Iron Maiden: 'Worst to Best' - Albums Ranked
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- čas přidán 8. 06. 2019
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This is why I appreciate you, Barry. You give me glimpses into music that I didn’t know as well. Iron Maiden for me was a mixed bag. Number of the Beast and Piece of Mind were the only albums I knew. I very much accept their place in hard rock/heavy metal and truly appreciate their place in it. They obviously have talent. For some reason though, I could just never really get into them. Your list has inspired me to check out the other ones I don’t know in your top 5. I find that music can sound different to you at different times in your life. Thank you for your time and efforts into these lists. I look forward to the next.
Thank you for your kind appraisal... do share this video and keep tuning in.
Watch a video of a live concert if you want to get an idea of why people love them. Their most recent tour was awesome!
Listen to Book Of Souls - newer sound - and epic songs.
Yea i have the same problem of not being able to get into them despite enjoying them alot
@Rob Melrose maybe buy the album and enjoy it....lol
Rob Halford ranking Iron Maiden albums.
XD
Rob Halford would need a teleprompter!
Killers and Iron Maiden are really low in my opinion.
@@joaol6789 totally agree with you
Hahaha ha my first impression immediately
Totally overlooked : When Two Worlds Collide, Rainmaker, The Nomad, Lightning Strikes Twice
Rainmaker ... absolutely awesome!
Glad you enjoy it, but for me " rainmaker" and "wildest dreams" are really contrived, actually "no more lies" belongs in that pile as well. Run of the mill, creatively bereft idling from a very good band.
Futureal as well
And Face in the Sand
I love Rainmaker, especially the guitar solo.
Dance of Death never gets enough love! Second only to 7th Son of a 7th Son for me. The sheer diversity of the tracks on Dance of Death make it a standout album for me; each and every track on that album is identifiable and distinct, simultaneously nostalgic and fresh.
Lol
Lol diversity but badly done
Better than that snoozefest 'Book Of Souls'. My opinion of course, BOS gets a lot of love.
I totally agree. I deeply love Age of Innocence and Face in the Sand. for me this whole album is one of their most complete albums. Title track and Paschendale are brilliant. Some of their best song writing.
@Rob Melrose I like the song too Rob, but I feel it should have been edited down by about 4 min, like most of their epics nowadays.
First 2 albums, still the best in my opinion.
Killers could be the best!
nearly right. first 3
First two are brilliant. I suppose it depends if you liked Maiden at the start or got into them in the Dickinson years.
Killers is my favorite album in history and Iron Maiden probably would be if the guitars didn’t sound as thin as an anorexic girl 😬
You could rank the first 7 in any order I wouldn't argue. The debut and especially Killers never get enough love.
Top five for me:
1. Somewhere in Time ( PERFECT ❤)
2. Number of the Beast
3. Powerslave
4. Piece of Mind
5. Iron Maiden debut
My Favorite Song is “Caught Somewhere In Time”. It’s powerful and the guitar work is awesome. But it seems overlooked.
How about Nicko Mcbrain's foot work on that song? Listen to the kick drum closely; From what I understand, he's just using his usual single Ludwig speed king to achieve that kick drum gallop. Amazing!
Somewhere in Time in general is overlooked in the biggest way. That album doesn't have a single filler track whereas other Maiden albums that are considered their all-time best, ie Powerslave/Number of the Beast have a filler song or two. Somewhere in Time is an album I would put in their top 3.
Agreed the best possible opener to an Iron Maiden album and it sets the tone for my personal favourite Iron Maiden album.
@@travistotle totally agree with you
@@travistotle preach every second on that album shows the band at their musical peak and even the worst songs on it could easily be top 3 material if it were on almost any other Maiden album
As a Maiden fan from the Dianno days , I love Killers and is my personal favorite. I'm not saying it's their best but I love the agression on that album . Maiden have gone a little too progressive for me since.
I fully respect your opinion and thank you for commenting upon my video.
I'd say Killers is my 3rd favorite Maiden record, with Piece of Mind and Powerslave just surpassing it in my opinion.
Killers is better than piece of mind. Certainly rocks much harder though mind does have a lot of true, classics on it as a complete, album it doesn't work as well as killers imho.
@jimmysmokes No such thing as a silly review it's called opinions.
I was a huge Maiden fan up to about Powerslave and then my tastes got heavier (and still is). But Killers always seems to draw me back. I consistently find myself going back to it.
Unpopular opinion: Somewhere In Time is my favorite album.
Somewhere in time is one of the best Maiden albums for sure. It's like the musical equivalent of Blade Runner.
Definitely not unpopular. That would be ranking a slow album n° 1, like AMOLAD, Virtual XI, etc.
That’s my opinion too.
It is really great!
@@mjorge0alves I like AMOLAD a good bit, too.
