Rank The Albums!

I should note: my Iron Maiden ranking was based on "what would I reach for first."
Which is why I put Iron Maiden above The Number of the Beast.

Beast and Piece of Mind are indisputably important albums. I don't know if it's because I've listened to them too much or what, but the fact that I keep coming back to the first album and find myself wanting to hear it straight through every time says something. Paul Di'Anno admitted is not their best vocalist, but it's hard to ignore the greatness in songwriting with "Prowler," "Phantom of the Opera," or the criminally under-discussed "Strange World," possibly the most beautiful thing they ever recorded.

EDIT: I realize we glossed over much of the Blaize Bailey era, but X-Factor is a worthy listen to say the absolute least.
 
MadLucas said:
I should note: my Iron Maiden ranking was based on "what would I reach for first."
Which is why I put Iron Maiden above The Number of the Beast.

Beast and Piece of Mind are indisputably important albums. I don't know if it's because I've listened to them too much or what, but the fact that I keep coming back to the first album and find myself wanting to hear it straight through every time says something. Paul Di'Anno admitted is not their best vocalist, but it's hard to ignore the greatness in songwriting with "Prowler," "Phantom of the Opera," or the criminally under-discussed "Strange World," possibly the most beautiful thing they ever recorded.

EDIT: I realize we glossed over much of the Blaize Bailey era, but X-Factor is a worthy listen to say the absolute least.
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Iron Maiden is such a fun album. 'Running Free' was my go-to song to play when I would do illegal street drag racing in my late teens.
 
Piece of Mind would be higher for me if the guitars didn't sound like kazoos. "The Trooper" is obviously one of their best songs but the overall sound of the album is lacking for me.
 
MadLucas said:
I should note: my Iron Maiden ranking was based on "what would I reach for first."
Which is why I put Iron Maiden above The Number of the Beast.

Beast and Piece of Mind are indisputably important albums. I don't know if it's because I've listened to them too much or what, but the fact that I keep coming back to the first album and find myself wanting to hear it straight through every time says something. Paul Di'Anno admitted is not their best vocalist, but it's hard to ignore the greatness in songwriting with "Prowler," "Phantom of the Opera," or the criminally under-discussed "Strange World," possibly the most beautiful thing they ever recorded.

EDIT: I realize we glossed over much of the Blaize Bailey era, but X-Factor is a worthy listen to say the absolute least.
Click to expand...

This topic has been discussed as nauseum in the N&G Top 500 thread, but lists are much more fun when the listmaker picks their favorites as opposed to the “greatest” or “most important.” That’s the “there’s no such thing as a guilty pleasure” of the 2020s.
 
Also relatedly, Rock in Rio was more important to me than every studio album other than Number. And though I think Number is objectively better, Paul Di'Anno, who sounds like an actual criminal, is perfect for the first two records. "Wrathchild" is the best.
 
Fear of the Dark is a mostly hated album, but that one is special for me. It was my gateway to them when my cousin played it for me when he bought the cd on release. The title track is still my favorite Maiden song. 1992...so I was 8yo when I became a fan which is awesome.
 
BjorgenFjorgen said:
Piece of Mind would be higher for me if the guitars didn't sound like kazoos. "The Trooper" is obviously one of their best songs but the overall sound of the album is lacking for me.
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I don’t mind the sound of Piece of Mind but I can’t handle that dumb song about dinosaurs walking the Earth while human beings were questing for fire.

Back to @MadLucas’ point, I agree that the self-titled is fantastic. I’m not as big a defender of “Strange World” but “Phantom of the Opera” is a top 5 Maiden song, and “Prowler” and “Sanctuary” are bangers.

I’m guilty of underrating Killers, but “Purgatory” is also rather kickass.

Trip down memory lane alert: once when I was a teenager I went to a tiny metal club in São Paulo to watch Paul Di’Anno sing along with a Judas Priest cover band. I don’t recall him sounding particularly good (this was the late 90s so he was already washed and he never had anything remotely close to Halford’s range) but I probably didn’t care because I was young and drunk.
 
CrazyDiamond84 said:
Fear of the Dark is a mostly hated album, but that one is special for me. It was my gateway to them when my cousin played it for me when he bought the cd on release. The title track is still my favorite Maiden song. 1992...so I was 8yo when I became a fan which is awesome.
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I have never understood the disdain for that album.
To be fair, it IS the second album of theirs I ever bought. The first was Iron Maiden, and I bought both of them just before entering sixth grade. When you are that age, I think you listen a little deeper than you would if you were, oh, 39 like I am. Sad, but ultimately there's a ring of truth.
 
CrazyDiamond84 said:
Fear of the Dark is a mostly hated album, but that one is special for me. It was my gateway to them when my cousin played it for me when he bought the cd on release. The title track is still my favorite Maiden song. 1992...so I was 8yo when I became a fan which is awesome.
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I have a soft spot for “Weekend Warrior,” so I hear you there.

One puzzling thing about Iron Maiden were their production choices in the 90s. Like, WTF was Steve Harris thinking with the ultraclean guitar sound on most of The X Factor and to a lesser extent Fear of the Dark?
 
Selaws said:
I really dont think I could definitively do this, but is anyone able to rank Tom Wait's albums? It would be interesting to see how other people rate his music.
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This is an older post, but I haven't seen anyone do it yet. Let's give it a shot! My all time favorite artist. Please keep in mind that I wouldn't give any of these less than a grade of "A" lmao

TOM WAITS

1. Bone Machine
2. Blue Valentine
3. Small Change
4. Mule Variations
5. Heartattack and Vine
6. Swordfishtrombones
7. Alice
8. Franks Wild Years
9. Rain Dogs
10. Blood Money
11. The Heart of Saturday Night
12. Foreign Affairs
13. Real Gone
14. Closing Time
15. The Black Rider
16. Bad As Me
 
Jake! said:
This is an older post, but I haven't seen anyone do it yet. Let's give it a shot! My all time favorite artist. Please keep in mind that I wouldn't give any of these less than a grade of "A" lmao

TOM WAITS

1. Bone Machine
2. Blue Valentine
3. Small Change
4. Mule Variations
5. Heartattack and Vine
6. Swordfishtrombones
7. Alice
8. Franks Wild Years
9. Rain Dogs
10. Blood Money
11. The Heart of Saturday Night
12. Foreign Affairs
13. Real Gone
14. Closing Time
15. The Black Rider
16. Bad As Me
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Waits is tough because in my mind I divide 70s albums as being so different from the rest of his career.
 
And now...............

MOTLEY CRUE

1. Too Fast For Love
2. Dr. Feelgood



3. Shout at the Devil





4. Girls Girls Girls




5. Motley Crue





6. Theater of Pain
7. Anything else


Here's my thinking:
Too Fast For Love and Dr. Feelgood are enjoyable from start to finish. Not a skipper on either.
Shout at the Devil is more revered than it is enjoyable for me; not terrible, but *meh*.
Girls Girls Girls has three good songs, and a lot of filler.
Motley Crue is derided because it's Corabi on vocals, but it's actually decent... not good, just decent.
Theater of Pain has "Home Sweet Home" and... well, that's all.
I can't find anything redeeming about the rest of their discography.
 
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