Am I insane for not being a big fan of Iron Maiden?

[SentinelSlain]

My very thoughts before I even clicked on the thread.



My thought too.

 

[Satanstoenail]

That Maiden jet is hella cool.

 

[OldScratch]

I'm with some of the other folks on this thread in not necessarily being on-board with many of the unassailable or sacred of Metal through the years - I get bored after five minutes of Zeppelin, love a great deal of Sabbath but can take or leave quite a bit as well, always thought Slayer profoundly overrated(specifically post 1986 or so), cannot stand Anthrax, find a good deal of Black Metal unlistenable, yet I've loved the genre from the outset...it's all really relative and just so much personal opinion, as others have noted.

That said, I adore classic Maiden!! However, anything much past Powerslave is of little if any interest to me. So go figure.

I also concur with Platinum Maze on the age factor. At nearly 39 years I've seen many trends/genres and bands come and go like many on this board. I invariably find myself at odds with every Metal "retrospective/documentary" I have ever seen as far as what was truly influential, essential or what have you, or even what was really all that popular "back when." This phenomenon also varies geographically as well as with varying age groups it would seem.

 

[sumairetsu]

You might be insane, but we won't hold that against you. After all, you're among friends, here.

As for "legendary" status, they do still sell out arenas in Europe, which is not common for most bands. There, if you're doing 3,500 seat theaters, you're considered to be doing well. Also, when they come to the States, they still sell out several venues, even after being in the public eye for the last 27 years.

 

[SentinelSlain]

In terms of how big they are now and how much money they made how do they compare with Priest?

I know Maiden are more well known now but I think Judas Priest have probably been more commercial in the past (Turbo, TOTP performaces etc).

Sorry to sidetrack...

 

[poundingmetal74]

I would guess that Maiden is more successful, based on things like T-shirt sales. Maiden are multimedia 'whores'. I see dozens of 16 year old kids wearing Killers T-shirt (despite not knowing who the singer was!)

I wonder which band has sold more discs?

 

[SentinelSlain]

Ooh but I'm 16 and I own Iron Maiden and Killers albums and I know it's Paul Di'Anno singing.

I know which Priest is Halford and which is Ripper too

Sorry had to point this out.

 

[mdmatt4ever]

In terms of how big they are now and how much money they made how do they compare with Priest?

I know Maiden are more well known now but I think Judas Priest have probably been more commercial in the past (Turbo, TOTP performaces etc).

Sorry to sidetrack...

judas priest still sells more albums now than iron maiden, at least in america. judas priest has over 10 million albums sold in american while maiden might be around the 6 million mark

 

[Unfaithfully Metalhead]

I would guess that Maiden is more successful, based on things like T-shirt sales. Maiden are multimedia 'whores'. I see dozens of 16 year old kids wearing Killers T-shirt (despite not knowing who the singer was!)

I wouldn't call maiden "multimedia whores". That title goes to Kiss and Gene Simmons specifically. As for 16 yr olds wearing shirts of maiden and not knowing much about them. That is not uncommon anymore as we all see kids buying such shirts in any store such as AC/DC shirts etc...

judas priest still sells more albums now than iron maiden, at least in america. judas priest has over 10 million albums sold in american while maiden might be around the 6 million mark

Judas Priest have sold around 35 million world wide vs Maidens 100 Million world wide... thought I would throw that little fact in there since you think JP is more popular...

 

[Unfaithfully Metalhead]

My friend Darren doesn't like much Maiden either, he keeps saying they hadn't done anything interesting since "Piece Of Mind" and keep bashing what's the big deal with Iron Maiden coming is not that is Black Sabbath. I myself believe they worth until 1988 (thus I'm going for the new tour like a flaming thunderbolt).
But the point was made by Whisper

I don't like Led Zeppelin, Accept, Mercyful Fate/King Diamond, Slayer, Van Halen, Wasp, and countless other bands hold sacred by many and I'm as much a metalhead as anyone. So everyhting is fine unless you say you don't like Motorhead!

NP: Waterclime - 'The Angel And The Fireball'

I hear Maiden will be in CR for the first time ever in 2008 Wyv... that should be historical and should be taped and released on DVD ....

 

[mdmatt4ever]

I wouldn't call maiden "multimedia whores". That title goes to Kiss and Gene Simmons specifically. As for 16 yr olds wearing shirts of maiden and not knowing much about them. That is not uncommon anymore as we all see kids buying such shirts in any store such as AC/DC shirts etc...



Judas Priest have sold around 35 million world wide vs Maidens 100 Million world wide... thought I would throw that little fact in there since you think JP is more popular...

thats from wikipedia and is hugely wrong. someone who doesn't know crap about album certifications tallied up all the gold and platinum awards for every country and basing it off of what platinum and gold sales equal in america got that number. platinum and gold are based off of population of a country. in american platum is 1 million albums sold but it some countries its far less than that. in australia and album can be multi platinum and still not even have sold 1 million copies. the back of iron maidens own dvd from a few years ago says they sold 50 million albums worldwide. are you telling me within a 4 years span they sold another 50 million albums?

