The Official Maidenfans.com Rankings results (2004-2016)

T89: El Dorado - The Final Frontier (Smith, Harris, Dickinson)
Average score: 7.86/10 Deviation: 0.54
The Final Frontier 4/10
Top 100: 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016

Another song from The Final Frontier to win 5 Top 100 awards, this Grammy Award winning track is actually slowly slipping down the rankings. A strong set of early appearances keeps it up around this area, but I wouldn't be shocked if it slides out of the tightly-contested all-time Top 100 over the next decade. Lots of people thinking Bruce pushes it too hard on the choruses, but compliments for the killer opening riff.

Choice comments:

mckindog said:
I hesitate to make a firm ranking one month into a song, without the context of an album.
But if I gotta...

:edmetal:
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MadMax said:
It's a great, catchy song that rocks very hard; the riff is simple yet very effective and sticks in your head, the drums are powerful, the chorus is an earcatcher. Great solos too. Nothing in there that's not to like!
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.
The Flash said:
Damn strong song. Has an epic-evil touch and that's so great. Some people underestimate this song, but it's badass.
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SinisterMinisterX said:
It made a strong first impression, and was great live. It gets overshadowed by most other songs on the album ... that might be because it was old hat when every other song came out fresh.
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Poto said:
One of my favourite Maiden lyrics. This song has probably the best solos on the entire album. Each guitarist is on top of his game. The chorus is terrific, and the verses are very cool and laid-back altough I find Bruce's singing to be a little bit uninspired. Maybe a production issue.
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MrKnickerbocker said:
I really like the verses and the tonality in the prechorus, but the chorus is just a chore to listen to. It's catchy, but Bruce is really stretching.
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BeThyJames said:
That gallop might be the best they've ever done, certainly in the reunion era! Seriously that bass riff is one of the catchiest I've ever heard and I love Bruce's understated vocals in the verses. The chorus does stretch Bruce's voice too far though, much like Mother of Mercy.
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And this exchange is included because it's a classic example of barking up the wrong tree:
Natalie said:
Although between us, you've unearthed a much-known fact. I am a strange one. :ninja:
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Jeffmetal said:
I like strange women. :)
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Statistics
Yearly ratings & rankings
2011: 7.94; 68/144
2012: 60/144 +8
2014: 8.10 +0.16; 63/144 -3
2015: 7.90 -0.20; 76/144 -13
2016: 7.56 -0.24; 89/155 -13

Overall
89 - El Dorado (The Final Frontier)
89 - Mother of Mercy (The Final Frontier)
91 - Flash of the Blade (Powerslave)
92 - Out of the Shadows (A Matter of Life and Death)
93 - Blood on the World's Hands (The X Factor)
94 - Montsegur (Dance of Death)
95 - Journeyman (Dance of Death)
96 - Back in the Village (Powerslave)
97 - Purgatory (Killers)
98 - The Man of Sorrows (The Book of Souls)
99 - The Man Who Would Be King (The Final Frontier)
99 - Lightning Strikes Twice (Virtual XI)
101 - Lord of the Flies (The X Factor)
102 - 2 A.M. (The X Factor)
102 - Fortunes of War (The X Factor)
102 - Death or Glory (The Book of Souls)
105 - Satellite 15... The Final Frontier (The Final Frontier)
106 - Mother Russia (No Prayer For the Dying)
107 - Como Estais Amigos (Virtual XI)
108 - The Pilgrim (A Matter of Life and Death)
109 - Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) (Powerslave)
110 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
111 - Total Eclipse (The Number of the Beast)
112 - Speed of Light (The Book of Souls)
113 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
114 - Judgement of Heaven (The X Factor)
115 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
116 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
116 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
118 - Can I Play With Madness? (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
119 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
120 - The Mercenary (Brave New World)
121 - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)
122 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
123 - Shadows of the Valley (The Book of Souls)
124 - Charlotte the Harlot (Iron Maiden)
125 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
126 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
126 - Look For the Truth (The X Factor)
128 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
129 - Drifter (Killers)
130 - Another Life (Killers)
131 - Public Enema Number One (No Prayer For the Dying)
132 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
132 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
134 - Sanctuary (Iron Maiden)
135 - Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark)
136 - Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death)
137 - Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (Virtual XI)
138 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
139 - The Assassin (No Prayer For the Dying)
140 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
141 - Fates Warning (No Prayer For the Dying)
142 - New Frontier (Dance of Death)
143 - Holy Smoke (No Prayer For the Dying)
143 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
145 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
146 - Quest For Fire (Piece of Mind)
147 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter (No Prayer For the Dying)
148 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
149 - The Angel and the Gambler (Virtual XI)
150 - From Here to Eternity (Fear of the Dark)
151 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
152 - Chains of Misery (Fear of the Dark)
153 - Hooks in You (No Prayer For the Dying)
153 - Weekend Warrior (Fear of the Dark)
155 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)

