Edward the Great

According to Mick Wall, the collection was controversial amongst fans as it was released not long after previous compilations such as Best of the Beast and Ed Hunter.{{cite book | author=Wall, Mick | author-link = Mick Wall | title=Iron Maiden: Run to the Hills, the Authorised Biography | edition = 3rd | publisher=Sanctuary Publishing | year=2004 | isbn=1-86074-542-3 |page=365}} Bassist and founder member Steve Harris comments, "We did get a bit of flak for the Edward the Great album but it wasn't aimed at the hardcore fan, it was aimed at the peripheral people who've heard the name or seen the name on a T-shirt and wouldn't know which record to pick up." To satisfy "the real collector", the band released the Eddie's Archive box set simultaneously.

In 2005, a revised edition was released in Europe, Asia and South America with an updated track-listing. The new version coincided with the release of The Essential Iron Maiden compilation, released solely in North America, and featured songs from the Dance of Death album as well as an alternate live version of "Fear of the Dark".{{cite web | url = http://www.ironmaiden.com/the-essential-iron-maiden.html | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130126154601/http://www.ironmaiden.com/the-essential-iron-maiden.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 26 January 2013 | title = The Essential Iron Maiden | publisher = Ironmaiden.com | access-date = 13 January 2012 }} The updated CD also added the song "Brave New World" from the album of the same name and the booklet included a new foreword by Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood, replacing the original foreword by founding member Steve Harris. The album cover does not differentiate between the two editions.

{{Track listing

| headline = Original track listing

| total_length = 74:55

| extra_column = Original album

| title1 = Run to the Hills

| extra1 = 1982 ~ The Number of the Beast

| writer1 = Steve Harris

| length1 = 3:55

| title2 = The Number of the Beast

| extra2 = 1982 ~ The Number of the Beast

| writer2 = Harris

| length2 = 4:52

| title3 = Flight of Icarus

| extra3 = 1983 ~ Piece of Mind

| writer3 = Bruce Dickinson, Adrian Smith

| length3 = 3:52

| title4 = The Trooper

| extra4 = 1983 ~ Piece of Mind

| writer4 = Harris

| length4 = 4:11

| title5 = 2 Minutes to Midnight

| extra5 = 1984 ~ Powerslave

| writer5 = Smith, Dickinson

| length5 = 6:00

| title6 = Wasted Years

| extra6 = 1986 ~ Somewhere in Time

| writer6 = Smith

| length6 = 5:06

| title7 = Can I Play With Madness

| extra7 = 1988 ~ Seventh Son of a Seventh Son

| writer7 = Smith, Dickinson, Harris

| length7 = 3:31

| title8 = The Evil That Men Do

| extra8 = 1988 ~ Seventh Son of a Seventh Son

| writer8 = Smith, Dickinson, Harris

| length8 = 4:34

| title9 = The Clairvoyant

| extra9 = 1988 ~ Seventh Son of a Seventh Son

| writer9 = Harris

| length9 = 4:27

| title10 = Infinite Dreams

| extra10 = 1988 ~ Seventh Son of a Seventh Son

| writer10 = Harris

| length10 = 6:10

| title11 = Holy Smoke

| extra11 = 1990 ~ No Prayer for the Dying

| writer11 = Harris, Dickinson

| length11 = 3:48

| title12 = Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter

| extra12 = 1990 ~ No Prayer for the Dying

| writer12 = Dickinson

| length12 = 4:44

| title13 = Man on the Edge

| extra13 = 1995 ~ The X Factor

| writer13 = Blaze Bayley, Janick Gers

| length13 = 4:12

| title14 = Futureal

| extra14 = 1998 ~ Virtual XI

| writer14 = Harris, Bayley

| length14 = 2:55

| title15 = The Wicker Man

| extra15 = 2000 ~ Brave New World

| writer15 = Smith, Harris, Dickinson

| length15 = 4:34

| title16 = Fear of the Dark

| note16 = Live in Rock in Rio, Brazil 2001

| extra16 = 2002 ~ Rock in Rio (1992 ~ Fear of the Dark)

