I don't know why everybody thinks that Iron Maiden would be a big hit. So many people outright hate metal. Far more than enjoy it. On top of the music genre, the art isn't a super great fit for many others.

Metallica is far more friendly to the mainstream than Iron Maiden happens to be. Even Metallica has 2-3 songs that pretty much everybody can handle, even if they generally dislike Metallica's music.

Hah, that's really cute. My 5-year old loves AC/DC (the pinball machine) too. He calls it the "underneath game" because of the lower playfield.

Iron Maiden's artwork would be a disaster for mainstream adoption. It's the kind of crap that you associate with the weird kids in high school who wore trench coats and black boots. That stuff disappears from your home by the time you're 20 unless you're committed to that ponytail and wallet chain lifestyle.

It's a perception thing. Both Metallica and AC/DC are more accepted by the mainstream. You hear Metallica and AC/DC at sporting events in the stadium, you see their stuff in ads, and many of their songs are recognizable (without instant negative connotation) by millions of people who aren't fans of either band. You play "You Shook me all Night Long" and you'll have dudes in their 60s tapping their feet and teenage girls singing along. Play "Enter Sandman" and the same thing happens. Pull out some Iron Maiden and watch those same people just wait for it to end.

KISS enjoys mainstream love too as their songs appear often on classic rock and mainstream rock stations.

Stern isn't going to build a machine that has minimal US appeal in comparison to other licenses. I get that we have fans of the band here on Pinside, and I get that you may like the band a lot, but don't let that alter your perceptions of where Iron Maiden stands in regards to the mainstream appeal. I mean, I really like Pearl Jam. A lot. Millions of people worldwide love Pearl Jam. But no, it wouldn't make for a successful pinball license.

They're all past their prime, yeah, but these games get made for bands that have a legacy, a deep library. But something like this...

ironmaiden.jpg

...just isn't going to play well for a big portion of the pinball buying and operating audience.

I'm shocked at how dense some people are. It's not about record sales. It's not about how cool something is to a certain group of people. It's about MAINSTREAM appeal. Holy jeez, it's easier to explain calculus to my 6-year old boy than it is to get this across to some of you.

I just got back from lunch. I saw this and snapped a pic. This is a PERFECT example of what I'm talking about. I wasn't even looking for this, just saw it in passing while picking some stuff up for my boy's birthday party.

kiss-mints.jpg

Do you think there's any hope in the world that Iron Maiden would be paired with something like Hello Kitty and sold in Toys R Us like that? Forget that you like the band and are super stoked about '80s and '90s metal for a minute. Think about it. If you can't see how there's a major difference between KISS and Iron Maiden in regards to mainstream adoption potential, you're a lost cause and there's no point even talking about this topic further.

It's not about record sales. It's. Just. Not. If it was, Madonna, ABBA, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Rihanna, Garth Brooks, Phil Collins, Barbara Streisand, Mariah Carey, Taylor Swift, and a whole bunch of other clowns would be in line to get their pinball machines made first.

*sigh*

Seeing KISS paired with Hello Kitty means that there is confidence that the KISS brand can sell, even to a very different demographic than what is found in their core fanbase. It means that the brand has mainstream appeal and viability. It shows that brands want to partner with the KISS brand still.

Is this really a hard concept? Are other people not getting this? Why is it always that Iron Maiden crowd that struggles with this on Pinside?

Don't pretend like you have any idea of what I've experienced in life.

And? You can't sell out if you're a crappy brand (as far as revenue potential goes).

I don't even like KISS. I don't like a single one of their songs, not even a little. Rock and Roll All Nite is easily one of the most overrated classic rock songs I can think of. Their success boggles my mind, but it's undeniable. The brand has legs.

Not my cup of tea, but I could see it doing fairly well. Of course, I don't even like AC/DC's music and I own the pin, so sometimes the quality of play can make up for a whole lot when it comes to theme as long as there's nothing offensive there.

It was downright amazing, and I don't even like KISS.