Accident of Birth is the fourth studio album by Bruce Dickinson, released on 3 June 1997[1] through Castle Communications' sub‑label Raw Power in the UK and through CMC International in the US.

Thanks to the slightly bigger success of this album than his previous solo releases, Dickinson would continue to work with Roy Z on his subsequent albums, The Chemical Wedding (1998) and Tyranny of Souls (2005) and The Mandrake Project (2024) The cover art was produced by Derek Riggs, best known for being the creator of Iron Maiden's mascot, Eddie, and the artwork on all of Iron Maiden's albums, singles, posters and tour brochures throughout 1980–1990 (and sporadically afterwards up until 2000's Brave New World, other than one additional Eddie drawing for the cover of his book Run for Cover).

A grim reaper is also faintly visible in the background, such a figure having previously been included by Riggs in his artwork for Iron Maiden's Live After Death and Somewhere in Time albums, as well as on the band's earlier single "The Trooper".

The cover was deemed too explicit for the US market, where the album was instead released with completely different artwork showing a frontal view of Edison.

Finally, the extended edition of the album features the original, unedited artwork, with the head of the man from whom Edison is bursting clearly visible.