Let's rank Iron Maiden, #6

1. Powerslave (1984) 25% votes
2. Killers (1981) 20% votes
3. The Number of the Beast (1982) 39% votes
4. Iron Maiden (1980) 32% votes
5. Piece of Mind (1983) 44% votes

The first five albums take the first five spots. A little bit of conservative voting, but that was some five year run they had, ending with Live After Death, capturing the band at their peak.

Anyway, who is number six?

Seventh Son dammit!

Somewhere In Time gets my vote now.

I can't believe both Dianno albums are so high, his voice holds them back imo.

My top 6 would be: #1 s/t, #2 Number of the Beast, #3 Powerslave, #4 Somewhere In Time #5 Piece of Mind #6 Killers

Since, "Somewhere In Time" still on the board, I will go with that.

Fear of the Dark.

There’s no way the first Maiden album is better than Somewhere in Time! At this point, I know these polls just don’t align with my opinions. Di’Anno is definitely way better than Blaze, but he’s nowhere near Bruce’s classic 80s albums. And I can’t believe Piece of Mind also got a lower rank than the debut. WTF!  

Dark Horseman wrote:

I can't believe both Dianno albums are so high, his voice holds them back imo.

I don't think so at all. I love his voice, and Bruce kind of grates on my nerves in large doses. Wish they would have kept Paul to be honest.

Wrecked Neck wrote:

Dark Horseman wrote:

I can't believe both Dianno albums are so high, his voice holds them back imo.

I don't think so at all. I love his voice, and Bruce kind of grates on my nerves in large doses. Wish they would have kept Paul to be honest.

It’s wasn’t really an option...
Paul’s voice has been crap since the 80s, and it’s well documented that he’s a bit crazy and has been in trouble with the law many times. I also don’t think he would get along with the other guys (especially Steve). Without Bruce, they wouldn’t have as big of a global following. Paul was great for when they just played the bar circuit... but he’s not really an arena level singer.

Troublezone wrote:

Wrecked Neck wrote:

Dark Horseman wrote:

I can't believe both Dianno albums are so high, his voice holds them back imo.

I don't think so at all. I love his voice, and Bruce kind of grates on my nerves in large doses. Wish they would have kept Paul to be honest.

It’s wasn’t really an option...
Paul’s voice has been crap since the 80s, and it’s well documented that he’s a bit crazy and has been in trouble with the law many times. I also don’t think he would get along with the other guys (especially Steve). Without Bruce, they wouldn’t have as big of a global following. Paul was great for when they just played the bar circuit... but he’s not really an arena level singer.

I don't rank a band because they play to bigger crowds, I rank their music. I'm sure being kicked out of the band had a lot to do with Paul going down the road he went. His voice wasn't shot when he was still a member. I'm sure after he got the boot, he probably didn't give a rat's ass about his voice. And yes I know they went to another level when Bruce joined, but nobody knows for sure they wouldn't have reached the same level with Paul. Look at Metallica. Would you call James Hetfield a great singer? Me either, and yet he's the frontman to one of the biggest metal bands in the world. People always say Bruce is the reason Maiden got so big, but that's all just a bunch of crap, because you can't prove that.

Wrecked Neck wrote:

Troublezone wrote:

Wrecked Neck wrote:

Dark Horseman wrote:

I can't believe both Dianno albums are so high, his voice holds them back imo.

I don't think so at all. I love his voice, and Bruce kind of grates on my nerves in large doses. Wish they would have kept Paul to be honest.

It’s wasn’t really an option...
Paul’s voice has been crap since the 80s, and it’s well documented that he’s a bit crazy and has been in trouble with the law many times. I also don’t think he would get along with the other guys (especially Steve). Without Bruce, they wouldn’t have as big of a global following. Paul was great for when they just played the bar circuit... but he’s not really an arena level singer.

I don't rank a band because they play to bigger crowds, I rank their music. I'm sure being kicked out of the band had a lot to do with Paul going down the road he went. His voice wasn't shot when he was still a member. I'm sure after he got the boot, he probably didn't give a rat's ass about his voice. And yes I know they went to another level when Bruce joined, but nobody knows for sure they wouldn't have reached the same level with Paul. Look at Metallica. Would you call James Hetfield a great singer? Me either, and yet he's the frontman to one of the biggest metal bands in the world.  People always say Bruce is the reason Maiden got so big, but that's all just a bunch of crap, because you can't prove that.

Don’t get me wrong, I like the albums with Di’Anno. But look at what they did right out of the gate when Bruce joined. Number of the Beast and Piece of Mind. I think both of those albums are significant strides better than the two Paul albums. And as far as Hetfield and Metallica... I think the main attraction for their fans was the heaviness and speed of the music more than impressive vocals. Hetfield has (or had) one of those voices that just “works well” with the music. Just like Ozzy or Bon Scott, it’s more the tone or sound of his voice than the skill or ability. And regarding Metallica’s status as the “biggest metal band”... that had a lot to do with four amazing albums and touring their asses off for many years. They built a mega (no pun intended) fan base. Maybe that and just being in the right place at the right time.

Now getting back to Maiden... I’m guessing that if they continued with Paul, they wouldn’t have been much bigger than a band like Thin Lizzy.

I like Seventh Son of a Seventh Son best of the albums remaining.

Somewhere In Time gets my vote.

