Is there any band with a more iconic visual legacy in heavy metal than Iron Maiden? The quick answer is "no" and after careful thought and consideration, the answer is still a resounding, door-slamming "no!" Still riding one of the most brilliant campaigns in music history, the Brits have carved a legacy all their own, forgoing commercial radio play, which was clearly not needed when you've got a mascot like Eddie representing your band.

There's no telling how many fans once walked through their nearest music store in search of new aural offerings, passing by the "I" section, thumbing through the metal acts and were met with one of Maiden's striking covers. Its the kind of thing that instills a feeling that you'd be making a dire mistake walking away from the store without at least one of these albums under your arms, hotfooting it back home to see what the music was like behind the imposing artwork.

For the more initiated, Eddie represents more than just a mascot. Eddie is heavy metal. With 25 album covers spanning studio and live albums (greatest hits, singles and box sets were excluded for the sake of sanity), everyone has their favorite for their own reasons. And who can blame them? So many of these pieces of art can rightfully claim ownership of the coveted top spot in our ranking because of the aura surrounding them. There's an incredible depth to Maiden artwork, offering plenty of ammunition for whichever cover you'd choose to argue as the best.

Whether it was Derek Riggs (the man responsible for creating Eddie), Melvyn Grant, Hugh Syme, Dave Patchett, Time Bradstreet or Mark Wilkinson, their collective legacy is Iron Maiden's album art.

Scroll through the gallery above to see how we ranked Iron Maiden's Studio + Live Album Cover Artwork!

10 Greatest Iron Maiden Onstage Eddies

More From 95 Rock