The album's producer Martin Birch remarked, "I simply didn't think [former vocalist Paul Di'Anno] was capable of handling lead vocals on some of the quite complicated directions I knew Steve wanted to explore ...

"[4] According to several interviews Dickinson was heavily involved in writing several of the album's songs, and in particular the tracks "Children of the Damned", "The Prisoner" and "Run to the Hills".

Music press reports told stories of unexplained phenomena occurring during the sessions at Battery Studios, such as lights turning on and off of their own accord, and the recording gear mysteriously breaking down.

[10] These odd occurrences climaxed with Birch being involved in a car accident with a mini-bus transporting a group of nuns, after which he was presented with a repair bill for £666.

The cover was originally created for the song "Purgatory", but manager Rod Smallwood deemed it of too high a calibre for the release of a mere single, and decided to save it for The Number of the Beast.

[13] The original 1982 artwork includes a blue sky in the background; a mistake by the printers of the cover, this was corrected to black when the album was remastered for compact disc in 1998.

[14] In addition, Satan was supposed to have wings made out of lightning and smoke (which can still be seen vaguely in the final piece) but due to time constraints, Riggs was unable to complete it as intended.

[15] According to US professor Bryan A. Bardine, "this album evokes power, passion and music that present darker themes and images.

"[16] The artwork has been parodied by crossover thrash band Stormtroopers of Death for the cover of their 1999 album Bigger than the Devil, and on a T-shirt by Streetwear brand Diamond Supply Co.[14][17] "It's probably thick," remarked Kiss bassist Gene Simmons of the sleeve.

[20] As they were rushing to complete the album in time, as well as record and mix the single for an even earlier release, the band hastily selected "Total Eclipse" as the B-side.

[8] As they had written too much material, they had to choose between "Total Eclipse" and "Gangland" for the "Run to the Hills" B-side, with the understanding that the other song would appear on the album.

[21] While the title track was considered by many religious groups in the United States as evidence that Iron Maiden was a Satanic band, the song was in fact inspired by a nightmare that bassist Steve Harris had, triggered by watching the film Damien: Omen II late at night.

[12] AllMusic describes the track as "perhaps the most celebrated of the band's extended epics; it's the tale of a prisoner about to be hanged, featuring some of Harris' most philosophical lyrics.

[31] "22 Acacia Avenue" is the second song in the "Charlotte the Harlot" saga, which was originally written by Adrian Smith several years earlier, while playing in his old band, Urchin.

According to Smith, Steve Harris remembered hearing the song at an Urchin concert in a local park, and modified it for The Number of the Beast album.

[12][34] The subsequent tour was subject to boycotts and demonstrations: venues were sometimes surrounded by activists who handed out leaflets and, in one case, a 25-foot cross was carried in protest.

The US version of the 1995 reissue incorrectly gives Paul Di'Anno a songwriting credit for "Total Eclipse";[37] the song had actually been written by Harris, Murray, and Burr.

"[27] Sputnikmusic calls it "a classic in the world of metal",[43] while BBC Music praised the record's complex arrangements, stating "Whereas even some of the venerable HM institutions (think Black Sabbath) would struggle to make material that was something more than a collection of minor-key riffs, Iron Maiden pull this feat off with considerable élan.

On 24 October 2002, progressive metal outfit Dream Theater played the original album in its entirety at La Mutualité in Paris, France.

"Run to the Hills" was covered on the tribute album Numbers From The Beast, featuring vocalist Robin McAuley, guitarists Michael Schenker and Pete Fletcher, bassist Tony Franklin and drummer Brian Tichy.

magazine in 2008,[75] and by Cradle of Filth,[76] while the title track has also been covered by Billy Corgan's band Djali Zwan on the soundtrack of the film Spun.

[77] Acoustic reinterpretations of "Children of the Damned" and "22 Acacia Avenue" were included on the album Across The Seventh Sea (2012) by the tribute project Maiden uniteD.

[83] "The Number of the Beast" was also featured in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (master recording),[84] and on Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4.

[85] All tracks are written by Steve Harris, except where notedProduction and performance credits are adapted from the album liner notes[24][25] and AllMusic.