good as any in the list.
I think is is quite a cool alternative list, lots of reunion songs (which I love!) Anyway, my list:
20. Coming Home
19. The Wicker Man
18. Blood Brothers
17. The Clansman
16. The Sign of The Cross
15. Revelations
14. Phantom of The Opera
13. Dream of Mirrors
12. Children of The Damned
11. The Alchemist
10. Powerslave
9. For The Greater Good of God
8. Wasted Years
7. Aces High
666. The Number of The Beast
5. 2 Minutes to Midnight
4. Hallowed Be Thy Name
3. The Trooper
2. Fear of The Dark
1. The Evil That Men Do
It was extremely hard to narrow it down to 20 tracks, let alone rank them. So I decided to just list them in chronological order. Nothing from what they’ve done after 1992 sounds anywhere as sublime as the “early” stuff to my ears. I wish I could engoy their later stuff half as much as I do the 1980-1992 output like many of you guys do.
Phantom of the opera
Strange world
The Ides of March
Prodigal son
Purgatory
The prisoner
Where eagles dare
Revelations (long beach arena live version)
The duellists
2 minutes to midnight
Powerslave
The rime of the ancient mariner
Caught somewhere in time
The loneliness of the long distance runner
Deja-vu
Moonchild
The evil that men do
Only the good die young
Tailgunner
Judas be my guide
Here is my original list of 50 tracks, including 7 post 1992 pieces.
Remember Tomorrow
Running Free
Phantom of the opera
Transylvania
Strange world
Charlotte the Harlot
The Ides of March
Genghis Khan
Innocent Exile
Another Life
Killers
Purgatory
Murders in the rue Morgue
Hallowed Be Thy Name
22 Acacia Avenue
The prisoner
Children of the Damned
Where eagles dare
Revelations (long beach arena live version)
Quest for fire
Die with your boots on
The duellists
2 minutes to midnight
Powerslave
The rime of the ancient mariner
Losfer words (big ‘orra)
Flash of the blade
Caught somewhere in time
The loneliness of the long distance runner
Deja-vu
Stranger in a strange land
Sea of madness
Waster years
Moonchild
The evil that men do
Only the good die young
Infinite Dreams
Seventh son of a seventh son
Tailgunner
Public Enema Number One
Judas be my guide
Be Quick or Be Dead
Chains of Misery
The sign of the cross
Brave new world
The Mercenary
Ghost of the navigator
The Longest Day
For the greater good of God
If eternity should fail
By the way, congratulations for your work on this website. It’s absolutely fantastic and a great refuge for us Maiden lunatics. Cheers! Up the Irons!
Thank you!
I will have a hard time coming up with my own top 20 Iron Maiden songs. However, no matter what, my #1 song would be “Number of the Beast”! This track introduced me to the band when I was still in high school!
I’ve been a fan of Maiden since 1984, I’ve seen Maiden live 11 times since 1988, and today in 2020 I discover this magnificent page. Congratulations.
It is really frustrating to develop a list of best songs, because it varies, beyond the new features incorporated over time, with my own spirit and feelings at every moment. My list may be as different tomorrow as it would be yesterday. I will try to be honest and reflect what I has been felt for decades here and now, as well as balance the list, since there are albums that I adore from start to finish without exception and yet they contain fewer highlights than others. The same can be said of the dichotomy between direct and commercial vs. elaborate and epic themes. Or the forgotten themes in the live shows. Or some guilty pleasure. And the songs could swing their position at any time. It is not an easy task. Let’s go
20)The Red and the Black / Empire of the Clouds
19) Drifter
18) For the Greatest Good of God
17) Dance of Death
16) Sanctuary
15) Brave New World
14) When The Wild Wind Blows
13) Fear of the Dark
12) Can I Play With Madness
11) Stranger in a Strange Land
10) Infinite Dreams
9) Run to the Hills
8) The Trooper
7) 22 Acacia Avenue
6) Phantom of the Opera
5) Rime of the Ancient Mariner
4) Wasted Years
3) Revelations
2) Hallowed be thy Name
1) Powerslave
At the gates: Running Free, Transylvania, Killers, Children of the Damned, The Prisoner, The Number of the Beast, Where Eagles Dare, Aces High, Heaven can Wait, Alexander the Great, Moonchild, The Evil That Men Do, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son,The Clairvoyant, The Clansman, The Wicker Man, Blood Brothers, Rainmaker, The Books of Souls.
Forgotten / guilty pleasures: Purgatory, Sun and Steel, The Duellists, The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, Only the Good Die Young, Judas be my Guide, Judgement of Heaven, The Thin Line Between Love and Hate, Age of Innocence.
Special award for guitar solo: Caught Somewhere in Time.
Great list! We should really do a BEST & WORST feature on guitar solos. 🙂
In instrumental terms and specifically in guitar duels, I have to confess my unconditional love for Somewhere in Time. I find it easier to create a Top Albums than a Top Songs.
1) Somewhere in Time
2) Powerslave
3) Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
4) Piece of Mind
5) Brave New World
6) The Book of Souls
7) The Number of the Beast
8) Dance of Death
And yes, even I am a little puzzled to see TNOB so low. It really would be at least on my Top 3 Albums, but we’re talking about instrumentation and guitar solos and duels.
