UP THE IRONS, BUTT! โก๐ดโโ ๏ธ
Trying to rank the greatest Iron Maiden songs ever written is like trying to survive the pit at Download with a pint in your hand and no beer spillage. Impossible.
This is a band whose catalogue shaped heavy metal itself. The riffs. The gallops. The history lessons. The gigantic choruses. The Eddie artwork. The stage shows. Maiden didnโt just become legendsโฆ they became THE blueprint.
So after a ridiculous amount of arguing inside The Riff Report bunker, weโve pulled together our ultimate Top 20 Maiden songs of all time. These arenโt just great songs either โ these are the tracks that helped define generations of metalheads around the world. โ๏ธ๐ฅ
๐ THE 20 GREATEST IRON MAIDEN SONGS OF ALL TIME
20. Bring Your Daughterโฆ To The Slaughter (1990)
Originally written by Bruce Dickinson for A Nightmare On Elm Street 5, the song eventually became a full Maiden single and gave the band their first UK No.1 single.
Itโs dirty, sleazy, catchy and gloriously over-the-top. While some hardcore fans argue itโs one of Maidenโs simpler tracks, thereโs no denying it became an absolute crowd favourite live. The swagger in this song is ridiculous.
Album: No Prayer For The Dying
Released: 1990
Written by: Bruce Dickinson
19. Revelations (1983)
One of Maidenโs most spiritual and atmospheric songs. Opening softly before exploding into towering riffs and thunderous rhythm changes, this track became a fan favourite thanks to its emotional depth and incredible live performances.
Bruce Dickinson reportedly drew inspiration from English mystic Aleister Crowley and G.K. Chesterton while writing it โ because of course Maiden songs come with homework. ๐
Album: Piece Of Mind
Released: 1983
Best known for: Massive live singalongs
18. Wrathchild (1981)
Pure raw NWOBHM attitude.
Clocking in at just over two-and-a-half minutes, Wrathchild proved Maiden didnโt need lengthy epics to hit hard. Steve Harrisโ snarling bassline drives the whole thing while Paul DiโAnno delivers one of the grittiest vocals in Maiden history.
Still sounds dangerous today.
Album: Killers
Released: 1981
Era: Paul DiโAnno years
17. Paschendale (2003)
A modern Maiden masterpiece.
Based on the horrifying Third Battle of Ypres during World War I, the song captures the terror, confusion and tragedy of war through gigantic riffs and haunting lyrics. The arrangement constantly shifts between melodic passages and crushing heaviness.
One of the best songs of Maidenโs reunion era without question.
Album: Dance Of Death
Released: 2003
Theme: World War I
16. Flight Of Icarus (1983)
Slower and heavier than much of Maidenโs early material, Flight Of Icarus became one of the bandโs breakthrough tracks in America.
Inspired by the Greek myth of Icarus flying too close to the sun, the song features one of Maidenโs most memorable choruses and a crushing central riff that still destroys live.
Album: Piece Of Mind
Released: 1983
Producer: Martin Birch
15. Powerslave (1984)
This is Maiden going FULL heavy metal theatre mode.
Ancient Egyptian mythology, towering riffs and Bruce Dickinson sounding like an actual pharaoh screaming from beyond the grave. The songโs dramatic build-up and complex structure perfectly captured the ambition of Maiden during their mid-80s peak.
Alsoโฆ one of the coolest album covers in heavy metal history. ๐บโก
Album: Powerslave
Released: 1984
Tour: World Slavery Tour
14. Can I Play With Madness (1988)
A rare Maiden song that crossed into proper mainstream success without losing any of the bandโs identity.
Shorter, catchier and packed with hooks, it helped introduce Maiden to a whole new generation. The music video featuring comedian Graham Chapman from Monty Python only added to its legendary status.
Album: Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
Released: 1988
UK Chart Peak: No.3
13. Stranger In A Strange Land (1986)
Cool. Melodic. Atmospheric.
Written by Adrian Smith after experiencing exhaustion during Maidenโs relentless touring schedule, the song carries a lonely, reflective vibe rarely heard in Maidenโs catalogue at the time.
The guitar melodies here are absolutely beautiful.
Album: Somewhere In Time
Released: 1986
Inspired by: Touring burnout
12. Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son (1988)
Progressive Maiden at their absolute peak.
This ten-minute title track combines synth-driven atmosphere, complex arrangements and huge emotional payoffs. The entire album tells a loose concept story about prophecy and supernatural powers.
Peak โMaiden disappearing completely into their own madnessโ energy โ and we love them for it.
Album: Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
Released: 1988
Type: Concept album title track
11. Running Free (1980)
One of the songs that started EVERYTHING.
