The Essential Iron Maiden

The Essential Iron Maiden
Compilation album by
Iron Maiden
Released 12 July 2005
Recorded 1980–2003
Genre Heavy metal
Length 2:27:21
Label Sanctuary/Columbia
Producer Martin Birch
Nigel Green
Steve Harris
Will Malone
Kevin Shirley
Iron Maiden compilations chronology
Edward the Great
(2002) 		The Essential Iron Maiden
(2005) 		Somewhere Back in Time
(2008)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic
Pitchfork Media 7.5/10.0

The Essential Iron Maiden is the fourth greatest hits compilation by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 12 July 2005. Released exclusively in North America, it is part of Sony Music Entertainment's The Essential series. Contrary to other releases from this series, the track listing is presented in reverse-chronological order (i.e., the latest studio-recorded songs appear first).

It is the second album by the band that does not feature Eddie on its cover, the first being the first edition of Live at Donington.

Track listing

Disc One
No. Title Writer(s) Original album Length
1. "Paschendale" Steve Harris, Adrian Smith 2003 ~ Dance of Death 8:26
2. "Rainmaker" Bruce Dickinson, Harris, Dave Murray 2003 ~ Dance of Death 3:48
3. "The Wicker Man" Dickinson, Harris, Smith 2000 ~ Brave New World 4:35
4. "Brave New World" Dickinson, Harris, Murray 2000 ~ Brave New World 6:18
5. "Futureal" Blaze Bayley, Harris 1998 ~ Virtual XI 2:56
6. "The Clansman" Harris 1998 ~ Virtual XI 8:59
7. "Sign of the Cross" Harris 1995 ~ The X Factor 11:16
8. "Man on the Edge" Bayley, Janick Gers 1995 ~ The X Factor 4:11
9. "Be Quick or Be Dead" Dickinson, Gers 1992 ~ Fear of the Dark 3:23
10. "Fear of the Dark" (Live in Rock in Rio, Brazil 2001) Harris 2002 ~ Rock in Rio (1992 ~ Fear of the Dark) 7:52
11. "Holy Smoke" Dickinson, Harris 1990 ~ No Prayer for the Dying 3:47
12. "Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter" Dickinson 1990 ~ No Prayer for the Dying 4:43
13. "The Clairvoyant" Harris 1988 ~ Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 4:26
Disc Two
No. Title Writer(s) Original album Length
1. "The Evil That Men Do" Dickinson, Harris, Smith 1988 ~ Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 4:34
2. "Wasted Years" Smith 1986 ~ Somewhere in Time 5:06
3. "Heaven Can Wait" Harris 1986 ~ Somewhere in Time 7:20
4. "2 Minutes to Midnight" Dickinson, Smith 1984 ~ Powerslave 6:00
5. "Aces High" Harris 1984 ~ Powerslave 4:29
6. "Flight of Icarus" Dickinson, Smith 1983 ~ Piece of Mind 3:51
7. "The Trooper" Harris 1983 ~ Piece of Mind 4:12
8. "The Number of the Beast" Harris 1982 ~ The Number of the Beast 4:52
9. "Run to the Hills" Harris 1982 ~ The Number of the Beast 3:54
10. "Wrathchild" Harris 1981 ~ Killers 2:55
11. "Killers" Di'Anno, Harris 1981 ~ Killers 5:01
12. "Phantom of the Opera" Harris 1980 ~ Iron Maiden 7:06
13. "Running Free" (Live in Long Beach, US 1985) Di'Anno, Harris 1985 ~ Live After Death (1980 ~ Iron Maiden) 8:44
14. "Iron Maiden" (Live in Westfalenhallen, Germany 2003) Harris 2005 ~ Death on the Road (1980 ~ Iron Maiden) 4:54

Credits

Iron Maiden
Additional musician
Production