Iron Maiden created the blueprint for how heavy metal bands should look, sound, and tour. Throughout the 1980s, the British group released seven high-octane albums that solidified them as one of rock & roll’s biggest bands. With a blistering assault of guitars, driving rhythm section, and soaring vocals, Iron Maiden can switch gears at a moment’s notice to take audiences on an expressive, atmospheric journey.

Formed in 1975 by bassist Steve Harris, the band’s early lineup shifted numerous times before the release of their self-titled debut in 1980. The album features vocalist Paul Di’Anno growling punk-influenced blasters like “Iron Maiden” and “Running Free” over stunning guitar and bass lines. The record’s cover art featured Maiden’s iconic stylized logo along with the zombie mascot Eddie, who has appeared on every album cover since. Iron Maiden were the first metal band played on MTV in 1981, which brought them additional success and recognition. In 1982, the lineup of Harris, guitarists Dave Murray and Adrian Smith, drummer Clive Burr, and new vocalist Bruce Dickinson released The Number of the Beast, widely considered one of the best metal albums of all time. Courtesy of Dickinson, its title track features perhaps the greatest blood-curdling scream in rock & roll history. While the album caused controversy and cries of “Satanism!” from religious groups, it captivated a massive fanbase and brought the band to a new level of stardom that has only grown over time.

With the addition of drummer Nicko McBrain in 1982, Maiden’s classic lineup was finalized, and the band’s next four studio albums – Piece of Mind (1983), Powerslave (1984), Somewhere in Time (1986), and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988) – continued expanding the musical boundaries of heavy metal. Lauded as a foundation of the new wave of British heavy metal, Iron Maiden have never stopped making groundbreaking music (with over 130 million albums sold), selling out stadiums and arenas (with over 2,000 shows played around the world), and influencing generations of musicians, including Metallica, Dream Theater, and Coheed and Cambria.

Nominees: Clive Burr, Paul Di’Anno, Bruce Dickinson, Janick Gers, Steve Harris, Nicko McBrain, Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, Dennis Stratton