I consider Iron Maiden to be the absolute greatest band in metal history, hands down. With that being said, this botched attempt at boiling their career down to a single disc has a number of serious flaws:

1. The Paul Dianno era, which includes some of Maiden's best-loved classics, is completely ignored.

2. Several of the band's best songs are missing (most notably "Aces High" and "Hallowed Be Thy Name"), while fully half of the Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son album is included.

3. The disc includes two of Maiden's worst songs, "Holy Smoke" and "Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter".

With two best-of compilations already out there, Edward The Great is completely unnecessary...with no new or unreleased material there's no reason for established fans to buy it, and for newcomers looking for a quick overview, Best Of The Beast and Ed Hunter are both much better choices. Do yourself a favour...skip this one and just buy all the albums instead!

I never thought i would be interested in this sort of music but Iron Maiden is so much better than most metal bands. Their guitarest is so great and probably one of the best of all time. Each song has a sort of premise or idea that inspires it. I would have to say this is one of the most talented bands ever. I bought the album because i was trying new things. At first, the album kind of sat around. But when i finally put it in my stereo, i fell deeply. I couldn't stop listening to Flight of Icarus and 2 Minutes to Midnight. Once i was burnt out on those songs i started listening to the rest of the album and i loved the songs. Iron Maiden is currently my favorite band and i will soon get more of their CDs.

"Edward the Great" could be classified as Iron Maiden's attempt to lure in a younger audience, and not there is anything wrong with that, but with a live CD released earlier this year (the excellent "Rock in Rio") and countless collections and best of's ("Best of the Beast", "Ed Hunter", etc.) there is absolutely no reason for even the most hardcore Maiden fans to buy this. Those new to the band may find something to "Edward the Great", but they will sadly miss any songs by original singer Paul Di'Anno, and will be tortured by the Blaze Bayley tunes. While classics like "Number of the Beast", "Run to the Hills", "The Trooper", "Flight of Icarus", and "Rock in Rio"'s live take on "Fear of the Dark" are Maiden staples, but where in Eddie's name are "Die With Your Boots On", "Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner", and "Out of the Silent Planet"? Oh well, it's like I said; those who own every Maiden album will have no reason to get this collection, but it is a half decent start for new fans of this legendary band.

The first two albums had Paul Di'Anno on vocals. Their sound was a bit more raw and punky, but the prog-rock/metal elements were still there. There were some great songs from those two: Running Free, Sanctuary, Transylvania (one of my top-5 Iron Maiden songs), Wrathchild, Purgatory. And the sad thing is, none of the Di'Anno tracks are on here. My rating would be higher if they were.
Despite the killer tracks from the Dickinson era on here, Iron Maiden can not be accurately represented on a single disc compilation.
You'd be better off with buying the studio albums. And start with their first self-titled album or work your way up.

How can Iron Maiden do this to themselves. I hate this CD so much. First of all there is no Paul Dianno stuff what so ever. Not even a live version of "Running Free" with Bruce Dickinson on it. Both "Iron Maiden", and "Killers" are classic albums and are essential. As well there are 4 songs from "Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son." "Infinite Dreams" is definitely unnecessary. It could have gotton by with just "The Evil That Men Do." and "Bring Your Daughter...To The Slaughter" is included as well. I Believe that "Bring Your Daughter...) recieved the raspberry award for the worst song of 1990. So why is it on here. Finally there are several good, classic songs that are missing such as "Phantom Of The Opera", "Sanctuary", "Running Free", "Iron Maiden", "Wrathchild", "Hallowed Be Thy Name", "Where Eagles Dare", "Aces High", and "Rime Of The Ancient Mariner"(may not be neccessary due to it's extreme length). I will give it one thing, the live version of "Fear Of The Dark" is really good. Better than the studio and the one released on "A Real Live One" This is what they should have put on here:

1.Iron Maiden
2.Sanctuary
3.Running Free
4.The Ides Of March/Wrathchild
5.The Number Of The Beast
6.Hallowed Be Thy Name
7.Run To The Hills
8.The Trooper
9.2 Minutes To Midnight
10.Wasted Years
11.The Evil That Men Do
12.Holy Smoke
13.Man On The Edge
14.Futureal
15.The Wicker Man
16.Fear Of The Dark(Live At Rock In Rio)

However if you want to buy an official Greatest Hits album then buy the 2 CD set for "Best Of The Beast" This is what is on there:

Disk 1:
1.Virus
2.Sign Of The Cross
3.Man On The Edge
4.Afraid To Shoot Strangers(Live)
5.Be Quick Or Be Dead
6.Fear Of The Dark(Live)
7.Bring Your Daughter...To The Slaughter
8.Holy Smoke
9.The Clairvoyant
10.Can I Play With Madness
11.The Evil That Men Do
12.Heaven Can Wait
13.Wasted Years

Disc 2:
1.The Rime Of The Ancinet Mariner(Live)
2.Running Free(Live)
3.2 Minutes To Midnight
4.Aces High
5.Where Eagles Dare
6.The Trooper
7.The Number Of The Beast
8.Run To The Hills
9.Hallowed Be Thy Name
10.Wrathchild
11.Phantom Of The Opera
12.Sanctuary
13.Strange World(Demo)
14.Iron Maiden(Demo)

All in all stay away from this. It's terrible