You truly know how great a band is when everyone's list of favorites is different and you can understand their reasoning for making their lists that way.
Jesse Lucero very true, except for Virtual XI. I like the opening track Futureal, but really can’t find anything memorable about the rest of the album.
No, i can't understand how insane this person is by putting book of souls and the final frontier so high. Final frontier higher than the debut and Killer? Some opinions are just objectively wrong.
Somewhere in Time is my fave. It doesn't have a bad song in it.
Honestly I don't like Heaven can wait
It's way too repetitive for me (I like listening to it but after 2 minutes or so I skip, I can't hear "Heaven can waaaiieet, Heaven can..." 10 times). But that's just my opinion. The others are great
"The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner" is shite. Plus, if you want to hear a really good song named "Stranger In A Strange Land," then check-out the great Triumph sing of that title on the great album *Thunder Seven.*
Johanna I was thinking exactly the same thing, heaven can wait is a very weak, annoying song but every other song is very good in the 8.5/10 range.
Bob Schneider Thunder Seven is nothing compared to Maiden. What the actual fuck are you talking about?
Couldn’t agree more. SIT and SSOSS are flawless. I personally love POM and for many years it’s been my favorite Maiden album. However, I love SIT and SSOSS as much as Piece of Mind. These albums switch positions anytime in my list and I’m fine with it. All these 3 albums are amazing.
Am I the ONLY person to really love A Matter Of Life And Death? It’s in my #2 spot!
And The Final Frontier? my #6!
Also, Brave New World is my #3, mostly because of Out Of The Silent Planet, which is my #3 favourite song!
Matter of Life and Death is a great album its my 2nd fav as well
Hydro 07, I hate it but hey you keep on enjoying it
my no. 2 after 7th son
As a Maiden longtime fan (bought Piece of Mind at 14, now I'm 43) can´t agree more. Fantastic Album. In my top 5.
Their best record from the 21st Century.
Best: Seventh Son
Worst: Final Frontier, just bores me to tears honestly.
The Final Frontier is great.
The Talisman is excellent. I love every Maiden release, but FF can have some rather boring moments, but El Diablo, Talisman, and Coming Home are highlights of 2000s Maidem
If you listen to the Final Frontier tracks played live on the En Vivo! album they're great and not boring at all.
I honestly find Final Frontier a whole lot better than Seventh Son.
Seventh son is forever my favourite 🤘🏻
Never liked the production on that one.
same here
It's my second favorite mate and the production on that album is brilliant, it had to be with so much going on.
Seventh Son was honestly an acquired taste for me. Had to give it several spins before I came to enjoy it, but eventually it did grow on me.
the Seventh Son album was my first Maiden experience so it'll always have a special place for me
I appreciate that people have different tastes, but rating the first two albums this low is something I cant wrap my mind around. They are what put maiden on the map and for good reason
Right, right and right again !
He probably doesn't like Paul Dianno.
@@TheJamie6666 he's overrated.
@@JasonBoreu He really isn't.. He's ounderated if anything.
The first one wasnt really that good, but Killers was a really good album, better than the Blaze stuff IMO, but not better than any of Brices stuff
My ranking:
1 - Powerslave
2 - Seventh Son...
3 - Somewhere In Time
4 - Piece Of Mind
5 - The Number ofThe Beast
6 - The Final Frontier
7 - Dance Of Death
8 - Iron Maiden
9 - Killers
10 - Brave New World
11 - A Matter...
12 - The Book Of Souls
13 - The ‘X’ Factor
14 - No Prayer For The Dying
15 - Fear Of The Dark
16 - Virtual XI
And top 10 Maiden songs:
1 - Rime...
2 - Powerslave
3 - Phantom OfThe Opera
4 - Hallowed Be Thy Name
5 - Number Of The Beast
6 - Moonchild
7 - Revelations
8 - 22 Acacia Avenue
9 - Stranger In A...
10 - Only The Good Die Young
Book of Souls is a good album.
Wow u have fear of the dark really low
Al Kohallick The Book Of Souls is a decent album (however uneven it is), but I prefer all the albums I have placed higher in my ranking.
eric wright I just find Fear Of The Dark a less than medium album for a band like Iron Maiden. Some of the songs like Afraid To Shoot Strangers, Judas Be My Guide, the classic title track and Be Quick Or Be Dead are all absolutely great songs, but some of the others really pull this album down low in my ranking. The Apparition is so unworthy of being on an Iron Maiden album. I prefer Sheriff Of Huddersfield.
Another really really great review and ranking from you. Very well explained with a lot of detailed facts, thank you!
My Top 5 are:
#5 A Matter of Live and Death
#4 Piece of Mind
#3 Powerslave
#2 Seventh son of a seventh Son
#1 The Book of Souls
Have a great day : )
I always had Killers down as my favourite album! It’s musicality and drive hit me between the eyes when I first heard it!
