Best of the Beast | ||||
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Compilation album by | ||||
Released | 23 September 1996 | |||
Recorded | 1978–1996 | |||
Genre | Heavy metal | |||
Length | 77:53(single disc CD) [1] 149:40 (2-disc CD) 189:17 (4-disc LP) | |||
Label | EMI | |||
Producer | ||||
Iron Maiden compilations chronology | ||||
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Singles from Best of the Beast | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 7/10 [3] |
Best of the Beast was Iron Maiden's first "best of" album, [4] released in 1996 in three formats: a 34 track (four disc) vinyl, a 27 track (two disc) CD, a 16 track (single disc) CD and MiniDisc. The vinyl edition is, to date, the band's longest record release, running for over three hours.
The track listing differs slightly between the various editions of the compilation album, but consists mainly of the band's singles and most well-known songs from their 1980–1995 albums. Also included are a new single, entitled "Virus", [4] as well as previously unreleased live versions of "Afraid to Shoot Strangers" and "Revelations" (the latter exclusive to the vinyl edition). Both "Virus" and "Afraid to Shoot Strangers" had promotional music videos created, the latter of which was filmed during The X Factour with new lead vocalist Blaze Bayley replacing Bruce Dickinson, who sang the original studio recording.
The two-CD edition contains two songs from the band's 1979 demo tape/EP The Soundhouse Tapes ("Iron Maiden" and "Strange World," of which the latter was previously unreleased). [4] The 4-disc vinyl pressing, meanwhile, contains the entire Soundhouse Tapes EP on its final side, again with the addition of "Strange World" from the same sessions. The vinyl edition has become quite rare and has increased in value steadily over the years in music stores and on online auction sites. The standard edition's value has not changed much although the Japanese pressings continue to rise in value.
Best of the Beast has long since been out of print and has been "replaced" by Edward the Great in most countries as a greatest hits package for the band. [5]
The cover art was designed by Derek Riggs, known for having created most of Iron Maiden's early album covers. It is an amalgamation of his most famous works with the band, featuring Eddies from the Piece of Mind , Powerslave , Somewhere in Time and No Prayer for the Dying eras, as well as those from "The Trooper", Live After Death and a redesign of the Killers album cover. [6]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original Album | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "The Number of the Beast" | Steve Harris | 1982 ~ The Number of the Beast | 4:49 |
2. | "Can I Play With Madness" | Adrian Smith, Bruce Dickinson, Harris | 1988 ~ Seventh Son of a Seventh Son | 3:31 |
3. | "Fear of the Dark" (Live in Helsinki, Finland 1992) | Harris | 1993 ~ A Real Live One (1992 ~ Fear of the Dark ) | 7:21 |
4. | "Run to the Hills" | Harris | 1982 ~ The Number of the Beast | 3:50 |
5. | "Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter" | Dickinson | 1990 ~ No Prayer for the Dying | 4:44 |
6. | "The Evil That Men Do" | Smith, Dickinson, Harris | 1988 ~ Seventh Son of a Seventh Son | 4:35 |
7. | "Aces High" | Harris | 1984 ~ Powerslave | 4:31 |
8. | "Be Quick or Be Dead" | Dickinson, Janick Gers | 1992 ~ Fear of the Dark | 3:21 |
9. | "2 Minutes to Midnight" | Smith, Dickinson | 1984 ~ Powerslave | 6:04 |
10. | "Man on the Edge" | Blaze Bayley, Gers | 1995 ~ The X Factor | 4:18 |
11. | "Virus" | Harris, Gers, Dave Murray, Bayley | New recording | 6:30 |
12. | "Running Free" (Live in Long Beach, United States 1985) | Harris, Paul Di'Anno | 1985 ~ Live After Death (1980 ~ Iron Maiden ) | 3:25 |
13. | "Wasted Years" | Smith | 1986 ~ Somewhere in Time | 5:06 |
14. | "The Clairvoyant" | Harris | 1988 ~ Seventh Son of a Seventh Son | 4:27 |
15. | "The Trooper" | Harris | 1983 ~ Piece of Mind | 4:11 |
16. | "Hallowed Be Thy Name" | Harris | 1982 ~ The Number of the Beast | 7:10 |
Total length: | 77:53 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original Album | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Virus" | Harris, Gers, Murray, Bayley | New recording | 6:30 |
2. | "Sign of the Cross" | Harris | 1995 ~ The X Factor | 11:17 |
3. | "Man on the Edge" | Bayley, Gers | 1995 ~ The X Factor | 4:18 |
4. | "Afraid to Shoot Strangers" (Live in Gothenburg, Sweden 1995) | Harris | Previously unreleased (1992 ~ Fear of the Dark) | 6:48 |
