Did Maiden have official releases in Eastern Bloc, South America, Asia (bar Japan) in the 1980s? I'm trying to figure out how they managed to double the sales with 90s output. Some new markets opening for sure, but I guess large amounts of Maiden stuff circulating around the globe in the 1980s were bootlegs. And therefore unaccounted for in that 25M number.
It's clear with 1996-2019 because in that period band "rejuvenated" itself and remained relevant for generations to come, who would dip into the back catalogue sooner than later.