I like Killers too, but there is too much Deep Purple (Coverdale era) aura and influence in many of the songs on it.
My ranking:
1) the number of the beast
2) powerslave
3) somewhere in time
4) iron maiden
5) seventh son of a seventh son
6) killers
7) piece of mind
8) brave new world
9) fear of the dark
10) the book of souls
11) dance of death
12) no prayer for the dying
13) a matter of life and death
14) the x-factor
15) the final frontier
16) virtual XI
UP THE IRONS!!!
Now this guy knows his stuff.
@Anakin ITA Although I don't agree with a fair amount of your rankings, I can still understand and respect what you are saying and maybe why you are saying it. Having said that, once I saw that Somewhere in Time was ranked quite a bit higher than Book of Souls I think your credibility fell into the toilet.
@T Dunph What’s this credibility nonsense? You like what you like. You sound like one of those “fans” who listens to a new album and won’t say whether you like it until you’ve read the reviews.
@@steveopenshaw1219 well which Beiber albums were you drawn quickly to and which ones grew on you? I call out BS when I see it and I am not afraid to throw in a little joke either. I didn't like his list, sorry not sorry.
T Dunph I fear this conversation is doomed, but I’ll bite.. What shite are you calling here? The guy just posted his list. I mean, I don’t know the fellow, but I would hazard a guess that he isn’t going to lose sleep over the fact that you didn’t like it much. But why be a dick about it? His list is his list. It’s not an easy list to make, especially with a band like Maiden, and you just pulled your pants down to your ankles, squatted over it and curled one out on it. And the Beiber comment, what’s that about? If you could try and appreciate different kinds of music, instead of just appreciating how “elite” your taste in music is, then you could learn something from other people’s differing tastes.
Very brave putting Final Frontier so high up the list, Barry! I'm a sucker for that 80's Cyberpunk synth, Blade Runner esque styling so Somewhere in Time is, no surprises, my favourite complete work of theirs, but you can't go wrong with anything from their catalogue honestly, except perhaps the Blayze era. ;)
Absolutely love your work with all the other ranking vids etc mate, I look forward to more!
You really do a great job on your videos. Very informative. Your way makes your videos very accessible. Keep up the great work.
Thank you very much!
"Alexander the Great" taught me more than any history class at school ever did. It has become my favourite Maiden track, proggy as f-.
glad i found this page, love this stuff i.e. all the background info. well done and i agree with your #1 pick - that album was my introduction to Maiden when i was a kid 🤘🏼
Great work! Stumbled on this because of algorithms, stayed because you speak with passion and sincerity! Loved that this was "your" list and that it contained a few surprises. Excellent stuff!
Book of Souls isn’t better than Number of the Beast.
Edit: I shall explain, Yes the Book if Souls is a strong album with strong tracks being If Eternity Should Fall, Speed of Light, The Red and the Black, The Great unknown, tears of a clown, and the title track. But the excellence of the Number of the Beast is faster and has stronger tracks such as The title track, The Prisoner, Children of the Damned, Run to the Hills, Hallowed By Thy Name, and 22 Acacia Avenue. The pure speed of Gangland and Run to Hills can over power almost all the speed on The Book of Souls Albums
hey now! You're CORRECT Sir!!!
Number of the Beast is overrated.
The Book of Souls is a weak album. Only 4 tracks are possible to listen:
If Eternity should fail
Speed of Light
When the River Rubs Deep
Empire of the Clouds (should be a little shorter)
The rest is pure garbage and lack of creativity, IMO.
The Number of The Beast is a straight forward album. Fast songs, full of energy and unforgettable melodies. The only weak track is Gangland.
of course not
@@diegobarros758 Nah, Book Of Souls is great. Particularly the title track and Tears Of A Clown.
An incredible list! While my list would be a wee bit different, I can't argue with any of the reasons you state here for your rankings.
Piece of Mind is the album that sums up what Maiden is all about. If you had to take one album and try to present it to any random person who didn't know the band, this is the one.
This channel is really great!
Sun and Steel from the Piece of Mind album was always a personal fave - even more so after I met the band during a slow day at an Irish bar in Frankfurt, Germany circa 1987. Very personable guys!
I had asked the drummer about the inspiration of Sun and Steel, and suddenly Bruce slid over & enthusiastically related it’s origin.
I’ll always appreciate that epic moment!
Good video. Honestly I enjoyed how varied and different your list was, rather than shoving all the post-reunion albums at the bottom you gave every album an honest and well thought out opinion
Just want to say I love your ranking videos
You know your stuff keep up the great work
Cool to see Book of Souls ranked highly. It's one of my favourites, probably 2nd after Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.
Will agree totally to Piece of Mind... absolutely astonishing...
