Paul Di'Anno, the lead singer of Iron Maiden's first two albums, has died, according to a statement from his label on behalf of his family. No cause of death was announced, but he had been struggling with his illness for several years; he was 66.

Di'Anno was the lead singer of Iron Maiden from 1978 to 1981, singing on the group's self-titled debut album and its iconic follow-up, Killers. He was replaced by Bruce Dickinson, who has remained the band's vocalist ever since.

In the following years, Di'Anno fronted the bands Battlezone and Killers and released several solo albums. He has suffered from health problems in recent years but has still been able to perform more than 100 concerts as of 2023, the full announcement says.

“On behalf of his family, Conquest Music regretfully confirms the passing of Paul Andrews, known professionally as Paul Di’Anno,” the statement said.

Paul died at his home in Salisbury, aged 66.

Paul was born on May 17, 1958 in Chingford, East London, and rose to prominence as the lead singer of the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden between 1978 and 1981. He sang on their groundbreaking debut album Iron Maiden and the influential follow-up release Killers.

Since leaving Iron Maiden, Paul Di'Anno has enjoyed a long and eventful recording career with Battlezone and Killers, as well as numerous solo releases and guest appearances.

Despite suffering from serious health problems in recent years that prevented him from performing in a wheelchair, Paul continued to entertain his fans around the world, logging well over 100 shows as of 2023.

His first career retrospective album, The Book of the Beast, was released in September 2024 and contained highlights of his recordings since leaving Iron Maiden.

Conquest Music is proud to have Paul Di'Anno as part of our artistic family and asks his fans to raise a glass to him.”