Editing Iron Maiden (section)

==Musical style and influences==
{{Listen
|filename= IronMaidenRTTH.ogg
|title= "Run to the Hills" (1982)
|description= "Run to the Hills" (''The Number of the Beast'') demonstrates the band's trademark "gallop" riff style.
|filename2= IronMaidenCSIT.ogg
|title2= "Caught Somewhere in Time" (1986)
|description2= "Caught Somewhere in Time" (''Somewhere in Time''). The band's use of harmonised guitars and usage of "gallop" rhythm remains unchanged as synthesisers are added.
|filename3= IronMaidenBNW.ogg
|title3= "Brave New World" (2000)
|description3= "Brave New World" (''Brave New World'') demonstrates the band's increased use of progressive elements in the latter half of their career.
}}

Steve Harris, Iron Maiden's bassist and primary songwriter,{{sfn|MusicRadar|2010}} has said his influences include [[Black Sabbath]], [[Deep Purple]], [[Led Zeppelin]], [[Uriah Heep (band)|Uriah Heep]], [[Pink Floyd]], [[Genesis (band)|Genesis]], [[Yes (band)|Yes]], [[Jethro Tull (band)|Jethro Tull]], [[Thin Lizzy]], [[UFO (band)|UFO]], [[Queen (band)|Queen]], [[Wishbone Ash]].{{sfnm|1a1=Blabbermouth.net|1y=2004c|2a1=EMI|2y=2004|3a1=Wall|3y=2004|3p=27|4a1=Wall|4y=2004|4p=154}} and [[Golden Earring]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Brannigan |first1=Paul |title=Iron Maiden's Steve Harris: 8 songs that changed my life |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/iron-maidens-steve-harris-8-songs-that-changed-my-life |website=loudersound |access-date=9 May 2022 |language=en |date=24 June 2021}}</ref> Iron Maiden covered a song by Golden Earring called Kill Me Ce Soir on the B-side of the single "[[Holy Smoke (song)|Holy Smoke]]". In 2010 Harris said, "I think if anyone wants to understand Maiden's early thing, in particular the harmony guitars, all they have to do is listen to Wishbone Ash's ''[[Argus (album)|Argus]]'' album. Thin Lizzy too, but not as much. And then we wanted to have a bit of a prog thing thrown in as well, because I was really into bands like Genesis and Jethro Tull. So you combine all that with the heavy riffs and the speed, and you've got it."{{sfn|Bienstock|2011}} In 2004, Harris explained the band's "heaviness" was inspired by "Black Sabbath and Deep Purple with a bit of Zeppelin thrown in."{{sfn|Blabbermouth.net|2004c}} Harris also developed his own playing style, which guitarist Janick Gers describes as "more like a rhythm guitar."{{sfn|Popoff|2005(c)}} Harris's bass technique is responsible for the band's galloping style,{{sfn|Fender}} heard in such songs as "[[The Trooper]]"{{sfn|Huey(2)}} and "Run to the Hills".{{sfn|Lawson}}

The band's guitarists, Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, and Janick Gers, each have their own individual influences and playing styles. Dave Murray is known for his [[legato]] technique which, he says, "evolved naturally. I'd heard [[Jimi Hendrix]] using legato when I was growing up, and I liked that style of playing."{{sfn|McIver|2010(a)}} Stating that he "was inspired by [[blues rock]] rather than metal," Adrian Smith was influenced by [[Johnny Winter]] and [[Pat Travers]], leading to him becoming a "melodic player."{{sfn|McIver|2010(c)}} Janick Gers prefers a more improvised style, largely inspired by [[Ritchie Blackmore]],{{sfn|Wall|2004|p=277}} which he says is in contrast to Smith's "rhythmic" sound.{{sfn|McIver|2010(b)}}

Singer Bruce Dickinson, who typically works in collaboration with guitarist Adrian Smith,{{sfn|Wall|2004|p=244}} has an [[operatic]] vocal style, inspired by [[Arthur Brown (musician)|Arthur Brown]], [[Peter Hammill]], [[Ian Anderson]] and [[Ian Gillan]],{{sfn|Dmme.net}} and is often considered to be one of the best heavy metal vocalists of all time.{{sfnm|1a1=Rosen|1y=2011|2a1=HearYa.com|2y=2006|3a1=Blabbermouth.net|3y=2009a|4a1=Blabbermouth.net|4y=2009b}} Although Nicko McBrain has only received one writing credit, on the ''Dance of Death'' album,{{sfn|Ling|2005b}} Harris often relies on him while developing songs. Adrian Smith commented, "Steve loves playing with him. [They] used to work for hours going over these bass and drum patterns."{{sfn|Wall|2004|p=241}}

Throughout their career, the band's style has remained largely unchanged, although the addition of guitar synthesisers on 1986's ''Somewhere in Time'',{{sfn|Prato}} keyboards on 1988's ''Seventh Son of a Seventh Son'',{{sfn|Wall|2004|p=265}} and an attempt to return to the "stripped down" production of their earlier material on {{notatypo|1990's}} ''No Prayer for the Dying'' marked some experimentation.{{sfn|Wall|2004|p=283}} In recent years, however, the band have begun using more [[progressive rock|progressive]] elements in their songs,{{sfnm|1a1=Dome|1y=2006a|2a1=Dome|2y=2006b}} which Steve Harris describes as not progressive "in the modern sense, but like [[Dream Theater]], more in a 70s way".{{sfn|Dome|2006b}} Greg Prato of [[Ultimate Guitar|Ultimate-Guitar]] wrote, "By and large, Iron Maiden's long and lengthy career can be categorized into two separate eras: "punk Maiden" and "prog Maiden".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Top 5 New Wave of British Heavy Metal Tunes |url=https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/articles/features/top_5_new_wave_of_british_heavy_metal_tunes-167070 |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=www.ultimate-guitar.com |language=en}}</ref> According to Harris, ''Seventh Son of a Seventh Son'' was the band's first album which was "more progressive",{{sfn|Wall|2004|p=264}} and they would return to this style in 1995's ''The X Factor'', which he states is "like an extension of ''Seventh Son''..., in the sense of the progressive element to it".{{sfn|Wall|2004|p=311}} The development contrasts with the band's raw-sounding earlier material,{{sfn|Bienstock|2011}} which [[AllMusic]] states was "clearly drawing from elements of punk rock",{{sfn|Huey(1)}} although Harris firmly denies this.{{sfn|VH1|2011}}