5. | "Be Quick or Be Dead" | Dickinson, Gers | 1992 ~ Fear of the Dark | 3:21 |
6. | "Fear of the Dark" (Live at Helsinki, Finland 1992) | Harris | 1993 ~ A Real Live One(1992 ~ Fear of the Dark) | 7:21 |
7. | "Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter" | Dickinson | 1990 ~ No Prayer for the Dying | 4:44 |
8. | "Holy Smoke" | Harris, Dickinson | 1990 ~ No Prayer for the Dying | 3:49 |
9. | "The Clairvoyant" | Harris | 1988 ~ Seventh Son of a Seventh Son | 4:27 |
10. | "Can I Play With Madness" | Smith, Dickinson, Harris | 1988 ~ Seventh Son of a Seventh Son | 3:31 |
11. | "The Evil That Men Do" | Smith, Dickinson, Harris | 1988 ~ Seventh Son of a Seventh Son | 4:35 |
12. | "Heaven Can Wait" | Harris | 1986 ~ Somewhere in Time | 7:24 |
13. | "Wasted Years" | Smith | 1986 ~ Somewhere in Time | 5:06 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original Album | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" (Live in Long Beach, USA 1985) | Harris | 1985 ~ Live After Death(1984 ~ Powerslave) | 13:10 |
2. | "Running Free" (Live in Long Beach, USA 1985; single edit) | Harris, Di'Anno | 1985 ~ Live After Death(1980 ~ Iron Maiden) | 3:25 |
3. | "2 Minutes to Midnight" | Smith, Dickinson | 1984 ~ Powerslave | 6:04 |
4. | "Aces High" | Harris | 1984 ~ Powerslave | 4:31 |
5. | "Where Eagles Dare" | Harris | 1983 ~ Piece of Mind | 6:10 |
6. | "The Trooper" | Harris | 1983 ~ Piece of Mind | 4:11 |
7. | "The Number of the Beast" | Harris | 1982 ~ The Number of the Beast | 4:49 |
8. | "Run to the Hills" | Harris | 1982 ~ The Number of the Beast | 3:50 |
9. | "Hallowed Be Thy Name" | Harris | 1982 ~ The Number of the Beast | 7:10 |
10. | "Wrathchild" | Harris | 1981 ~ Killers | 2:54 |
11. | "Phantom of the Opera" | Harris | 1980 ~ Iron Maiden | 7:20 |
12. | "Sanctuary" | Harris, Murray, Di'Anno | 1980 ~ Iron Maiden | 3:13 |
13. | "Strange World" (Unreleased recording for The Soundhouse Tapes ) | Harris | Previously unreleased (1980 ~ Iron Maiden) | 5:45 |
14. | "Iron Maiden" | Harris | 1979 ~ The Soundhouse Tapes(1980 ~ Iron Maiden) | 3:57 |
Total length: | 149:40 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original Album | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Virus" | Harris, Gers, Murray, Bayley | New recording | 6:30 |
2. | "Sign of the Cross" | Harris | 1995 ~ The X Factor | 11:17 |
3. | "Afraid to Shoot Strangers" (Live in Gothenburg, Sweden 1995) | Harris | Previously unreleased (1992 ~ Fear of the Dark) | 6:40 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original Album | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
4. | "Man on the Edge" | Bayley, Gers | 1995 ~ The X Factor | 4:18 |
5. | "Be Quick or Be Dead" | Dickinson, Gers | 1992 ~ Fear of the Dark | 3:21 |
6. | "Fear of the Dark" (Live in Helsinki, Finland 1992) | Harris | 1993 ~ A Real Live One(1992 ~ Fear of the Dark) | 7:21 |
7. | "Holy Smoke" | Harris, Dickinson | 1990 ~ No Prayer for the Dying | 3:49 |
8. | "Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter" | Dickinson | 1990 ~ No Prayer for the Dying | 4:44 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original Album | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son" | Harris | 1988 ~ Seventh Son of a Seventh Son | 9:54 |
2. | "Can I Play With Madness" | Dickinson, Harris, Smith | 1988 ~ Seventh Son of a Seventh Son | 3:31 |
3. | "The Evil That Men Do" | Smith, Dickinson, Harris | 1988 ~ Seventh Son of a Seventh Son | 4:35 |
4. | "The Clairvoyant" | Harris | 1988 ~ Seventh Son of a Seventh Son | 4:27 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original Album | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
5. | "Heaven Can Wait" | Harris | 1986 ~ Somewhere in Time | 7:24 |
6. | "Wasted Years" | Smith | 1986 ~ Somewhere in Time | 5:06 |
7. | "2 Minutes to Midnight" | Smith, Dickinson | 1984 ~ Powerslave | 6:04 |
8. | "Running Free" (Live in Long Beach, USA 1985; single edit) | Harris, Di'Anno | 1985 ~ Live After Death(1980 ~ Iron Maiden) | 3:25 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original Album | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" (Live in Long Beach, USA 1985) | Harris | 1985 ~ Live After Death(1984 ~ Powerslave) | 13:10 |
2. | "Aces High" | Harris | 1984 ~ Powerslave | 4:31 |
3. | "Where Eagles Dare" | Harris | 1983 ~ Piece of Mind | 6:10 |
4. | "The Trooper" | Harris | 1983 ~ Piece of Mind | 4:11 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original Album | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
5. | "The Number of the Beast" | Harris | 1982 ~ The Number of the Beast | 4:49 |
