Iron Maiden's Senjutsu album has been voted the best of 2021 in Classic Rock magazine's annual end-of-year writers poll. The full countdown, featuring the 50 best albums of the year, is featured in the new issue of Classic Rock, which is out now.
“We all still enjoy making new music and will never take our longevity and success for granted," says Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson. "We’re immensely proud of Senjutsu and it’s great to hear Classic Rock voted it #1 Album of The Year."
Senjutsu – described in Classic Rock's review as "remarkable album from a band that still has plenty to say and to offer" – was released in September, hitting the number two spot on the UK album chart and reaching number three on the Billboard 200, a career-high placing for the band on the US album chart. It also reached number one in 13 countries, including Germany, Spain and Italy.
"Damn straight it's remarkable," says Classic Rock editor Siân Llewellyn. "When Maiden's 17th studio album turned up almost unannounced in September we were reminded of just how consistently good the veteran metallers are, and how vital a band of forty plus years standing can be. It's wholly deserving of being Classic Rock's Album Of 2021."
Runners up in the Classic Rock writer's poll were Mammoth WVH's debut album, The Wildhearts' 21st Century Love Songs, Joe Bonamassa's Time Clocks, and Hardware by Billy F Gibbons.
You can read the full 2021 Top 50 in the latest issue of Classic Rock. It's our traditional end of year review, featuring interviews with many of the musicians behind our Albums Of The Year – including Brice Dickinson – and comes with a 2022 wall calendar and a classic rock colouring book. It's available to buy online.
