Iron Maiden formed in Leyton, East London in 1975 around bassist Steve Harris and became the definitive British heavy metal band — galloping bass, Bruce Dickinson's operatic vocals, Eddie on every cover, 100 million records sold. The Number of the Beast (1982) and Powerslave (1984) are the essentials. Shop Iron Maiden vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Iron Maiden formed in Leyton, East London in 1975 around bassist Steve Harris, who has been the constant member and primary creative force throughout the band's history. Original vocalist Paul Di'Anno led the band through Iron Maiden (1980) and Killers (1981) before being replaced by Bruce Dickinson, whose arrival initiated the band's classic 1980s commercial peak. Dickinson departed in 1993, replaced by Blaze Bayley (1994-1999), before rejoining the band in 1999 alongside the returning Adrian Smith. The band's mascot Eddie has appeared on every album cover. They have sold more than 100 million records worldwide and have been a defining template for British heavy metal across multiple decades.
Iron Maiden's sound combines heavy metal, NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal), traditional heavy metal, and progressive metal with Harris's signature galloping bass approach, the band's signature three-guitar arrangements (since 1999), Dickinson's operatic tenor vocal delivery, and extensive lyrical engagement with literature, history, mythology, and warfare.
Original EMI pressings of the 1980s Iron Maiden catalog are foundational items in heavy metal collecting. Multiple anniversary editions, audiophile reissues, and the comprehensive Studio Collection box sets have been released.
Listeners new to Iron Maiden typically start with The Number of the Beast (1982) or Powerslave (1984).