Simple, rebellious and packed with punk attitude, Running Free introduced the world to Maidenโs raw early sound before the epic progressive side fully took over.
Still one of the best live audience participation tracks in metal history.
Album: Iron Maiden
Released: 1980
Original vocalist: Paul DiโAnno
๐ฅ THE TOP 10
10. 2 Minutes To Midnight (1984)
A savage anti-war anthem wrapped inside one of the biggest riffs Maiden ever wrote.
The title references the Doomsday Clock โ symbolising how close humanity sits to global catastrophe. Decades later, the song still feels terrifyingly relevant.
Album: Powerslave
Released: 1984
Written by: Bruce Dickinson & Adrian Smith
9. Aces High (1984)
Pure speed. Pure adrenaline.
Inspired by RAF fighter pilots during the Battle of Britain, the song launches into chaos immediately after Churchillโs famous wartime speech intro.
Nicko McBrainโs drumming on this track is absolutely ridiculous.
Album: Powerslave
Released: 1984
Theme: WWII aerial combat
8. Wasted Years (1986)
Possibly Maidenโs most emotional song.
Adrian Smith wrote it while struggling mentally during endless touring, and the result became one of the bandโs most relatable and heartfelt tracks. That opening guitar melody is instantly recognisable to every Maiden fan on Earth.
Album: Somewhere In Time
Released: 1986
Theme: Isolation & reflection
7. Run To The Hills (1982)
One of the biggest metal songs ever written.
The song tackles the violent conflict between European settlers and Native Americans, delivered through galloping riffs and Bruce Dickinsonโs unbelievable vocals.
This track helped launch Maiden into global superstardom.
Album: The Number Of The Beast
Released: 1982
First album with Bruce Dickinson
6. The Number Of The Beast (1982)
Heavy metal history in seven minutes.
The demonic intro, the biblical references, the controversy, the hysteria from religious groups in the 1980s โ this song became one of the defining moments in heavy music culture.
And Bruceโs scream? Untouchable.
Album: The Number Of The Beast
Released: 1982
Famous for: Heavy metal controversy
5. Fear Of The Dark (1992)
This song somehow became EVEN bigger live than on record.
The haunting intro melody instantly transforms crowds into giant chanting choirs at festivals worldwide. Watching tens of thousands sing this together remains one of the greatest sights in metal.
Absolute goosebumps every single time.
Album: Fear Of The Dark
Released: 1992
Live status: Legendary
4. Phantom Of The Opera (1980)
Proof that Maiden were operating on another level from the very beginning.
Complex arrangements, tempo shifts, progressive structures and ridiculous musicianship โ all on their debut album. Steve Harris basically announced to the world that Maiden were aiming far beyond standard heavy metal formulas.
Album: Iron Maiden
Released: 1980
Inspired by: The Phantom Of The Opera
3. Rime Of The Ancient Mariner (1984)
A 13-minute heavy metal epic based on Samuel Taylor Coleridgeโs classic poem.
This is Maiden at maximum ambition. Atmospheric spoken-word sections, dramatic tempo changes, gigantic riffs and storytelling that feels more like cinema than music.
Somehowโฆ fans still scream every lyric live.
Album: Powerslave
Released: 1984
Length: 13 minutes+
2. The Trooper (1983)
THE riff.
Inspired by the Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War, The Trooper became one of the most recognisable songs in metal history. Eddie waving the Union Jack has become one of the defining images of heavy metal culture itself.
Absolutely unstoppable live. ๐ฌ๐งโ๏ธ
Album: Piece Of Mind
Released: 1983
Theme: Crimean War
๐ 1. HALLOWED BE THY NAME (1982)
Could there honestly be anything else?
Hallowed Be Thy Name is the definitive Maiden masterpiece.
The song follows a prisoner preparing for execution, shifting between fear, acceptance and spiritual reflection before exploding into one of the greatest guitar-driven finales in metal history.
Everything that makes Maiden legendary exists inside this song:
- Storytelling
- Atmosphere
- Melody
- Twin guitars
- Emotional power
- Massive riffs
- Bruce Dickinson at full power
And live?
Nothing compares. ๐ฅ
Album: The Number Of The Beast
Released: 1982
Widely regarded as: Maidenโs greatest song ever
๐ค THE RIFF REPORT VERDICT
The scary thing about Iron Maiden is that this list STILL leaves out absolute classics.
Tracks like:
- Infinite Dreams
- Children Of The Damned
- Moonchild
- Dance Of Death
- Empire Of The Clouds
- Caught Somewhere In Time
- Where Eagles Dare
could all easily have made the cut too.
Thatโs the mark of a truly legendary band.
UP THE IRONS FOREVER โก๐ฅ
Now then, buttโฆ