Great album
I have very different opinions (the blaze and Di’anno albums are super high for me lol) but it’s really cool to see another way and you did a great job explaining your choices. Def gonna relisten to Final Frontier and Book of Souls thanks to this. Glad you gave even the albums at the bottom some credit too, sick vid.🤘
Thank you for watching
Very Good presentation...enjoyed and informative..thank you
Nice list you are the only dude that makes these ranked videos that has good Iron Maiden opinions
Thank you.
It's so strange, we have completely different lists, but I can absolutely see how you came to your conclusions. Great video
I love Dance of Death and feel it is higher up on the list
Glad to see Book of Souls rated so high. It is an excellent album, especially at this point in their career. Definitely my favorite album to come out in the last 20 years from anyone!!!
# 1 Somewhere in Time (a big grower)
# 2 Piece of Mind (bought the album at the age of 14, now I'm 43)
# 2' Seventh Son...
# 4 Powerslave
# 5 A Matter of Life and Death
# 6 Number of the Beast
# 7 Killers
# 8 Brave New World
# 9 First One
# 10 Dance of Death
# 11 Fear of the Dark/No Prayer for the Dying (I think the best of both could have been a fantastic album)
# 12 The Final Frontier
# 13 X Factor
# 14 Virtual XI
"Book of Souls" not dug it enough yet
How can you forget the name to the first one?
Another great video thanks for sharing and I like your rankings, not how I would rank but you had a very solid list. My go to Maiden album is Live After Death, I have trouble listening to any of those songs in their studio version haha so that would be my number 1, also wanted to add that I listen to their first album quite often, I love the rawness of it and I love Paul Di'anno on that first album, not as much on Killers tho.
First time watching your reviews. I liked it. I liked a lot, differs from my choices quite much but number still having Piece of mind cassette bought somewhere in 80, number 1 and two I agree wholeheartedly. Awesome review bro, got meself listening old and newer numbers again having different point of view to it like Final Frontier. Thanks for this! Respect.
Thank you for watching..
Very good commentary, appreciate your point of view. Going to go back and give the catalog run through. For my Killers, S/T, POM...
Thank you so much for this well thought out list. I definitely have much more listening ahead of me, because I’ve only heard: Iron Maiden, Killers, The Number Of The Beast, Powerslave and The Book Of Souls.
I’m excited though, because I love what I’ve heard so far. Especially the progressive influence I can definitely hear
Thank you for watching
Hi Barry,
Another very enjoyable video. My top 10 maiden albums would be similiar to yours but i would have Somewhere in Time higher and The Seventh Son a bit lower. Somewhere has been a grower for me which i wasnt that into to begin with but i think its an absolute classic now. I would have Powerslave at 1 and Piece of Mind at 2, but thats not an easy decision to make, what albums.
The Red and the Black has to be close to my fav Maiden song. Everytime i listen to that gallop at the end i think my head is going to come off. 😉
Andy H
Great list Barry. A great choice for number 1. The 80’s is their most fruitful period for me, although most of their albums are excellent. Very enjoyable video.
Hi. Good job on the video but cant agree less.
My top:
1) 7th son;
2) somewhere in time;
3) iron maiden.
That low rate on iron maiden and no prayer just killed me.
Still, good video.
DiAnno lives in my heart. Met him by accident in East London a while back.
So the first two albuns are what I consider Iron Maiden to be but they were over. So into the New Iron Maiden with Bruce Dickinson who I also met by accident in the streets of Fulham, we have Piece of Mind, The Number of the Beast, Fear of the Dark, and all the others I bunch together at the bottom, saving a few songs here and there. But too progressive for my liking.
I love your videos, Barry. All your rankings are really well thought out, and there are ideas you put in that always make me think twice. It's interesting that every Maiden fan's list is probably different - mine is very different to yours - but there are always a few records most put in the same place. I was actually pleasantly surprised as to where you put Number of the Beast, because most would put that at the top; I agree with you, because it's not as perfect as everyone remembers. Something I've always thought about the X Factor - though I don't like it - is that it's the birthplace of 'modern Maiden'. The long intros, Steve's non-mastered production, and the dark atmospheres.
What, no mention of Flash of the Blade :) i've been revisiting Maiden as of lately and i think you nailed it on the albums and even have made me now listen again to the newer albums (newer being 2000 and on). I remember loving the strong comeback in '92, then bought the '95 album and instantly returning it to the store 2 days later. No Bruce, No Sale. hahah - I Vaguely recall Balls to Picasso from Bruce's solo year(s?). There was a couple stellar tracks from that if i remember correctly. Otherwise GJ and you got a new sub from me.
