Reader's No 1). "Hallowed Be Thy Name," Iron Maiden: Iron Maiden are the kings of the end-of-the-album-side, eight-minute epic and – with apologies to "Rime of the Ancient Mariner," "Fear of the Dark" and a few others – they've never done it better than on this Number of the Beast monster. From the initial bell tolling to the rush of the full-band entrance around the one-minute mark and the enthralling riff that follows, the song never ceases to build. Just as the lyrical character's anticipation and terror escalates on his walk to the gallows, so builds the power of the track. By the end of the song, as Bruce Dickinson belts "Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Hallowed Be Thy Name!" the listener is in full-out headbanging frenzy. With winding, weaving, harmonizing twin solos from Adrian Smith and Dave Murray, and thunderous backing from bestial bassist Steve Harris and drummer Clive Burr, the song is, perhaps, the perfect distillation of the unmatchable Iron Maiden formula. – Michael Wright - Read the full Readers Poll list here.

Gibson's No. 1) "Master of Puppets," Metallica: Metallica were already high on the heavy metal watch list with Kill 'em All and Ride the Lightning, but 1986's Master of Puppets was the ultimate statement of intent, as much a call to arms for metalheads everywhere as it was a dire warning of the enslaving power of drug abuse. The song's razor-sharp intro riff sets up the perfect headbanging tempo in the chugging verses, while it's every teenage metal fan's sacred rite of passage to scream out "Master! Master!" at the top of their lungs to this song (preferably at a Metallica concert, but at the very least from a car window). The breakdown and harmony line are balanced by a rare James Hetfield solo (with Hetfield revealing a surprisingly bluesy, haunting and emotional lead style), a return to the harmony, then a blazing Kirk Hammett solo. By the end of the song, it's obvious that metal would never be the same. – Peter Hodgson