When and how did Iron Maiden commercially overtake Judas Priest?
Priest were already huge long before Maiden broke through. Up until around 1990, both bands were extremely successful. Then both went through similar phases: two less well-received albums with new singers, followed by the return of Dickinson and Halford.
But while Maiden seemed able to pick up almost exactly where they left off at their peak, Priest have also had a solid comeback, just on a noticeably lower commercial level. I don’t really understand why that is.
Musically, they feel absolutely comparable in terms of quality and consistency. Both have a similar number of iconic songs and landmark albums, and they clearly appeal to the same audience.
Is it ultimately just branding and imagery—like Eddie as a strong visual mascot on album covers and merch—that made the difference?