My ranking (super hard to rank the middle part of 8-13 on my list):
16. Virtual XI (the only really bad Maiden album imo)
15. Killers
14. Iron Maiden
13. No prayer for the dying
12. The X-factor
11. The final frontier
10. Dance of death
9. The number of the beast
8. The book of souls
7. Fear of the dark
6. A matter of life and death
5. Brave new world
4. Piece of mind
3. Powerslave
2. Seventh son of a seventh son
1. Somewhere in time
Such hate on killers
@@realenglishman580 for you
Great rankings! I think the Final Frontier and Caught Somewhere in Time are extremely underrated, and they're in my top 5 for sure.
Rush sounded as vital and inspired on Clockwork Angels as any band has late in their career.
a fantastic swan song 🎶
I'd love for you to review Maiden's live albums someday, considering a very few bands come close to matching the band's prowess when it comes to playing in front of an audience.
No Prayer is easily my favourite of their post 80s stuff. never really understood the harsh criticism. Fear Of The Dark I find pretty boring mostly...
The tracks are all lame and there's no real standout track
I respectfully disagree. I honestly feel the opposite. I love fear of the dark so much more. In no prayer for the dying, there's alot of songs that have weird song structure
@@glenntipton6226 fair enough. since I posted that comment I went back and listened to Fear again, and liked it better than I remembered, but I still think it's way inferior to No Prayer... no one's right or wrong tho, it's all opinions :)
@@CS-mo7xp kudos to you for keeping this conversation mature and open minded. This is something I never see in the comments section lol
@@glenntipton6226 yeah we did pretty well there, lol
Great number 1 ,I agree it better than number of the beast
Derek Riggs is my favorite illustrator (his Nightflight cover played a part in getting me into Budgie) and growing up his Iron Maiden covers helped influence me to become a graphic artist. When I first saw Somewhere In Time's cover, I just about lost it, and it remains my favorite album cover of all time. Because it wraps around the sleeve, I later bought two complete albums and framed them spine to spine to create a piece of artwork that hangs on my wall just above and behind my computer monitor. Still an inspiration to this day. That the album is good is just an added bonus.
As an artist, I have some rather odd views on certain things, and Maiden is no different. I think that Blaze Bailey inadvertently saved Iron Maiden! If he hadn't been such a mediocre fit, Steve Harris et. al. wouldn't have been as receptive to bringing Bruce back into the fold (and getting Adrian Smith as a bonus). Had Blaze stayed, I think Maiden would have fizzled out entirely after one or two more albums. But Blaze was such a mismatched fit with the band that he served as the impetus for the band's renaissance that began with Brave New World.
Hey, what do you use to float graphics above your video?
Any editing software will allow you to put one image above the other
Thank you, I love your videos, professionally cool, M
Thanks
A matter of life and death, Powerslave and Somewhere in time are my favorites right now.
Greetings from Portugal.
up the Irons!
Somewhere in Time tbm é o meu favorito, o meu pai tinha o CD mas não sei o que fez com ele que já só tem a caixa 😅 era uma edição especial em que o "s" tinha traços a mais e o "m" e o "w" eram mais largos. A artwork do Somewhere in Time é simplesmente incrível, o que se espera dum desenho que tenha levado 3 meses ao artista com mais de 20 referências nele xD. Discordo é da opinião do criador do vídeo, virtual Eleven é um dos álbuns que mais gosto, e ouço todas as músicas dele, o único problema é 1 ou 2 faixas que podem ser um pouco repetitivas, como "The Angel and The Gambler", de resto é um álbum bastante bom.
@@Fl1x1n boas amigo Demon.
eu tenho a felicidade de ter o Somewhere in Time em "disco" vinyl.
tens toda a razao na Artwork,é incrivel! Somewhere ,Killers e Powerslave saõ provavelmente as minhas "capas" favoritas, mas lembro da artwork do Running Free ou do Maiden in Japan,aquela linda do The Clansman ,são tantas as minhas favoritas ;)
tambem gosto do Virtual Eleven, eu gosto dos 2 Albuns com o Blaze.
tenho aqui os 2 cds.
sou mesmo ferrenho do inicio da Banda;
o EP de estreia ,os 2 Albuns com o Paul Di ´Anno e os registos ao vivo
,Maiden in Japan , Live at the Rainbow, BBC Sessions , etc sâo ouro para mim!
eu descobri e fiquei fan da Banda com o Bruce,com o Live After Death era eu miudo.
Gastei aquele Vinyl !
depois como sabes vamos descobrindo e dei com o Iron Maiden e o Killers e fiquei maluco ate hoje. aquela rebeldia e atitude do Paul,a voz dele perfeita para aquelas faixas,assombroso.
Felizmente para nós a Banda teve sorte nos substitutos e o resto é uma grande Historia com albuns para todos os gostos.
Grande Abraço Demon
Great review brother 👍
Glad you enjoyed it
Excellent job. Respect.
The Duelists is an absolute sublime piece of musical craft.All player elements come to the fore, including the vocals, more so with the interplay of the guitars in the instrumental. That said, yes Powerslave is my no.1 album, followed by Piece of Mind.
