Iron Maiden debuts at #1 in 21 countries with The Final Frontier
Band enters U.S. chart with highest-ever standing at #4
By Thom Copher
Band enters U.S. chart with highest-ever standing at #4
By Thom Copher
A hella-big congrats goes out to Iron Maiden whose
newly-released album, The Final Frontier, has topped the
charts in an astronomical 21 countries. The band also pulls in at
number four on the U.S. Billboard Top-200 Albums chart, its
highest-ever register in The States.
The phenomenal success of Frontier is yet another notch in the
cap in the incredible resurgence which Maiden has experienced
over the past few years. It wasn't that long ago, 1995 thru
1998, that Maiden - minus vocalist Bruce Dickinson and guitarist
Adrian Smith - released The X Factor and Virtual XI. Those
albums, which featured ex-Wolfsbane singer Blaze Bailey,
experienced a marked decline in sales from previous releases and
it appeared that the band, for all practical purposes, was
finished.
newly-released album, The Final Frontier, has topped the
charts in an astronomical 21 countries. The band also pulls in at
number four on the U.S. Billboard Top-200 Albums chart, its
highest-ever register in The States.
The phenomenal success of Frontier is yet another notch in the
cap in the incredible resurgence which Maiden has experienced
over the past few years. It wasn't that long ago, 1995 thru
1998, that Maiden - minus vocalist Bruce Dickinson and guitarist
Adrian Smith - released The X Factor and Virtual XI. Those
albums, which featured ex-Wolfsbane singer Blaze Bailey,
experienced a marked decline in sales from previous releases and
it appeared that the band, for all practical purposes, was
finished.
1999 saw the re-enlistment of Dickinson and Smith (marking the band's debut as a three-guitar outfit) followed by 2000's
"comeback" LP, the aptly-titled Brave New World. Maiden continued its rejuvenated spirit with Dance of Death (2003) and A
Matter of Life and Death (2006) and seemingly reached a pinnacle with its "Somewhere Back in Time" tour which was
breathtakingly documented with the feature film Flight 666. And now, history continues to be made with The Final Frontier.
The Iron Maiden triumph over all odds is no flash-in-the-pan. Thirty years after its self-titled debut, the band continue to
evolve - unlike many of its elder counterparts who have gone the "nostalgia-act" route. Iron Maiden, as it has throughout its
existence, has accepted the challenge to boldly forge ahead, creative juices flowing, albums progressively more daring, and - in
the grand-Maiden tradition, spectacularly no-holds-barred with its live presentation.
There is apparently no end to the horizon for Iron Maiden... the band controls its own destiny which, hopefully, will continue far
into the future. So, with that sentiment firmly in place, I say "Cheers, Lads... good things come to those who truly deserve
it!!"
Here's a recap of the first-week performance of The Final Frontier:
No. 1 -- Arabia, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Finland, Japan,
Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK
No. 2 -- Australia, Belgium, Holland
No. 3 -- Ireland, Poland, Turkey
No. 4 -- USA
UP THE IRONS!!!
"comeback" LP, the aptly-titled Brave New World. Maiden continued its rejuvenated spirit with Dance of Death (2003) and A
Matter of Life and Death (2006) and seemingly reached a pinnacle with its "Somewhere Back in Time" tour which was
breathtakingly documented with the feature film Flight 666. And now, history continues to be made with The Final Frontier.
The Iron Maiden triumph over all odds is no flash-in-the-pan. Thirty years after its self-titled debut, the band continue to
evolve - unlike many of its elder counterparts who have gone the "nostalgia-act" route. Iron Maiden, as it has throughout its
existence, has accepted the challenge to boldly forge ahead, creative juices flowing, albums progressively more daring, and - in
the grand-Maiden tradition, spectacularly no-holds-barred with its live presentation.
There is apparently no end to the horizon for Iron Maiden... the band controls its own destiny which, hopefully, will continue far
into the future. So, with that sentiment firmly in place, I say "Cheers, Lads... good things come to those who truly deserve
it!!"
Here's a recap of the first-week performance of The Final Frontier:
No. 1 -- Arabia, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Finland, Japan,
Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK
No. 2 -- Australia, Belgium, Holland
No. 3 -- Ireland, Poland, Turkey
No. 4 -- USA
UP THE IRONS!!!