6. | "Revelations" (Live in Westfalenhallen, Germany 1983) | Dickinson | Previously unreleased (1983 ~ Piece of Mind) | 6:11 |
7. | "The Prisoner" | Smith, Harris | 1982 ~ The Number of the Beast | 6:00 |
8. | "Run to the Hills" | Harris | 1982 ~ The Number of the Beast | 3:50 |
9. | "Hallowed Be Thy Name" | Harris | 1982 ~ The Number of the Beast | 7:10 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original Album | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Wrathchild" | Harris | 1981 ~ Killers | 2:54 |
2. | "Killers" | Di'Anno, Harris | 1981 ~ Killers | 5:01 |
3. | "Remember Tomorrow" | Di'Anno, Harris | 1980 ~ Iron Maiden | 5:27 |
4. | "Phantom of the Opera" | Harris | 1980 ~ Iron Maiden | 7:20 |
5. | "Sanctuary" | Iron Maiden | 1980 ~ Iron Maiden | 3:13 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original Album | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
6. | "Prowler" | Harris | 1979 ~ The Soundhouse Tapes(1980 ~ Iron Maiden) | 4:17 |
7. | "Invasion" | Harris | 1979 ~ The Soundhouse Tapes(1980 ~ Women in Uniform ) | 2:55 |
8. | "Strange World" (Unreleased recording for The Soundhouse Tapes) | Harris | Previously unreleased (1980 ~ Iron Maiden) | 5:45 |
9. | "Iron Maiden" | Harris | 1979 ~ The Soundhouse Tapes(1980 ~ Iron Maiden) | 3:57 |
Total length: | 189:17 |
Chart (1996) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA) [8] | 58 |
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [9] | 41 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [10] | 28 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [11] | 39 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [12] | 25 |
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista) [13] | 8 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [14] | 42 |
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ) [15] | 21 |
Italian Albums (FIMI) [16] | 22 |
Japanese Albums (Oricon) [17] | 26 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [18] | 37 |
Official Charts Company [19] | 19 |
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [20] | 11 |
UK Albums (OCC) [21] | 16 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Argentina (CAPIF) [22] | Platinum | 60,000^ |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [23] | Gold | 100,000* |
Finland (Musiikkituottajat) [24] | Gold | 22,261 [24] |
Sweden (GLF) [25] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [26] | Gold | 100,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
The Number of the Beast is the third studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It was released on 22 March 1982 in the US by Harvest and Capitol Records, and on 29 March 1982 in the UK by EMI Records. The album was their first to feature vocalist Bruce Dickinson and their last with drummer Clive Burr.
Dance of Death is the thirteenth studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released first in Japan on 2 September and then 8 September 2003 in the rest of the world excluding North America. The album was an analogue recording.
The Soundhouse Tapes is the debut EP by Iron Maiden, and features the first recordings by the band. Released on 9 November 1979, it features three songs taken from the demo tape recorded at Spaceward Studios on 30 and 31 December 1978. The three tracks appear in a rougher form than they would on the band's eponymous debut studio album and subsequent singles, as they were all recorded in one session.
Powerslave is the fifth studio album by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 3 September 1984 through EMI Records in Europe and its sister label Capitol Records in North America. It was re-released by Sanctuary and Columbia Records in the United States in 2002.
Somewhere in Time is the sixth studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It was released on 29 September 1986 in the United Kingdom by EMI Records and in the United States by Capitol Records. It was the band's first album to feature guitar synthesisers.
Killers is the second studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It was first released on 16 February 1981 in the United Kingdom by EMI Records and on 11 May in the United States by Harvest and Capitol Records. The album was their first with guitarist Adrian Smith, and their last with vocalist Paul Di'Anno, who was fired after problems with his stage performances arose due to his alcohol and cocaine use. Killers was also the first Iron Maiden album recorded with producer Martin Birch, who went on to produce their next eight albums until Fear of the Dark (1992).