| writer16 = Harris

| length16 = 8:04

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Revised track listing

| total_length = 73:52

| extra_column = Original album

| title1 = Run to the Hills

| extra1 = 1982 ~ The Number of the Beast

| writer1 = Harris

| length1 = 3:55

| title2 = The Number of the Beast

| extra2 = 1982 ~ The Number of the Beast

| writer2 = Harris

| length2 = 4:52

| title3 = The Trooper

| extra3 = 1983 ~ Piece of Mind

| writer3 = Harris

| length3 = 4:11

| title4 = Flight of Icarus

| extra4 = 1983 ~ Piece of Mind

| writer4 = Smith, Dickinson

| length4 = 3:52

| title5 = 2 Minutes to Midnight

| extra5 = 1984 ~ Powerslave

| writer5 = Smith, Dickinson

| length5 = 6:00

| title6 = Wasted Years

| extra6 = 1986 ~ Somewhere in Time

| writer6 = Smith

| length6 = 5:06

| title7 = Can I Play With Madness

| extra7 = 1988 ~ Seventh Son of a Seventh Son

| writer7 = Smith, Dickinson, Harris

| length7 = 3:31

| title8 = The Evil That Men Do

| extra8 = 1988 ~ Seventh Son of a Seventh Son

| writer8 = Smith, Dickinson, Harris

| length8 = 4:34

| title9 = Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter

| extra9 = 1990 ~ No Prayer for the Dying

| writer9 = Dickinson

| length9 = 4:44

| title10 = Man on the Edge

| extra10 = 1995 ~ The X Factor

| writer10 = Bayley, Gers

| length10 = 4:12

| title11 = Futureal

| extra11 = 1998 ~ Virtual XI

| writer11 = Harris, Bayley

| length11 = 2:55

| title12 = The Wicker Man

| extra12 = 2000 ~ Brave New World

| writer12 = Smith, Harris, Dickinson

| length12 = 4:34

| title13 = Brave New World

| extra13 = 2000 ~ Brave New World

| writer13 = Dave Murray, Harris, Dickinson

| length13 = 6:18

| title14 = Wildest Dreams

| extra14 = 2003 ~ Dance of Death

| writer14 = Smith, Harris

| length14 = 3:52

| title15 = Rainmaker

| extra15 = 2003 ~ Dance of Death

| writer15 = Murray, Harris, Dickinson

| length15 = 3:48

| title16 = Fear of the Dark

| note16 = Live in Westfalenhallen, Germany 2003

| extra16 = 2005 ~ Death on the Road (1992 ~ Fear of the Dark)

| writer16 = Harris

| length16 = 7:28

}}

Production and performance credits are adapted from the album liner notes.{{cite AV media notes |title=Edward the Great |others=Iron Maiden |date=4 November 2002 |publisher=EMI }}

;Iron Maiden

• Bruce Dickinson – vocals
• Dave Murray – guitars
• Janick Gers – guitars ("Holy Smoke", "Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter", "Man on the Edge", "Futureal", "The Wicker Man", "Fear of the Dark", "Brave New World", "Wildest Dreams" and "Rainmaker")
• Adrian Smith – guitars (except "Holy Smoke", "Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter", "Man on the Edge" and "Futureal")
• Steve Harris – bass, producer ("Man on the Edge" and "Futureal"), co-producer ("The Wicker Man", "Fear of the Dark", "Brave New World", "Wildest Dreams" and "Rainmaker")
• Nicko McBrain – drums
• Clive Burr – drums ("Run to the Hills" and "The Number of the Beast")
• Blaze Bayley – vocals ("Man on the Edge" and "Futureal")

;Production

• Martin Birch – producer (except "Man on the Edge", "Futureal", "The Wicker Man", "Fear of the Dark", "Brave New World", "Wildest Dreams" and "Rainmaker")
• Nigel Green – producer ("Man on the Edge" and "Futureal")
• Kevin Shirley – producer ("The Wicker Man", "Fear of the Dark", "Brave New World", "Wildest Dreams" and "Rainmaker")
• Simon Heyworth – remastering (except "Man on the Edge", "Futureal", "The Wicker Man", "Fear of the Dark", "Brave New World", "Wildest Dreams" and "Rainmaker"), mastering ("Man on the Edge")
• Ronal Whelan – mastering ("Futureal")
• George Marino – mastering ("The Wicker Man", "Brave New World" and "Fear of the Dark" – 2002 edition)
• Tim Young – mastering ("Wildest Dreams" and "Rainmaker")
• Howie Weinberg – mastering ("Fear of the Dark" – 2005 edition)
• Tom Adams – sleeve illustration
• Peacock – art direction, design
• Dimo Safari – photography
• Simon Fowler – photography
• Ross Halfin – photography
• Rod Smallwood – management
• Andy Taylor – management
• Merck Mercuriadis – management

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry | region=Canada | title=Edward the Great | artist=Iron Maiden | award=Gold | type=album | access-date=29 April 2013 | relyear=2002 | relmonth=11 | date=12 October 2006 | certyear=2006}}

{{Certification Table Entry | region=Finland | artist=Iron Maiden | award=Gold | type=album | access-date=29 April 2013 | relyear=2002 | relmonth=11 | certyear=2003 | salesamount=15,201}}

{{Certification Table Entry | region=Sweden | title=Edward the Great | artist=Iron Maiden | award=Gold | type=album | access-date=29 April 2013 | relyear=2002 | relmonth=11 | certyear=2003}}

{{Certification Table Entry | region=United Kingdom | title=Edward the Great | artist=Iron Maiden | award=Gold | type=album |relyear=2002|certyear=2004 | date=11 September 2015|id=2016-1438-2}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=yes}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Iron Maiden}}

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Category:2002 greatest hits albums

Category:Iron Maiden compilation albums

Category:EMI Records compilation albums

Category:Heavy metal compilation albums