PS: I continue step by step my immersion in this page. For me it has been a pleasant discovery. I wish it to remain active. Please don’t leave it. Up the Irons!
1. Fear of the dark
2. Powerslave
3. rime of the ancient mariner
4. virus
5. the trooper
6. man on the edge
7. flight of icarus
8. back in the village
9. be quick or be dead
10. bring your daughter to the slaughter
11. wasted years
12 run to the hills
13. evil that men do
14. running free
15. losfer words ( big o’rra)
16. 2 minutes to midnight.
17. can i play with madness
18. the number of the beast
19. flash of the blade
20. the clairvoyant
that’s my list
UP THE IRONS
By the way, fear of the dark live (1998 remaster)
That’s the highest I’ve ever seen Virus!
it’s a good song I don’t understand how people don’t like it
@brayden: Personally I think it’s better than most tracks on Virtual XI, and could have been even better without the overlong intro and cooler sonics.
revised. I was just learning about iron maiden and had only listened to best of the beast powerslave and somewhere in time.
20. Hallowed
19. trooper
18 Red and the black
17 flight of icarus
16 brave new world
15 ghost of navigator
14 wicker man
13 charlotte the harlotte
12 iron maiden
11 be quick or be dead
10 running free
9 fear is the key
8 childhood’s end
7 if eternity should fail
6 speed of light
5 out of the darkness
4 different world
3 Empire of the clouds
2 Dream of mirrors
1. These colours don’t run
close calls
man on the edge
sea of madness
wasted years
2 minutes to midnight
death or glory
man of sorrows
tears of a clown
This is the kind of thing which changes every day, but my top 20 as of right now (in chronological order for the sake of having an order of some sort)
Remember Tomorrow
Murders in the Rue Morgue
Killers
The Prisoner
Die With Your Boots On
Still Life
To Tame a Land
Powerslave
Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Wasted Years
Stranger in a Strange Land
Alexander the Great
Moonchild
Infinite Dreams
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
Sign of the Cross
Lord of the Flies
Man on the Edge
Futureal
Wicker Man
I’m not claiming that they’re the “best”, just that they’re the ones I like most as of right this minute. Entirely different concept… Probably showing off my emotional connection to the Blaze era too. I lost touch for a little while after Dance of Death whilst other things in life took over, so I haven’t really given AMOLAD, TFF and BoS enough plays to get them into the list yet.
The premier league classics (run to the hills etc) have been overplayed to the point that I’d enjoy them at a show, but I wouldn’t play them myself. And I never liked The Trooper. Sorry…
Runner-up : Invaders, the song that introduced me to Iron Maiden.
20. To Tame A Land
19. Infinite Dreams
18. The Prophecy
17. Caught Somewhere In Time
16. Remember Tomorrow
15. Another Life
14. Two Minutes To Midnight
13. Prowler
12. Wasted Years
11. Children of The Damned
9. Where Eagles Dare
9. The Trooper
8. Killers
7. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
6. Phantom Of The Opera
5. Powerslave
4. Moonchild
3. Aces High
2. Hallowed Be Thy Name
1. The Number of the Beast
Top-20 at the moment, too many great songs etc.
By the way, great website. Glad to have found it (or is it ggle that found me?).
Greetings
Great list! 🙂
20. Virus
19. Where Eagles dare.
18. Prowler.
17. Childhoods End.
16. Brighter Than a Thousand Suns.
15. The Edge of Darkness.
14. Prodigal Son.
13. No Prayer for the Dying.
12. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.
11. The Trooper.
10. Sign of the Cross.
9. Brave New World.
8. Deja Vu.
7. Phantom of the Opera.
6. Purgatory.
5. Heaven can Wait.
4. 22 Acacia Avenue.
3. Rime of the Ancient Mariner.
2. Infinite Dreams
1. Remember Tomorrow
Long time lurker, first time poster. First of all, this is a fantastic site, and I have enjoyed reading all of the articles and reviews.
I first heard Maiden in the form of Somewhere in Time on a 1986 road trip with my high school buds. I was hooked shortly thereafter by memorizing the back catalog starting with Live After Death and moving backwards. SSOASS was the first album released with me as an established Maiden fan, and it is still my favorite. So since my list (like many on here) heavily tilts towards the 80’s, I decided to do an additional list of my top 10 favorite reunion songs to mix it up a little:
20. Futureal
19. Be Quick or Be Dead
18. Killers
17. Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
16. Remember Tomorrow
15. Where Eagles Dare
14. The Wicker Man
13. 2 Minutes to Midnight
12. Aces High
11. The Prisoner
10. Children of the Damned
9. Montségur
8. Paschendale
7. The Clairvoyant
6. Wasted Years
5. The Trooper
4. Infinite Dreams
3. If Eternity Should Fail
2. Stranger in a Strange Land
1. Hallowed Be Thy Name
Top 10 Reunion Songs
10. Satellite 15… The Final Frontier
9. Empire Of The Clouds
8. Brave New World
7. Coming Home
6. The Longest Day
5. Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
4. The Wicker Man
3. Montségur
2. Paschendale
1. If Eternity Should Fail
Thanks, Dave! Great lists indeed.