On this day March 22 1982 Iron Maiden released their third studio album The Number of the Beast. The album became a landmark in heavy metal reaching number one in the UK and peaking at number 33 on the Billboard 200. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest metal albums of all time. This album marked the debut of Bruce Dickinson as Iron Maiden’s lead vocalist bringing a new level of intensity to their sound. Featuring legendary tracks like Run to the Hills and the title song The Number of the Beast the album solidified Iron Maiden as one of the biggest metal bands in the world.
80s insight: The album’s controversial title and lyrics sparked outrage from religious groups who accused the band of promoting Satanism. In reality Iron Maiden took inspiration from historical and literary sources including a nightmare their producer had after watching a horror film.
80s insight: The album’s controversial title and lyrics sparked outrage from religious groups who accused the band of promoting Satanism. In reality Iron Maiden took inspiration from historical and literary sources including a nightmare their producer had after watching a horror film.