Powerslave is my favorite album and the Duelists is my favorite song. It proves magic can be real.
It sounds weak compared with For Whom The Bell Tolls
This is the first time watching your videos. I promised myself if you were to pick Peace of Mind number one I was going to subscribe. Well you got a new subscriber.😃
Seventh Son and Somewhere In Time are tied for my favourite album, barely a mediocre song between them, both very atmospheric, epic and full of a lot of great lead work, the best lead work in metal imo
ricard modo Somewhere In Time .... seemed like it kind of got lost in the shuffle but man I wore that sucker out. Very cutting edge at the time but still heavy and impressive in all the ways we would expect.
I agree 7th son is my favourite maiden album.
My all time favourite Iron Maiden album ranks
1. The Number Of The Beast
2 Killers
3 Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
4 Powerslave
5 Piece Of Mind
6 Iron Maiden
7 Somewhere In Time
8 Fear Of The Dark
9 Brave New World
10 A Matter Of Life And Death
Your list is pretty spot on. I almost agree with you exactly except I put Book of Souls #1 because I bought not expecting much and instead was treated to a heavy metal masterpiece. Very comex yet compelling metal and the first album IMO to take full advantage of having 3 guitar players in the band. I love every song. It's all killer, no filler. I also have Somewhere in Time ranked a few notches higher. When I first listened to it I remember remarking to a friend that it sounded like Bruce was just going through the motions and it took me out of it for several years. But over the decades it's ended up being the cd I stick in my player in my car the most. I really love the record now. My top 5, maybe
1. Book of Souls
2. Somewhere in Time
3. Number of the Beast
And then i agree with your descending order. To be fair Maiden is only maybe in my top 50 favorite bands, where Judas Priest is a top 5 band for me.
My top three Iron Maiden album covers are: "Live After Death", "Somewhere In Time" and "Powerslave".
Overall, I think this is a good analysis of Iron Maiden’s discography, but I feel that Adrian Smith isn’t given enough credit for his contributions, given that he’s one of the best songwriters in the band.
There’s no mention of Adrian during the segment on “Somewhere in Time” in spite of the fact he wrote “Wasted Years,” “Stranger in a Strange Land” and “Sea of Madness” all by himself. Most fans consider that album Adrian’s finest hour, because he’s the one who carries it.
Also, “Brave New World” marked the return of not only Bruce but Adrian as well. In fact, Adrian co-wrote the lead single, “The Wicker Man,” which they still play live to this day. It’s also important to note that one of Bruce’s conditions for returning to the band was that Adrian came with him.
If you look at their entire discography, Adrian has songwriting credits on a LOT of songs, and none of them are filler material. “The Prisoner” … “22 Acacia Avenue” … “Flight of Icarus” … “Die With Your Boots On” … “2 Minutes to Midnight” … “Moonchild” … “Can I Play With Madness” … “The Evil That Men Do” … “Paschendale” … “Coming Home” … “Mother of Mercy” … “Starblind” … “The Final Frontier” … “Brighter Than a Thousand Suns” … “Lord of Light” … “The Longest Day” … and that’s just a handful. The list literally goes on and on.
I don’t think this is an intentional snub on the reviewer’s part though, as he seems to have a genuine love for the band. I’m just surprised that Adrian is overlooked for the most part.
Great list. I mostly agree with you and I like the fact you got the balls to put Iron Maiden and Killers so far back in it.
They are great albums, but I prefer the ones I put higher. Thank you for watching
If you zoom into Number of the Beast then you can see that Eddie is pulling the strings of the Devil who is pulling the strings of Eddie who is pulling the strings on Master of Puppets ;)
finally someone who likes the final frontier album!!
This is my ranking:
16. Virtual XI (Best Song: The Clansman)
15. No Prayer for the Dying (BS: No Prayer for the Dying)
14. Killers (BS: Wrathchild)
13. The X Factor (BS: Sign of the Cross)
12. The Final Frontier (BS: When the Wild Wind Blows)
11. Brave New World (BS: Brave New World)
10. Piece of Mind (BS: The Trooper)
9. Fear of the Dark (BS: Fear of the Dark)
8. A Matter of Life and Death (BS: Brighter Than a Thousand Suns)
7. Iron Maiden (BS: Phantom of the Opera)
6. Somewhere in Time (BS: Wasted Years)
5. Dance of Death (BS: Dance of Death)
4. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (BS: The Evil that Men Do)
3. The Book of Souls (BS: Empire of the Clouds)
2. Powerslave (BS: Rime of the Ancient Mariner)
1. The Number of the Beast (BS: Hallowed be thy Name)
You sound extremely well-educated and always delightful to listen to.
Hello from Puerto Rico.My favorites Iron Maiden albums are Powerslave and Brave New World.
