Recommended hard rock and heavy metal

[2026] Summary of IRON MAIDEN’s Popular and Classic Songs

music writerKOH-1
Started working as a music writer as a side job while employed at a record shop, and for over 18 years I’ve contributed to music magazines, disc guide books, mooks, and web media. As a writer my main field is Western music, but as a listener for over 35 years, I always try to keep my curiosity alive with the motto “I like what I like.” I have experience playing in bands, where I was a bassist who handled songwriting and composition. Instruments I’ve played include bass, guitar, and piano. I began studying English in my mid-40s and continue to do so today.
Editor-in-Chief, RAG MUSICHane Keisuke
Editor-in-chief of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. After working in a music studio and handling wedding sound, joined the RAG MUSIC editorial team in 2016. Experienced with a variety of instruments: marching band in elementary school, clarinet in junior high school wind ensemble, and drums in a band from high school onward. Drawing on my own musical activities and the experience gained through my work, I produce daily articles, including various song introductions, features on music festivals around the country, and live reports. In music, I enjoy not only rock from Japan and abroad but, lately, a wide range of J-pop as well.

Formed in 1975 and boasting an activity history approaching 50 years, Iron Maiden is the ultimate heavy metal band, still going strong as a fully active act in the 2020s.

In September 2024, they realized their first Japan tour in about six years, electrifying metalheads across the country—a memory still fresh for many.

For those who’ve recently become interested in this iconic band—emblematic of heavy metal not only for their music but also for their mascot “Eddie,” a figure even people who haven’t heard their songs have likely seen—this article compiles and introduces their signature and most popular tracks.

The lineup also includes songs frequently performed at recent live shows, so be sure to check it out!

[2026] IRON MAIDEN Popular and Classic Songs Overview (11–20)

Heaven Can WaitIron Maiden

Heaven Can Wait (2015 Remaster)

Heaven Can WaitIron Maiden

Recorded by an iconic figure of British metal for the September 1986 album “Somewhere in Time,” this track is an epic piece themed around a near-death experience.

Spanning 7 minutes and 42 seconds, it features a grand atmosphere highlighted by distinctly ’80s synthesizers.

In live performances, the call-and-response chorus that unites the audience is especially striking.

The lyrics depict a loss of reality when facing death and a journey toward heaven, while asserting a strong will that “it’s not time to die yet.” It’s also a well-known live staple, so beginners should definitely check it out!

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Death of the CeltsIron Maiden

Iron Maiden – Death Of The Celts (Official Audio)

Death of the CeltsIron Maiden

This track from Iron Maiden’s September 2021 album Senjutsu is an epic piece that magnificently depicts the history and fate of the Celtic people.

At over ten minutes long, it features the band’s signature complex arrangements and heavy sound.

Anchored by Steve Harris’s powerful bass lines, the three guitarists trade dazzling solos that are a highlight.

Bruce Dickinson’s commanding vocals vividly portray the bravery of Celtic warriors.

It’s a recommended listen for anyone interested in history and mythology.

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Hell on EarthIron Maiden

Iron Maiden – Hell On Earth (Official Audio)

Hell on EarthIron Maiden

Closing out the 2021 album Senjutsu, this track unfolds an epic world of progressive metal.

Its commanding runtime of over 11 minutes draws listeners in with a structure that gradually builds from a quiet intro to an accelerating tempo.

Steve Harris’s deft lyricism tackles contemporary issues such as war and environmental destruction, delivering a profound message.

Packed with the band’s quintessential sound—from galloping rhythms to dazzling solos by multiple guitarists—it showcases them at their best.

The lyrics, imbued with a yearning for peace, are sure to resonate with people living through challenging times.

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The Writing On The WallIron Maiden

Iron Maiden – The Writing On The Wall (Official Video)

The Writing On The WallIron Maiden

This work, the pinnacle of British metal that the UK proudly offers the world and the first since 2016’s “Empire of the Clouds,” was unveiled in July of the same year as the lead track from the band’s 17th studio album, “Senjutsu,” released in September 2021.

“Senjutsu” also made headlines for debuting at No.

3 on the U.S.

charts, the highest position in the band’s history.

Written and composed by Adrian Smith and Bruce Dickinson, the song carries an American rock flavor while retaining the uniquely British sense of form and grandeur, unfolding dramatically with those signature, cathartic guitar solos sprinkled throughout—quintessential Iron Maiden.

Bruce’s powerhouse vocals—at age 63 in 2021—are genuinely astonishing without exaggeration.

Be sure to check out the music video as well, which plays like a short animated film.

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Can I Play With MadnessIron Maiden

Iron Maiden – Can I Play With Madness (Official Video)

Can I Play With MadnessIron Maiden

Included on their seventh album, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, released in 1988, which earned the band their second No.

1 on the UK Albums Chart.

While it features a bright, exhilarating melody and pop appeal through catchy guitar obbligato, the palm-muted guitar gives it a quintessential metal feel that is distinctly Iron Maiden.

From the way the song shifts after the guitar solo without losing its pop sensibility to its superb arrangement, this is one of the tracks that lets you fully enjoy the appeal of Iron Maiden.

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Hoshino Takashi

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