Best_of_the_Beast

Best of the Beast
Best of the Beast
Compilation album by Iron Maiden
Released	23 September 1996
Recorded	1978–1996
Genre	Heavy metal
Length	77:53 (single disc CD); 149:40 (2-disc CD); 189:17 (4-disc LP)
Label	EMI
Producer	Martin Birch; Nigel Green; Steve Harris; Iron Maiden; Will Malone;
Iron Maiden compilations chronology
Singles from Best of the Beast
	"Virus"; Released: 2 September 1996;

<i>Best of the Beast</i>

Best of the Beast

1996 compilation album by Iron Maiden

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.

Quick Facts Best of the Beast, Compilation album by Iron Maiden ...

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Track listing

Limited edition CD

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Limited edition vinyl

^[7]

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This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Best_of_the_Beast, and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[liner-1] [1]
Best of the Beast (Media notes). Iron Maiden. EMI. 23 September 1996.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[2] [2]
Prato, Greg. Iron Maiden-Best of the Beast at AllMusic. Retrieved 23 June 2011.

[martin-3] [3]
Popoff, Martin (1 August 2007). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 3: The Nineties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 213. ISBN 978-1-894959-62-9.

[Wall_316-4] [4]
Wall, Mick (2004). Iron Maiden: Run to the Hills, the Authorised Biography (3rd ed.). Sanctuary Publishing. p. 316. ISBN 1-86074-542-3.

[Wall_365-5] [5]
Wall, Mick (2004). Iron Maiden: Run to the Hills, the Authorised Biography (3rd ed.). Sanctuary Publishing. p. 365. ISBN 1-86074-542-3.

[6] [6]
"Best of the Beast". Derek Riggs. Archived from the original on 17 May 2010. Retrieved 23 September 2011.

[7] [7]
"Iron Maiden – Best of the Beast (Vinyl, LP) at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 27 February 2016.

[ARIA-8] [8]
Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 138.

[ac_Austria_Iron_Maiden-9] [9]
"Austriancharts.at – Iron Maiden – Best of the Beast" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 September 2021.

[ac_Flanders_Iron_Maiden-10] [10]
"Ultratop.be – Iron Maiden – Best of the Beast" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 September 2021.

[ac_Wallonia_Iron_Maiden-11] [11]
"Ultratop.be – Iron Maiden – Best of the Beast" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 September 2021.

[ac_Netherlands_Iron_Maiden-12] [12]
"Dutchcharts.nl – Iron Maiden – Best of the Beast" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 September 2021.

[ac_Finland_Iron_Maiden-13] [13]
"Iron Maiden: Best of the Beast" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 13 September 2021.

[ac_Germany4_Iron_Maiden-14] [14]
"Offiziellecharts.de – Iron Maiden – Best of the Beast" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 1 February 2021.

[ac_Hungary_Iron_Maiden-15] [15]
"Album Top 40 slágerlista – 1996. 42. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 16 September 2021.

[ac_Italy_Iron_Maiden-16] [16]
"Italiancharts.com – Iron Maiden – Best of the Beast". Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 September 2021.

[JPN-17] [17]
Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.

[ac_New_Zealand_Iron_Maiden-18] [18]
"Charts.nz – Iron Maiden – Best of the Beast". Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 September 2015.

[19] [19]
"Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 November 2021.

[ac_Sweden_Iron_Maiden-20] [20]
"Swedishcharts.com – Iron Maiden – Best of the Beast". Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 September 2015.

[ac_UK_Iron_Maiden-21] [21]
"Iron Maiden | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 16 September 2015.

[ArgentinaIron_MaidenBest_of_the_BeastalbumCertRef-22] [22]
"Argentinian album certifications – Iron Maiden – Best of the Beast". Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers. Retrieved 29 April 2013.

[BrazilIron_MaidenBest_of_the_BeastalbumCertRef-23] [23]
"Brazilian album certifications – Iron Maiden – Best of the Beast" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved 29 April 2013.

[FinlandIron_MaidenalbumCertRef-24] [24]
"Iron Maiden" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 29 April 2013.

[SwedenIron_MaidenBest_of_the_BeastalbumCertRef-25] [25]
"Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2001" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2013.

[United_KingdomIron_MaidenBest_of_the_BeastalbumCertRef-26] [26]
"British album certifications – Iron Maiden – Best of the Beast". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 29 April 2013.

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Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[2]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal	7/10^[3]

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	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

Best_of_the_Beast

Best of the Beast

Background

Track listing

Standard edition CD and MD

Limited edition CD

Limited edition vinyl

Charts

Certifications

References

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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
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. ^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.