This is a great list - I don't agree with some of the finer details, but I do appreciate your reasoning and insights!
I'd somehow trade 7th Son down the list a little to boost the debut and possibly Killers a little more - but that's nitpicky. I entirely agree that Brave New World was a better album than the couple that followed it (The Final Frontier being where they redeemed themselves for me) and Book Of Souls is most definitely their modern classic. And the top 2 - well, some people might swap the order around but I don't think anyone could argue about which 2 albums they would be.
I have very high hopes for Senjutsu (glancing at the date) - it should be arriving in the post in the next few days, I think.
Really appreciate these videos, thanks for making them!
My pleasure
Will Malone also did the choral arrangements on Black Sabbath's Supertzar.
I think I'm the only person in the world who likes "The Angel and the Gambler". Never heard anyone say they like it. I love it, its so catchy.
Still a great ranking video second time round 👏
Where would you place their latest one, if you could do an update?
Thank you Seamus. I hope you are well, this one often gets spoken about in the zoom calls I do. But I think I might have to do an 'update' on this ranking video. Thanks for reminding me.
@@classicalbum Grand thanks 👍 Really looking forward to seeing Red Hot Chilli Peppers in London ✌️
Honest answer now.... what do you think of their new album?
Not heard the new one. I saw them at Reading Festival a few years back
@@classicalbum Not sure yet. Initially I was not impressed, but it has grown on me a tad!
You nailed it, Piece of Mind, is hands down their best.
Thank you... I'm torn between that and 'Powerslave' to be honest
YAYYYYYYYYYYYYY! A "MAIDEN" SHIRT! A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE! (I hope you know I'm only having fun with you, mate......seriously......LOVE the rankings.)
What ranking would you like to see?
@@classicalbum Oh....I don't know.....your album rankings are really well done and very well thought out. I look forward to more in the future.....seriously.....one of the better album rankings i've enjoyed watching......very good job overall. Keep up the great work, mate. I look forward to being pleasantly surprised. OH! HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I might do a Queen ranking.... although I'll warn you in advance i dont have a Queen T-shirt 😉
@@classicalbum LOL! I'm sure FREDDIE would also find the humour in that. :P
It's sad that A Matter Of Life and Death and Final Frontier are soooo underrated just because they're more complex and most fans are used to the rather short and catchy classics. So many great riffs, amazing vocals and wonderful melodies, those two albums are just pure masterpieces
I think you undervalue fans opinions to say its 'complex' and fans don't get it. I dont begrudge any fans whom love this later period music, but it just doesn't grab me at all. The riffs are paint by numbers...give me a riff like 'Back In The Village' anyday.
@@cumbco Yeah but that's exactly what I meant. Maybe they don't have a Back in the VIllage riff but they don't need one to be just as great. Sure, catchy riffs are cool and all but even the greatest riffs can't even come close to create such a magic and epic atmosphere and tell an emotional story as songs like Dance of Death, TheTalisman or For the Greater Good of God do with some simple but beautiful melodies. I know, it all depends on preferences and it's a completely different style but personally I love their latest records just as much as their classics
@@MegadethGuitarplayer But what makes a Maiden epic nowadays? Repeating a chorus over and over to give a song length does not make an epic imo. Steve Harris writes choruses like that for audience participation (I get that) but it just drags a song down . Somebody please tell Steve Harris that editing is a good thing. I miss Martin Birch, RIP.
@@cumbco For me it's the story behind the songs that makes them epic. Take Empire of the Clouds, it's one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard and it tells a tragic and sad story of people who otherwise would have been forgotten or not be known by so many people. Also Dance of Death, the Talisman, it's more like being told a story than just listening to music. They're not repeating a verse over and over again with different lyrics to give the song length, you just can't tell such complex and detailed stories in the two verses of every standard song. You need to take that time to gradually create such a unique and dense atmosphere. If you like their short and fast songs with cool riffs just listen to their classics, they've got plenty of them. But Maiden fans should accept that they don't want to do the same stuff over and over again after more than 30 years, of course their sound evolves and they want to try something different and more complex. I think that their new albums are still true masterpieces but most fans are just like "that's not their classic heavy metal style!" and don't even give it a real try although it still sounds like Maiden all the way
@@MegadethGuitarplayer I respect your opinion but we differ greatly I guess. Their modern epics feel forced to me and 'Empire' is a prime example of a that. I was 15 in 1982 and the release of 'The Number Of The Beast' changed my musical landscape forever. Followed the band ever since. Other than BNW, the last few albums dont do much for me. You're probably much younger than me but many of us older fans say their golden period of 1980-88 cant be beat.
I've just put all the songs into one playlist and listen to it in shuffle mode. Skipping a track is a very rare occasion.
