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Best of the Beast
Compilation album by Iron Maiden
Released	September 24, 1996
Recorded	1979–1996
Genre	Heavy Metal
Length	77:45 (single disc) 150 minutes (2-disc issue)
Label	EMI
Producer	Martin Birch, Nigel Green, Steve Harris, Iron Maiden, Will Malone
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link
Iron Maiden chronology
The X Factor (1995) Best of the Beast (1996) Virtual XI (1998)

Best of the Beast was Iron Maiden's first "best of" album, released in 1996 in three formats: a 34 track (four disc) vinyl, a 27 track (two disc) CD and a 16 track (single disc) CD. The songlist is mainly Maiden's greatest hits (singles) and most well-known songs from 1980-1995 albums, but it also includes a new single (entitled "Virus". A new version of "Afraid to Shoot Strangers" was also on this album. A Live video filmed during The X Factour (world tour to promote The X Factor album) - originally this song featured the band's previous vocalist Bruce Dickinson.

The two-CD version contained two songs from the band's 1979 demo tape The Soundhouse Tapes ("Iron Maiden" and "Strange World," of which the latter one was previously unreleased). The 4-disc vinyl version is nowadays quite rare and is now a collectable which has increased in value steadily on online auction sites. The standard edition's value has not changed much, and has been replaced by Edward the Great in most countries as a 'best of' for the band.

The cover art was by Derek Riggs, who designed most of Iron Maiden's album covers. It is an amalgimation of his most famous works with the band - it features Eddie from the Piece of Mind, Powerslave, Somewhere in Time and No Prayer for the Dying eras as well as "The Trooper", Live After Death and a redesign of the Killers album cover.

1. Virus
2. Sign Of The Cross
3. Afraid To Shoot Strangers (Live)
4. Man On The Edge
5. Be Quick Or Be Dead
6. Fear Of The Dark (Live)
7. Holy Smoke
8. Bring Your Daughter..To The Slaughter
9. Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
10. Can I Play With Madness
11. The Evil That Men Do
12. The Clairvoyant
13. Heaven Can Wait
14. Wasted Years
15. 2 Minutes To Midnight
16. Running Free (Live)
17. Rime Of The Ancient Mariner (Live)
18. Aces High
19. Where Eagles Dare
20. The Trooper
21. The Number Of The Beast
22. Revelations (Live)
23. The Prisoner
24. Run To The Hills
25. Hallowed Be Thy Name
26. Wrathchild
27. Killers
28. Remember Tomorrow
29. Phantom Of The Opera
30. Sanctuary
31. Prowler (1979 Demo)
32. Invasion (1979 Demo)
33. Strange World (1979 Demo)
34. Iron Maiden (1979 Demo)