Troublezone wrote:

Wrecked Neck wrote:

Troublezone wrote:

Wrecked Neck wrote:

Dark Horseman wrote:

I can't believe both Dianno albums are so high, his voice holds them back imo.

I don't think so at all. I love his voice, and Bruce kind of grates on my nerves in large doses. Wish they would have kept Paul to be honest.

It’s wasn’t really an option...
Paul’s voice has been crap since the 80s, and it’s well documented that he’s a bit crazy and has been in trouble with the law many times. I also don’t think he would get along with the other guys (especially Steve). Without Bruce, they wouldn’t have as big of a global following. Paul was great for when they just played the bar circuit... but he’s not really an arena level singer.

I don't rank a band because they play to bigger crowds, I rank their music. I'm sure being kicked out of the band had a lot to do with Paul going down the road he went. His voice wasn't shot when he was still a member. I'm sure after he got the boot, he probably didn't give a rat's ass about his voice. And yes I know they went to another level when Bruce joined, but nobody knows for sure they wouldn't have reached the same level with Paul. Look at Metallica. Would you call James Hetfield a great singer? Me either, and yet he's the frontman to one of the biggest metal bands in the world.  People always say Bruce is the reason Maiden got so big, but that's all just a bunch of crap, because you can't prove that.

Don’t get me wrong, I like the albums with Di’Anno. But look at what they did right out of the gate when Bruce joined. Number of the Beast and Piece of Mind. I think both of those albums are significant strides better than the two Paul albums. And as far as Hetfield and Metallica... I think the main attraction for their fans was the heaviness and speed of the music more than impressive vocals. Hetfield has (or had) one of those voices that just “works well” with the music. Just like Ozzy or Bon Scott, it’s more the tone or sound of his voice than the skill or ability. And regarding Metallica’s status as the “biggest metal band”... that had a lot to do with four amazing albums and touring their asses off for many years. They built a mega (no pun intended) fan base. Maybe that and just being in the right place at the right time.

Now getting back to Maiden... I’m guessing that if they continued with Paul, they wouldn’t have been much bigger than a band like Thin Lizzy.

The point is, nobody knows how much of an impact Bruce brought, or if they would have gotten just as big with Paul still singing. Just because Bruce joined doesn't automatically mean that's the reason they got so popular. It could be, and is a ton of things IMO. Yes Bruce is a phenomenal frontman, but metal in general exploded right about the time he joined. If a band like Quiet Riot can become as big as they did because of a cover tune, then there is no reason to doubt that Maiden wouldn't have still blown up. Let's not forget, the main band member that got most kids attention back then was Eddie. And if memory serves, they weren't really huge after NotB came out, and were still supporting other bands for that tour.

Either way, I'm a fan of both singers. I tend to like Paul better though, and feel he doesn't get the respect he deserves.

7th Son, although by this time I had moved on from Maiden. Somewhere In Time killed the band for me until the live album "A Real Dead One". Then I didn't buy any more Maiden until X Factor (out of curiosity) and quickly traded it off and moved on again until Brave New World. Somewhere In Time has a couple of good cuts which appear on some of the live albums and that's enough for me.

I thought I liked you Mike.

Dark Horseman wrote:

I thought I liked you Mike.

He needs an intervention.

Someday I will have to revisit Somewhere In Time. Haven't heard it in ages but just never got into it at all.

Top 5
Piece Of Mind
Killers
Beast
Self Titled
Matter Of Life & Death

You have AMOLAD as a top 5 so I forgive you.

Dark Horseman wrote:

You have AMOLAD as a top 5 so I forgive you.

When it came out I bought the deluxe edition from best Buy which came with a bonus DVD and Eddie patch. When I opened it there was NO cd, only the DVD so I had to take it back and swap it out. I love that album, long, epic and all decent tunes. I was disappointed when Final Frontier came out. Have never listened to it all the way thru. The opening track kills it for me, the beginning of the song is way too long and drawn out. Also bought the deluxe version of that one that came in a metal tin. I'll have to play that one again sometime and see if it is any better than I remember but I just skipped thru the songs and didn't care for it at all.

My top 5 would be easy. Just go in Chronological order. I have liked each album a little less from the very beginning.

.don't dig much maiden after Somewhere In Timd....

1)the one with Flight Of Icaruz
2)the one with Wrathchild
3)the one with To Take a Land
4)the one that came out in 1980
5)Maiden Japan

Went with Seventh Son. It’s a toss up between it and Somewhere in Time for me.

Yeah, I was hoping 7th Son was going to overtake SIT, but that's not happening. Next poll will be up momentarily. 

You folks are aware you don't HAVE TO vote in chronological order? 

I am only lukewarm to Somewhere in Time. The synth guitar sound is not their finest moment. I personally don't like it at all. But I can't deny the songs are good. Well, most of them. Deja Vu sucks! One of the worst Maiden songs.

Lari wrote:

Yeah, I was hoping 7th Son was going to overtake SIT, but that's not happening. Next poll will be up momentarily. 

You folks are aware you don't HAVE TO vote in chronological order? 

I am only lukewarm to Somewhere in Time. The synth guitar sound is not their finest moment. I personally don't like it at all. But I can't deny the songs are good. Well, most of them. Deja Vu sucks! One of the worst Maiden songs.

Same reason I didn't like it. I remember the year before I saw Bruce in an interview and he said "you can't play heavy metal with a synthesizer". Then I heard SIT and agreed