Hi, I enjoyed your review and rankings of these albums. You speak very eloquently and clearly know your topic. Just my opinion of course, but I rank Killers much, much higher than yourself.
In fact, it’s my favourite Maiden album. Also, I rank NOTB much higher than its follow up, Piece of Mind. I like Clive Burr’s drumming technique and sound on the first three Maiden albums much more than the guy who replaced him, Nicko McBrain. Again, well done on your video 👍
Nice to hear The Book of Souls get so much respect, as I believe it's completely deserved. Great recording !
Will Traynor Garbage.
@@thefonzkiss Nah
Fine it's a good older band offering but this guy really put it above beast?
I ranked all of maidens albums and put seventh son at number 12 haha - still though amazing video and very informative!
Great job on these videos.... two comments: would move AMOLAD into the Final Frontier spot... truly think this is the best album of the reunion era. And thumbs up to the high ranking of Fear of the Dark, very underrated album. Finally. completely agree that Piece is the greatest Maiden album of all!
A Matter of Life and Death is too low. Yes it's a complex album that takes a few listens, but the more you listen, the better it gets.
I was going to list mine, but aside from a few small disagreements at the lower end, spot-on!
Great list. Different to mine (first 7 albums are my fave 7, with A Matter Of Life And Death the best of the rest), but always interesting to see what others think.
We can argue for the Iron Maiden discograohy all day, but i TOTALLY agree with you about the first 4. I also put them in the exact order.
Nice to see some love for POM. Dianno albums would be near the top for me, they had an edge not seen since.
Honestly, the Dianno albums are actually my favorite maiden albums
For me top 5
1. Killers
2. Powerslave
3. Number of the Beast
4. Somewhere in Time
5. Iron Maiden
Di'Anno Maiden just has a particular vibe about it that I just adore so both those albums are the bread of my top 5 sandwich which may or may not be a popular opinion.
Wow, did not expect Book of Souls to rank higher than Number of the Beast. perhaps I need to give that one another, more thorough listen! very interesting video as always.
This is my ranking, followed by the songs I like the most:
16 - Virtual XI (only dig The Clansman and Futureal)
15 - The Final Frontier (El Dorado, The Alchemist)
14 - Killers (Wratchild and Murders in the Rue Morgue)
13 - X-Factor (Man on the Edge, Sign of the Cross, Lord of the Flies)
12 - No Prayer for the Dying (Public Enema Number One, Hooks in you, Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter)
11 - The Book of Souls (If Eternity should fail, Speed of light, When the River Rubs Deep and Empire of the Clouds)
10 - Iron Maiden (Prowler, Phantom of the Opera, Iron Maiden, Sanctuary)
9 - A Matter of Life and Death (Different World, Brighter than a Thousand Suns, The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg,For the Greater Good of God)
8 - Dance of Death ( Paschendale, DoD, Wildest Dreams, Rainmaker, Montsegur)
7 - Fear of the Dark (Title track, Be Quick or Be Dead, Judas Be my guide, Afraid to shoot strangers, From here to eternity)
6 - Brave New World ( the only ones I don’t like ate The Nomad and Dream of Mirrors)
5 - The Number of the Beast (don’t like Gangland and Invaders much)
4 - Powerslave (fantastic album, but don’t top the first 3 on this list, cause I listen to them more)
My top 3 switches all the time. They’re all #1 in my heart. Here, I’ll list based on what I enjoy the most at this moment:
3 - Piece of Mind
2 - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
1 - Somewhere in Time.
These 3 albums are flawless. It’s impossible to find a weaker track. They’re all fabulous for me and are the ones I listen constantly, not because I don’t like the others ( I love all Maiden albums), but there are some albums that are catchy. Well, these are my favorites.
Also, I don’t understand all the hate around no prayer for the dying. It is amazing to me.
Because Bruce sounds like he tries to hard and his voice is just too annoying. Oh, yeah, and too many filler songs on the album 😉
Up The Irons. Subbed. You're like a British Pete Pardo, and that is definitely not a bad thing. 🤘🏻
Yeah I honestly agree what Pete Pardo says.
The Final Cut by Pink Floyd is the worst album.
And Judas Priest Stained Class is better than Painkiller, Painkiller is good, but not like Stained Class, Hell Bent for Leather and Sad Wings.
Maiden were my life.
After many years of not too bothered, I vowed to buy Book Of Souls the day it came out.
Well, thank goodness Planet Rock had a play-through the day before. Appalling.
top 5:
1- Powerslave
2- Iron Maiden
3- Number of the beast
4- Piece of mind
5- Somewhere in Time
honorable mentions: Fear of the dark, Killers and 7th son of a 7th son
I think Gangland is the one from that has never been played live. Second hand info, but Invaders I believe was played at the CliveAid gig.
I’m no Maiden bootleg expert, so correct me if I’m wrong!