Home · Albums · Iron Maiden · The Number of the Beast

The Number of the Beast 1982
Album · by Iron Maiden ↗ View artist

The Number of the Beast

The Number of the Beast was released in March 1982 to mark a turning point in Iron Maiden. It was the first album with Bruce Dickinson as lead vocalist and the last with Clive Burr on drums, but above all, it arrived with a more polished, ambitious, and darker sound than its predecessors. Recorded in five weeks at Battery Studios, the album proved the band could scale without losing its essence: sharp riffs, epic melodies, and lyrics blending fantasy, history, and a touch of mystery. Martin Birch’s production gave it a professional sheen that contrasted with the raw sound of their early work, and the vocalist change was pivotal: Dickinson’s high-pitched, powerful voice allowed Steve Harris to compose more ambitious lines, such as those ascending scales that now defined their style.

Year
1982
Songs
8
Duration
40 min 20 seg
Listen to the album ★

8 song|s

Song list

# Title Available ⏱
01

Invaders

3:24
02

Children of the Damned

4:35
03

The Prisoner

6:02
04

22, Acacia Avenue

6:36
05

The Number of the Beast

4:50
06

Run to the Hills

3:53
07

Gangland

3:49
08

Hallowed Be Thy Name

7:11

About the album

The Number of the Beast, according to DoReSol

Among the songs that defined the album are Run to the Hills, the band’s first single to reach the UK top 10, and The Number of the Beast, which not only became an instant anthem but also sparked controversy over its cover art and lyrics. Dickinson played an active role in writing tracks like Children of the Damned and The Prisoner, though he couldn’t be credited officially due to contractual restrictions with his previous band, Samson. The album also featured Adrian Smith as a composer for the first time, and curiously, it was the only Iron Maiden record where Burr is credited as a co-writer. Studio sessions left behind strange anecdotes: lights turning on by themselves, equipment failing inexplicably, and—on top of it all—producer Birch crashing his car into a nun bus, receiving a repair bill for exactly £666.

The impact was immediate. The Number of the Beast became Iron Maiden’s first UK number-one album and entered the Billboard 200 top 40, selling over 20 million copies worldwide. Magazines like Kerrang! and Rolling Stone ranked it among the best metal albums of all time, and its influence extended so far that the nickname “The Beast” stuck to the band. Over forty years later, it remains a benchmark for guitarists and drummers: its blend of speed, precision, and melody makes it perfect study material. If you want to play something that sounds like Iron Maiden at its peak, this album is where to start.