Song deviance (least to greatest)
0.26 - Mother of Mercy (The Final Frontier)
0.34 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
0.39 - Satellite 15... The Final Frontier (The Final Frontier)
0.54 - El Dorado (The Final Frontier)
0.55 - The Man Who Would Be King (The Final Frontier)
0.60 - Flash of the Blade (Powerslave)
0.68 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
0.70 - Montsegur (Dance of Death)
0.76 - Fates Warning (No Prayer For the Dying)
0.78 - The Mercenary (Brave New World)
0.80 - Can I Play With Madness? (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
0.81 - Another Life (Killers)
0.85 - The Pilgrim (A Matter of Life and Death)
0.86 - Total Eclipse (The Number of the Beast)
0.90 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
0.92 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
0.93 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
0.96 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
1.02 - Lord of the Flies (The X Factor)
1.04 - Purgatory (Killers)
1.08 - Como Estais Amigos (Virtual XI)
1.15 - Mother Russia (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.23 - Fortunes of War (The X Factor)
1.29 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
1.45 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
1.46 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
1.46 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
1.52 - Journeyman (Dance of Death)
1.52 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
1.52 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
1.56 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
1.58 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
1.67 - Out of the Shadows (A Matter of Life and Death)
1.68 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)
1.82 - Drifter (Killers)
1.83 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.84 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
1.86 - Back in the Village (Powerslave)
1.86 - Sanctuary (Iron Maiden)
1.87 - Judgement of Heaven (The X Factor)
1.94 - Public Enema Number One (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.94 - Quest For Fire (Piece of Mind)
1.95 - The Angel and the Gambler (Virtual XI)
2.04 - Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death)
2.10 - Blood on the World's Hands (The X Factor)
2.20 - Lightning Strikes Twice (Virtual XI)
2.20 - New Frontier (Dance of Death)
2.22 - Hooks in You (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.26 - Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) (Powerslave)
2.27 - Look For the Truth (The X Factor)
2.72 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
2.82 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
2.93 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.94 - Holy Smoke (No Prayer For the Dying)
3.04 - Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark)
3.32 - Charlotte the Harlot (Iron Maiden)
3.34 - Chains of Misery (Fear of the Dark)
3.40 - Weekend Warrior (Fear of the Dark)
3.76 - From Here to Eternity (Fear of the Dark)
3.81 - 2 A.M. (The X Factor)
3.90 - The Assassin (No Prayer For the Dying)
3.95 - Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (Virtual XI)
n/a - Death or Glory (The Book of Souls)
n/a - Shadows of the Valley (The Book of Souls)
n/a - Speed of Light (The Book of Souls)
n/a - The Man of Sorrows (The Book of Souls)
n/a - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)

Albums
Iron Maiden 4/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 12
Killers 5/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 18
The Number of the Beast 3/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 7
Piece of Mind 2/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 1
Powerslave 3/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 3 Top 100: 14
Somewhere in Time 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 6
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
No Prayer For the Dying 8/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
Fear of the Dark 9/12 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 20
The X Factor 7/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 2 Top 50: 4 Top 100: 32
Virtual XI 5/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 4 Top 100: 12
Brave New World 2/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
Dance of Death 6/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 22
A Matter of Life and Death 2/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 9
The Final Frontier 4/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 19
The Book of Souls 4/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 3
 
Mother of Mercy chorus is unbearable. Worst track on TFF despite some cool guitar moments. El Dorado is a much better song overall.
 
I love Mother of Mercy and El Dorado. Both are lyrically outstanding and musically good. I love all of TFF except for The Talism and The Man Who Would Be King. I don't hate those songs, they're not bad. Just find them a bit annoying.
 
This is very cool, I just spent way too much time reading through these all. I'm basically on board and cool with everything aside from TAATG not being in last place. But aside from that I'm down. Awesome work and I can't wait to see how the rest shake out!
 
Flash of the Blade is fucking awesome. Top 20 song for me.

Mother of Mercy is also a great track despite the strained chorus.
 
Donner said:
This is very cool, I just spent way too much time reading through these all. I'm basically on board and cool with everything aside from TAATG not being in last place. But aside from that I'm down. Awesome work and I can't wait to see how the rest shake out!
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I cant image any singles being ranked that far down
 
T87: Deja Vu - Somewhere in Time (Murray, Harris)
Average score: 7.87/10 Deviation: 0.66
Somewhere in Time 2/8
Top 100: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016

Do you feel like you've been here before? This one has a snug deviation at two-thirds of a point, though it has slipped slowly over time, this seems to be in time with general forum changes that have meant some years have songs rated more highly than others regardless of the actual quality. It's 2008 performance is the highest, and that's probably because in 2008 there were about 20 forum accounts registered that did nothing but vote 9s and 10s on all Somewhere in Time songs, giving them artificially high numbers. In addition, in the first set of rankings taken from the IMC, someone voted about 50 10s on Wasted Years, giving that one an artificially high number as well. Not only did this practice over-rate Somewhere in Time, it also skewed the entire average-per-song higher that year, which explains some of the odd behaviours seen.

