Iron Maiden won the top spot with a decisive victory in WJCU’s annual Metal On Metal year-end best album listener poll. Their seventeenth studio album, Senjutsu, dominated the voting. Helloween self-titled album finished runner-up.

"Maiden have been longtime favorites of my listeners", says Metal On Metal host Bill Peters.  "It's always a big event here in Cleveland when they release a new album.  Their vote count nearly doubled our runner-up.  Up The Irons!"

Peters adds, "On a side note, it was great to see three of our Cleveland bands make the Top 25 - Nunslaughter, Vandallus and Chemikilled.  We had a lot of quality local releases come out last year."

This was the 38th year of the poll. Listeners were asked to nominate their top three albums of 2021. 512 ballots were cast generating over 1,500 individual votes with 89 albums nominated. The Top 25 albums were announced and played live on the air January 7. 

WJCU's Metal On Metal Top 25 Albums Of 2021:

1. IRON MAIDEN - "Senjutsu" (BMG)
2. HELLOWEEN - "Helloween" (Nuclear Blast)
3. ACCEPT - "Too Mean To Die" (Nuclear Blast)
4. KK'S PRIEST - "Sermons Of The Sinner" (EX1)
5. BEWITCHER - "Cursed Be Thy Kingdom" (Century Media)
6. FLOTSAM AND JETSAM - "Blood In The Water" (AFM)
7. EXODUS - "Persona Non Grata" (Nuclear Blast)
8. GOJIRA - "Fortitude" (Roadrunner)
9. BLAZE BAYLEY - "War Within Me" (Blaze Bayley)
10. UNTO OTHERS - "Strength" (Roadrunner)
11. NUNSLAUGHTER - "Red Is The Color Of Ripping Death" (Hells Headbangers)
12. MONSTER MAGNET - "A Better Dystopia" (Napalm)
13. VANDALLUS - "4" (Mercinary)
14. MASTODON - "Hushed And Grim" (Reprise)
15. BRAINSTORM - "Wall Of Skulls" (AFM)
16. SWALLOW THE SUN - "Moonflowers" (Century Media)
17. DEE SNIDER - "Leave A Scar" (Napalm)
18. EPICA - "Omega" (Nuclear Blast)
19. COUNT RAVEN - "The Sixth Storm" (I Hate)
20. NETHERBIRD - "Arete" (Eisenwald)
21. MEMORY GARDEN - "1349" (No Remorse)
22. CHEMIKILLED - "Aftermath" (Underground Power)
23. THE DEAD DAISIES - "Holy Ground" (Spitfire)
24. GREEN LUNG - "Black Harvest" (Svart)
25. THE VINTAGE CARAVAN - "Monuments" (Napalm)

WJCU's "Metal On Metal" can be heard every Friday night from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. ET at 88.7 FM in the Cleveland, Ohio area and streamed live at wjcu.org. 2022 will mark the 40th anniversary year of Peters hosting his popular radio show.