 

[Wyvern]

It's interesting how Judas Priest vs Iron Maiden also heat up a forum. As a metalhead I consider both bands should be liked at least partially and i don't give a damn about their sellings. Maiden probably have reached a bigger marketing zone with merchandising that Judas Priest but I don't judge or measure bands by that factor, it's all about the music.

JP screwed with Ripper but not as bad as Maiden with Bayley (I know this will heat up another discussion but bear with me). I can stand "Jugulator" and most of "Demolition" but "Factor X" and "Virtual XI" are awful. Now "Angel Of Retribution" is not as good as comeback of an old line up as "Brave New World", sadly for ME the last two Maiden albums do nothing and I still have confidence Judas Priest can bring some decent material while I have lost all hope on Maiden.

The reason I'm going to the concert in February (yes Larry we're all excited down here) it's because they're going to play ONLY old material.

NP: Lana Lane - 'No Tears Left'

 

[Unfaithfully Metalhead]

[/B]

the back of iron maidens own dvd from a few years ago says they sold 50 million albums worldwide. are you telling me within a 4 years span they sold another 50 million albums?

We'll since you said it was a few years ago that the 50 million album is claimed then I would have to assume they are closer to 100 Million now... but nonetheless they sell more albums then JP imo... but regardless I like both bands though i lean towards more of IM then JP....

The reason I'm going to the concert in February (yes Larry we're all excited down here) it's because they're going to play ONLY old material.

NP: Lana Lane - 'No Tears Left'

Wish I could go see that Wyv if only because CR is my mother country and it's Maiden's first concert there plus only playing Old material is a plus... anyways take lots of pics and share with us or PM me them... take pics of fans as well...

 

[ElectricWiz]

I think Maiden is fantastic, top rate, probably the best metal band of all time. However, I could see how one might not connect with them if you weren't there in the old school days. I mean, early on, there was NOTHING really like them...to my ears. They were a little heavier, cooler, just plain more metal than everyone else. Some folks won't remember it that way, but things changed fast...and bands who sometimes are remembered as contemporaries of Maiden's really came slightly after. The point being, there are sooo many good bands now, that I can't fault someone for not, "hearing it," in Maiden. I did hear it, and I do hear it...but they were pretty much my intro to metal.

All that aside? Regardless of when one finds Maiden, I do have to say, they freaking rule. haha.

I fully understand though. I like Priest...I have a few albums of theirs that I consider essential, but don't really consider them the metal gods that others do. If they had more records like Stained Class, Unleashed in the East, Defenders etc., sure....but I see them like you see Maiden...pick and choose your songs. Anyway, I understand is all I'm sayin'. And I recognize that Priest predates Maiden. Who knows, if British Steel had been my first metal album, things might be different.

 

[mdmatt4ever]

We'll since you said it was a few years ago that the 50 million album is claimed then I would have to assume they are closer to 100 Million now... but nonetheless they sell more albums then JP imo... but regardless I like both bands though i lean towards more of IM then JP....



Wish I could go see that Wyv if only because CR is my mother country and it's Maiden's first concert there plus only playing Old material is a plus... anyways take lots of pics and share with us or PM me them... take pics of fans as well...

i asked this question on the megadeth forum and someone posted an article from this year where maiden signed a new contract or something and in the article it said with almost 70 million in worldwide sales, so they are still way off of 100 million. anyways the point of what i originaly said was here in the states priest was always far more popular than IM at least until recently. IM never even really had a hit song in america

 

[Wyvern]

IM never even really had a hit song in america

Hmm curious indeed. We don't have charts here so I cannot tell historically how it was but from my own experience Maiden has had way more radio play than JP. Actually I decided to but my first Maiden album (also my first metal album) after I listened to the 'The Trooper' on a program about worldwide music back in 84. I don't recall however to have listened to JP but I do recall their show on US 83 on MTV as well as the You'Ve Got Another Thing Comin' video, also was easier to get Maiden albums than Priest albums but when "Defenders Of The Faith" came out on the local CBS branch (now defunct) was the biggest seller for a week on stores which says a lot I guess.

NP: Zoser Mez - 'Wasteland'

 

[mdmatt4ever]

Hmm curious indeed. We don't have charts here so I cannot tell historically how it was but from my own experience Maiden has had way more radio play than JP. Actually I decided to but my first Maiden album (also my first metal album) after I listened to the 'The Trooper' on a program about worldwide music back in 84. I don't recall however to have listened to JP but I do recall their show on US 83 on MTV as well as the You'Ve Got Another Thing Comin' video, also was easier to get Maiden albums than Priest albums but when "Defenders Of The Faith" came out on the local CBS branch (now defunct) was the biggest seller for a week on stores which says a lot I guess.

NP: Zoser Mez - 'Wasteland'

in america iron maiden never had a cross over hit. everything was either a rock hit or played on mtv

 

[Wyvern]

in america iron maiden never had a cross over hit. everything was either a rock hit or played on mtv

What's a cross over hit?

 

[SentinelSlain]

I haven't seen Iron Maiden on Top Of The Pops and there is no film about them that I have heard of.

 

[IntoPhagist]

Maiden rules..

Maiden Classic Albums

Everything from Self Titled through Somewhere in Time are fucking awesome and then they sucked in the 90s and Brave new World Kicked ASS! The last 2 havent been as a good as BNW but still good albums for there age and longevity.