Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden emerged from Leyton, East London, in 1975, founded by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. A central group in the new wave of British heavy metal, the band built its early reputation through a changing line-up before issuing its self-titled debut in 1980 and Killers in 1981. Both albums earned UK and US Platinum and Gold status, setting the stage for a major shift when Bruce Dickinson replaced singer Paul Di'Anno in 1981.

Dickinson's arrival coincided with 1982's The Number of the Beast, the first Iron Maiden album to feature him. The record became one of heavy metal's best-known releases, selling almost 20 million copies worldwide. For most of the band's history, Iron Maiden's line-up has centred on Harris, Dickinson, drummer Nicko McBrain and guitarists Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and Janick Gers. Their music has drawn on heavy metal's guitar-driven attack while their lyrics have ranged across history, literature, war, mythology, dark fantasy, science fiction, society and religion.

Following a turbulent period during the 1990s, Dickinson and Smith returned in 1999, beginning a renewed run of albums and major tours. The band's later releases include The Final Frontier (2010), The Book of Souls (2015) and Senjutsu (2021), each of which reached number one in more than 25 countries. Iron Maiden have sold more than 130 million albums worldwide and received over 600 certifications, alongside honours including Grammy and Brit Awards. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2026.

By October 2019, Iron Maiden had played 2,500 live shows. Their catalogue includes 41 albums: 17 studio albums, 13 live albums, four EPs and seven compilations, as well as 47 singles, 20 video albums and two video games. For more than four decades, the band's mascot Eddie has appeared on the covers of almost all of their releases, becoming a constant visual presence in Iron Maiden's work.