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son is the seventh studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It was released on 11 April 1988 in the United Kingdom by EMI Records and in the United States by Capitol Records. Like The Number of the Beast (1982) and later Fear of the Dark (1992), The Final Frontier (2010), and The Book of Souls (2015), the album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart. The lead single "Can I Play with Madness" was also a commercial success, peaking at No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart.
Brave New World is the twelfth studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 29 May 2000. It was their first studio release since the return of longtime lead singer Bruce Dickinson and guitarist Adrian Smith in 1999, as well as the band's first studio recording as a six-piece, as Janick Gers, who replaced Smith in 1990, remained with the band.
Fear of the Dark is the ninth studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. Released on 11 May 1992, it was their third studio release to top the UK Albums Chart, and the last to feature Bruce Dickinson as the group's lead vocalist until his return in 1999.
Piece of Mind is the fourth studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It was released on 16 May 1983 in the United Kingdom by EMI Records and in the United States by Capitol Records. It was the first album to feature drummer Nicko McBrain, who had recently left the band Trust and has been Iron Maiden's drummer ever since.
No Prayer for the Dying is the eighth studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It is their first album to feature Janick Gers on guitar, who replaced Adrian Smith. Smith left the band during the pre-production phase, unhappy with the musical direction it was taking, and only having contributed to one song, "Hooks in You". This was the third song in the "Charlotte the Harlot" saga. Gers previously worked with singer Bruce Dickinson on his first solo album, Tattooed Millionaire, and had also worked with Ian Gillan, former Marillion singer Fish, and new wave of British heavy metal band, White Spirit.
Virtual XI is the eleventh studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 23 March 1998. It is the band's second and final album with Blaze Bayley on vocals. It also marks the first album to utilise a slightly modified logo, with the letters R, M, and N the same size as the other letters as opposed to them being extended. This goes on for the next few albums, until The Final Frontier, in 2010.
Live After Death is a live album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, originally released in October 1985 on EMI in Europe and its sister label Capitol Records in the US. It was recorded at Long Beach Arena, California and Hammersmith Odeon, London during the band's World Slavery Tour.
Edward the Great: The Greatest Hits is Iron Maiden's third "best-of album", originally released on 4 November 2002. Unlike the band's other works by the group collecting together songs from different albums, such as Best of the Beast, Edward the Great does not feature any material from the group's first two albums, which featured Paul Di'Anno as vocalist, but does include material from Blaze Bayley's five-year tenure with the band.
Rock in Rio is a live album and video by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, recorded at the Rock in Rio festival, Brazil in 2001 on the last night of the Brave New World Tour. The band played to approximately 250,000 people; the second largest crowd of their career and with the relatively recent return of lead singer Bruce Dickinson and guitarist Adrian Smith to the band, they recorded their fifth live release.
Ed Hunter is a greatest hits album and video game released in 1999 by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden and Synthetic Dimensions. The game objective consists of following Iron Maiden's mascot, Eddie, through various levels depicting the band's past album covers. The accompanying CDs have the group's most popular songs, as selected by fans on the band's official website.
"Run to the Hills" is a song by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It was released as their sixth single and the first from the band's third studio album, The Number of the Beast (1982). It is their first single with Bruce Dickinson as vocalist. Credited solely to the band's bassist, Steve Harris, Dickinson contributed to the song but could not be credited due to a contractual agreement with his former band Samson. "Run to the Hills" remains one of the band's most popular songs, with VH1 ranking it No. 27 on their list of the 40 Greatest Metal Songs, No. 14 on their list of the Greatest Hard Rock Songs, and Rolling Stone ranking it No. 10 on their list of the 100 greatest heavy metal songs
Beast over Hammersmith is a live album by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 4 November 2002. Recorded 20 years previously, during The Beast on the Road tour at the Hammersmith Odeon, the footage was specially co-produced and mixed by Steve Harris and Doug Hall to be a part of the Eddie's Archive box set. Even though this album contains material from The Number of the Beast, it was actually recorded two days prior to its release, although "Run to the Hills" had already been released as a single. The album became officially available for the first time on vinyl as part of the Number of the Beast 40th anniversary special edition on 18 November 2022.
"The Number of the Beast" is a song by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It is Iron Maiden's seventh single release, and the second single from their 1982 studio album of the same name. It was reissued in 2005 and also prior to that in 1990 in The First Ten Years box set on CD and 12" vinyl, in which it was combined with the previous single, "Run to the Hills".
Somewhere Back in Time - The Best of: 1980 - 1989 is a best of release by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, containing a selection of songs originally recorded for their first eight albums.
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