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 Greatest Songs Summary (21–30)

If Eternity Should FailIron Maiden

Iron Maiden – If Eternity Should Fail [Lyrics]

If Eternity Should FailIron Maiden

This song, which offers a grand musical experience exploring the depths of the soul, opens the band’s 16th studio album, The Book of Souls, released in September 2015.

Its lyrics explore the human condition and the concept of eternity, symbolically depicting humanity’s evolution from primal beginnings to modern society.

Bruce Dickinson’s powerful vocals contrast with the dark monologue of “Necropolis,” which appears as a narrator toward the end, leaving a deep impression on listeners.

It’s a track that condenses the appeal of Iron Maiden, who thrilled Japanese fans with their first visit in six years.

Highly recommended not only for heavy metal fans, but also for those drawn to philosophical lyrics.

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Iron MaidenIron Maiden

Iron Maiden – Iron Maiden (Live at Long Beach Arena)

Iron MaidenIron Maiden

As the title track of their first album, Iron Maiden, and sharing the band’s name, this song can be considered the band’s eponymous anthem.

It features a relatively pop-leaning melody that hints at punk rock, alongside complex rhythms employing odd time signatures reminiscent of progressive rock—elements that would become the core direction of the band thereafter.

With twin-guitar phrases characteristic of a metal band and solos by both bass and drums, it’s a track that’s enjoyable no matter which part you focus on.

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Hoshino Takashi

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SenjutsuIron Maiden

Iron Maiden – Senjutsu (Official Audio)

SenjutsuIron Maiden

The latest song by the pinnacle of British metal—a band the UK proudly presents to the world—arrived as the lead track from their 17th studio album, Senjutsu, released in September 2021, and marked their first new material since the 2015 album The Book of Souls, having been unveiled that July.

Senjutsu also made waves for debuting at No.

3 on the U.S.

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

Written by guitarist Adrian Smith and vocalist Bruce Dickinson, the song tackles grand themes such as war, survival, and national defense, while uniquely drawing on Japan’s samurai culture as its motif.

With a sweeping, cinematic atmosphere, Bruce Dickinson’s powerful vocals and the striking riffs and solos from the band’s three guitarists weave together a sound that truly embodies Iron Maiden at their finest.

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The Evil That Men DoIron Maiden

Iron Maiden – The Evil That Men Do (Official Video)

The Evil That Men DoIron Maiden

A track included on Iron Maiden’s seventh album, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, which earned them their second No.

1 on the UK Albums Chart.

It opens with a slow, lyrical intro featuring twin lead guitars, then shifts into a bouncy, catchy rhythm pattern—quintessential Iron Maiden through and through.

For a fast-paced song, the melodic, wistful guitar solo is outstanding despite not being overly technical, and it’s a metal number worth hearing at least once even if you’re not a metal fan.

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PurgatoryIron Maiden

Iron Maiden – Purgatory

PurgatoryIron Maiden

A track included on the second album, Killers, released in 1981.

It kicks off with a driving, fast-paced guitar riff and barrels forward with a brisk beat from start to finish.

Rather than relying heavily on the power-chord riffs common in many rock numbers, the guitars emphasize melodic phrases throughout, highlighting the vocal melody.

With technical yet catchy twin-lead guitar lines and a rhythm section whose beat defines the song’s character, it’s a number that showcases Iron Maiden’s signature pop sensibility.

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Hoshino Takashi

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