Choice comments:

MigDaimon said:
What can I say abou it ? A song that is almost 100% done on harmonies and got Dave Murray´s name on it certainly is great. FUCKING GREAT !!!
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LooseCannon said:
I think it has decent lyrics, but Bruce isn't 100% on the track. It's fairly synthy; I've never loved this track, but I often enjoy it.
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Vortex said:
By far the worst track on the album, just a filler track to me. The guitar riffs are not bad but the singing is awful, well more like the vocal lines are awful.
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mckindog said:
This is not only the most underappreciated track on SIT, it’s the most underappreciated track by Maiden. Dave’s clear and pure guitar melodies carry this song. They combine with Nicko’s relentless pacing and backroads rhythm shifting to give it a feel of quiet desperation. Could have been a great instrumental, but Bruce’s vocal is a nicely understated element that complements the song instead of leading it.
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Forostar said:
This is Maiden's most catchy song. It's incredibly melodic, and it's so infectious that you can't sit still while hearing it. I always have to tap my feet, or air drum when I hear this.
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Genghis Khan said:
I like the melody of this song, but there is a bit of rehashing of previous material, at least it sounds that way to me.
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Perun said:
I think this one is pretty weak in the verses, but really strong when it comes to riff and chorus. It also has a great atmosphere. The lyrics are a downer for me. They already hint at what is going to be really wrong with the next song: They are descriptive, but not involving.
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Mosh said:
I used to love this song, but nowadays it doesn't interest me much. I can't remember the last time I listened to it.
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BeThyJames said:
I just can't see this as anything other than filler.
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Statistics
Yearly ratings & rankings
2004: 8.10; 75/123
2005: 8.04 -0.06; 69/124 +6
2006: 8.00 -0.06; 73/124 -4
2008: 8.16 +0.16; 80/134 -11
2011: 7.50 -0.66; 88/144 -8
2012: 58/144 +30
2014: 7.75 +0.25; 85/144 -27
2015: 7.94 +0.19; 69/144 +16
2016: 7.76 -0.18 75/155 -6

Overall
87 - Deja Vu (Somewhere in Time)
89 - El Dorado (The Final Frontier)
89 - Mother of Mercy (The Final Frontier)
91 - Flash of the Blade (Powerslave)
92 - Out of the Shadows (A Matter of Life and Death)
93 - Blood on the World's Hands (The X Factor)
94 - Montsegur (Dance of Death)
95 - Journeyman (Dance of Death)
96 - Back in the Village (Powerslave)
97 - Purgatory (Killers)
98 - The Man of Sorrows (The Book of Souls)
99 - The Man Who Would Be King (The Final Frontier)
99 - Lightning Strikes Twice (Virtual XI)
101 - Lord of the Flies (The X Factor)
102 - 2 A.M. (The X Factor)
102 - Fortunes of War (The X Factor)
102 - Death or Glory (The Book of Souls)
105 - Satellite 15... The Final Frontier (The Final Frontier)
106 - Mother Russia (No Prayer For the Dying)
107 - Como Estais Amigos (Virtual XI)
108 - The Pilgrim (A Matter of Life and Death)
109 - Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) (Powerslave)
110 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
111 - Total Eclipse (The Number of the Beast)
112 - Speed of Light (The Book of Souls)
113 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
114 - Judgement of Heaven (The X Factor)
115 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
116 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
116 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
118 - Can I Play With Madness? (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
119 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
120 - The Mercenary (Brave New World)
121 - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)
122 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
123 - Shadows of the Valley (The Book of Souls)
124 - Charlotte the Harlot (Iron Maiden)
125 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
126 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
126 - Look For the Truth (The X Factor)
128 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
129 - Drifter (Killers)
130 - Another Life (Killers)
131 - Public Enema Number One (No Prayer For the Dying)
132 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
132 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
134 - Sanctuary (Iron Maiden)
135 - Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark)
136 - Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death)
137 - Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (Virtual XI)
138 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
139 - The Assassin (No Prayer For the Dying)
140 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
141 - Fates Warning (No Prayer For the Dying)
142 - New Frontier (Dance of Death)
143 - Holy Smoke (No Prayer For the Dying)
143 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
145 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
146 - Quest For Fire (Piece of Mind)
147 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter (No Prayer For the Dying)
148 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
149 - The Angel and the Gambler (Virtual XI)
150 - From Here to Eternity (Fear of the Dark)
151 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
152 - Chains of Misery (Fear of the Dark)
153 - Hooks in You (No Prayer For the Dying)
153 - Weekend Warrior (Fear of the Dark)
155 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)

