Iron Maiden is a legendary English heavy metal band that was formed in Leyton, East London in 1975. The band was founded by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris, who has remained a constant member throughout their career. The band has seen several lineup changes over the years, but for the most part, it has consisted of Harris, lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson, drummer Nicko McBrain, and guitarists Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, and Janick Gers.
With 41 albums to their name, including 17 studio albums, 13 live albums, four EPs, and seven compilations, Iron Maiden is one of the most prolific bands in the history of heavy metal. In addition, the band has released 47 singles and 20 video albums. Their music has been featured in various electronic games, and they have sold over 130 million copies of their albums worldwide, despite little radio or television support.
As pioneers of the new wave of British heavy metal movement, Iron Maiden achieved initial success during the early 1980s with a string of UK and US Platinum and Gold albums, including their debut album in 1980, "Killers" in 1981, "The Number of the Beast" in 1982, "Piece of Mind" in 1983, "Powerslave" in 1984, and the live album "Live After Death" in 1985. In 1982, the band released "The Number of the Beast," which was their first album with Bruce Dickinson, who replaced Paul Di'Anno as lead singer. This album was a turning point in their career and helped establish them as one of heavy metal's most important artists. "The Number of the Beast" is among the most popular heavy metal albums of all time, having sold almost 20 million copies worldwide.
After several lineup changes, the band underwent a resurgence in popularity since the return of Dickinson and Smith in 1999. Their 14th studio album, "A Matter of Life and Death," released in 2006, reached top sales in dozens of countries, initiating a series of Iron Maiden's highest-ranked albums. Their 2010 album, "The Final Frontier," peaked at No. 1 in 28 countries and received widespread critical acclaim. Their 16th studio album, "The Book of Souls," was released on 4 September 2015 to similar success, debuting at No. 1 in the album charts of 24 countries with physical sales and summary in 43 territories with physical and digital sales. Their 17th studio album, "Senjutsu," released on 3 September 2021, eventually reached No. 1 in 27 countries.
Iron Maiden has received multiple industry awards, including the Grammy Awards and its equivalents in other countries. The band and its members have also been honored with Brit Awards, Silver Clef Award, Nordoff-Robbins Award, Ivor Novello Awards, Juno Awards, Guinness Book of World Records, Public Choice International, Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards, ECHO Awards, Top.HR Music Awards, Žebřík Music Awards, honorary doctorates, State Prizes, sales recognition, marketing achievements recognition awards, charity, film and sport awards, among others. The band is consistently regarded as one of the greatest metal bands in the history of popular music, having elevated heavy metal to an art form and inspiring countless bands and genres.
Iron Maiden's lyrics cover a wide range of topics, including history, literature, war, mythology, society, and religion. Many of their songs are based on historical events, classic literature, and film. Over the years, Iron Maiden has played some 2,500 live shows, performing for tens of millions of fans.