Song deviance (least to greatest)
0.26 - Mother of Mercy (The Final Frontier)
0.34 - The Fallen Angel (Brave New World)
0.39 - Satellite 15... The Final Frontier (The Final Frontier)
0.54 - El Dorado (The Final Frontier)
0.55 - The Man Who Would Be King (The Final Frontier)
0.60 - Flash of the Blade (Powerslave)
0.66 - Deja Vu (Somewhere in Time)
0.68 - Invaders (The Number of the Beast)
0.70 - Montsegur (Dance of Death)
0.76 - Fates Warning (No Prayer For the Dying)
0.78 - The Mercenary (Brave New World)
0.80 - Can I Play With Madness? (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
0.81 - Another Life (Killers)
0.85 - The Pilgrim (A Matter of Life and Death)
0.86 - Total Eclipse (The Number of the Beast)
0.90 - Heaven Can Wait (Somewhere in Time)
0.92 - Fear is the Key (Fear of the Dark)
0.93 - Sun and Steel (Piece of Mind)
0.96 - Innocent Exile (Killers)
1.02 - Lord of the Flies (The X Factor)
1.04 - Purgatory (Killers)
1.08 - Como Estais Amigos (Virtual XI)
1.15 - Mother Russia (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.23 - Fortunes of War (The X Factor)
1.29 - Gangland (The Number of the Beast)
1.45 - When Two Worlds Collide (Virtual XI)
1.46 - Childhood's End (Fear of the Dark)
1.46 - Running Free (Iron Maiden)
1.52 - Journeyman (Dance of Death)
1.52 - The Fugitive (Fear of the Dark)
1.52 - Wasting Love (Fear of the Dark)
1.56 - Iron Maiden (Iron Maiden)
1.58 - The Unbeliever (The X Factor)
1.67 - Out of the Shadows (A Matter of Life and Death)
1.68 - The Apparition (Fear of the Dark)
1.82 - Drifter (Killers)
1.83 - Tailgunner (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.84 - Age of Innocence (Dance of Death)
1.86 - Back in the Village (Powerslave)
1.86 - Sanctuary (Iron Maiden)
1.87 - Judgement of Heaven (The X Factor)
1.94 - Public Enema Number One (No Prayer For the Dying)
1.94 - Quest For Fire (Piece of Mind)
1.95 - The Angel and the Gambler (Virtual XI)
2.04 - Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death)
2.10 - Blood on the World's Hands (The X Factor)
2.20 - Lightning Strikes Twice (Virtual XI)
2.20 - New Frontier (Dance of Death)
2.22 - Hooks in You (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.26 - Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) (Powerslave)
2.27 - Look For the Truth (The X Factor)
2.72 - Twilight Zone (Killers)
2.82 - Gates of Tomorrow (Dance of Death)
2.93 - Bring Your Daughter... ...To the Slaughter (No Prayer For the Dying)
2.94 - Holy Smoke (No Prayer For the Dying)
3.04 - Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark)
3.32 - Charlotte the Harlot (Iron Maiden)
3.34 - Chains of Misery (Fear of the Dark)
3.40 - Weekend Warrior (Fear of the Dark)
3.76 - From Here to Eternity (Fear of the Dark)
3.81 - 2 A.M. (The X Factor)
3.90 - The Assassin (No Prayer For the Dying)
3.95 - Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (Virtual XI)
n/a - Death or Glory (The Book of Souls)
n/a - Shadows of the Valley (The Book of Souls)
n/a - Speed of Light (The Book of Souls)
n/a - The Man of Sorrows (The Book of Souls)
n/a - When the River Runs Deep (The Book of Souls)

Albums
Iron Maiden 4/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 12
Killers 5/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 18
The Number of the Beast 3/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 7
Piece of Mind 2/9 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 1
Powerslave 3/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 3 Top 100: 14
Somewhere in Time 2/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 15
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 1/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
No Prayer For the Dying 8/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 2 Top 100: 11
Fear of the Dark 9/12 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 20
The X Factor 7/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 2 Top 50: 4 Top 100: 32
Virtual XI 5/8 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 4 Top 100: 12
Brave New World 2/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 4
Dance of Death 6/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 22
A Matter of Life and Death 2/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 9
The Final Frontier 4/10 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 19
The Book of Souls 4/11 Top 10: 0 Top 25: 0 Top 50: 0 Top 100: 3
 
Looking at my scoring notes, it's probably my second least favourite off the album, so I'm not disappointed or anything. Still, it livens up the album a bit and it's pretty catchy, I admit. But the "been here before" chorus is kind of stupid.
 
I heard Deja Vu for the first time in ages two days ago, and I was thoroughly impressed. Such a great song.
 
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