Wacken Open Air

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Wacken Open Air
The logo of the Wacken Open Air festival is a bull skull
Genre	Heavy metal hard rock hardcore punk extreme metal
Dates	July, August
Location(s)	Wacken, Germany
Years active	1990–present
Founded by	Thomas Jensen, Holger Hübner, Andreas Göser and Jörg Jensen. Both last had left enterprise in 1993[clarification needed][1][2][3]
Website	wacken.com/en/

	We Are the Metalheads (2009) The official Wacken Hymn, performed by Doro and Skyline.
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Wacken Open Air (/ˈvɑːkən/, stylised W:O:A) is an open-air heavy metal music festival. It takes place annually in summer in the village of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany, 80 kilometres (50 mi) northwest of Hamburg.

W:O:A is usually held at the beginning of August and lasts four days; the festival was first held in 1990 as a small event with about 800 visitors and six local German bands.^[4] It is currently considered the biggest heavy-metal festival in the world.^[5][6] In 2011, the festival attracted 80,000 festival visitors and 6,000 personnel for a total of 86,000 attendees.^[7]

The festival traditionally ends on the first Sunday in August, and at midnight the following Monday tickets go on sale for the next year. Remarkably, all 75,000 tickets were sold out within 48 hours for 2014,^[8][9] 12 hours for 2015,^[10] and 23 hours for 2016,^[11] despite the fact that the lineup (with the exception of rumors or headliners) had not been announced. Including 2019, the festival was sold out fifteen times in a row; the non-optional basic ticket price for all four days, including camping for a week, was €220 in 2018 and for 2019 as well.^[12] In 2018, 197 bands were playing on nine stages.^[13]

The international significance of the festival is shown by the attendees in recent years consisting of 30% foreigners, with up to 10% non-Europeans, from about 30–40 different countries all around the world. Many metal fans travel from half a world away to stand in cow meadows before stages set in the middle of nowhere.^{[14][15][16][17]} In 2017, an official count confirmed visitors from over 80 different nations at the festival.^[18][19][20] A lot of metalheads, metal and hard rock bands worldwide are keen to make the journey to "The Mecca of Heavy Metal Culture" (Sam Dunn / Metal: A Headbanger's Journey ), "The Holy Land" (Wacken 3D – a 2014 movie shown in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Italy),^[21] "The Cathedral of Heavy Metal" (Paul O'Neill / Trans-Siberian Orchestra),^[22] or "The Summit of Heavy Metal" (Thomas Gabriel Fischer / Celtic Frost)^[23] at least once in their lifetime, just for the experience.^[24]

Festival crowds[edit]

The W:O:A audience, bands, and artists informally address each other as "Wacken", which is its own legend and another reason why the festival sells out without billing.

Wacken is not about the bands, isn't it?! It is about the people who come to Wacken; that what is about.

— Biff Byford / Saxon

Atmosphere[edit]

German crowds in general tend to interact well and are outgoing during shows, which creates musical comradeship among those who enjoy this kind of crossing of emotional boundaries—crowdsurfing and moshing—with a little bit of beer intoxication by ten o'clock.

To quote some band members from 25 Years Louder Than Hell - The W:O:A documentary:

It is one of the best crowds in the world, actually!

— Mikkey Dee / Motörhead

People have just fun, they celebrate every note. Sometimes I think it doesn't matter who is on stage, they just into it and that's unique worldwide.

— Tom Angelripper / Sodom

Some bands become demanding of the crowd. In 2015, there was a memorable moment during a show by Rock Meets Classic, when a too-sedate Wacken audience, who had come to listen to a classical orchestra, was berated by "chief animator" Dee Snider, of Twisted Sister, that they weren't singing loud enough and doing their part to live up to the fame of Wacken crowds. Then, after some dry exercises with "We're Not Gonna Take It" and "I Wanna Rock", Snider adjusted the sound to 120 decibels and finished with "Highway to Hell", so that the show got noticed in Kiel 70 kilometres (43 mi) away.

Looks, clothing, styles and self-expressions[edit]

A photo session by Pep Bonet, in his collection book we the republic of wacken, dealt with Wacken crowds in 180 pages and on 2 CDs.^[25] Shortly before, during, and after the festival, German nationwide newspapers and magazines, such as Der Spiegel or Süddeutsche Zeitung, compete for the funniest pictures of the annual W:O:A event, so that the entire country has something to laugh about.^{[26][27][28][29][30]} Therefore, Wacken is often compared with Burning Man festival in Nevada or Fusion Festival in Lärz, but just for Hard 'n Heavy fans.

Although officially there is no dress code, in line with the metal subculture the crowd dresses in particular styles. Black is colour of first choice, especially a T-shirt featuring a favorite band or a W:O:A T-shirt of the current or a previous year the wearer attended. Kutte with patches of favourite bands, leather, kilts, studs, spikes, and chains are also popular. A special Wacken fashion is Viking, day-after the apocalypse (e.g. Mad Max), or medieval looks.

Family and community feeling[edit]

Most of Wacken crowd are regular visitors. Many of them keep score by getting W:O:A tattoos, with stars for every year attended, or by a collection of entrance badges. A few couples were married at W:O:A, on stage in front of hundreds of metalheads who cried "their f—king eyes out" during the ceremonies.^[31][32] Others had their honeymoons at the festival or became engaged.^[33] For some visitors the festival is the highlight of the year, not just concerning music, but for their entire life, and the place they desire to be all the time. That's where the nickname "The Holy Land" comes from.

I think that is something very special to Wacken that is a all-day thing and people are here all-day. Hangover!? What ever. It's time to get up. It's time to rock. It's fucking raining?! We don't care. We are covered with mud?! We don't care; that is their time in a year. This their time to go. Just let it all loose. Forget all the problems and raid.

— Chris Jericho / Fozzy^[34]

Even it sounds properly wicked for some people (ER: by up to 90,000 people), it is like a huge family party.^[35][36][37]

They are all sorts of awful things going on in the world you look at the moment. Newspapers, you see it on the TV. All this bullshit, people going around killing people, murdering people in the name of religion or what ever the fucking is.I don't give a shit, quite frankly; because the one thing all of us stand for; this is family! This is not one nation; this is not one race. This is not one religion; these are all religions. Every race; every color. Every person; every gender, it use to be two or a few more. – You know what?! – We are all family in this together and everybody is welcome. And the answer to the bullshit is going on out there at the moment; is not to be full of hated, it is to be full of love and light and music and a lot of beer!

— Bruce Dickinson / Iron Maiden^[38]

That shows you how connected people are in the metal world, because it is a really deep, deep, deep emotional thing for our fans as music is; the great thing about metal is it doesn't matter what generation you in, it doesn't matter what kind of life-level you at, it doesn't matter how much money you got. This comradely, this metal spirit, that really unite us together with that sound and particularly with these festivals; this is a great celebration. This Wacken is one of the most important festivals in the world, and this not only for the bands, but for all these metalheads. All these metalheads see each other once a year at Wacken, and these keep us a home, a special vibe, strong and powerful.

— Rob Halford / Judas Priest^[39]

Demographics[edit]

According to a 2015 survey of 808 visitors the crowd consisted of the following demographics:^[40]

Age: <16 years 0,2%, 16–17 years 2.5%, 18–25 years 17.5%, 26–29 years 29.8%, >30 years 29.7% and 0.9% N/A. Average 27.2 years.

Educational level: High school or similar 40.3%, advanced technical college entrance qualification 19.9%, secondary school level 30.8%, without degree 0.6% and 6% N/A.

Money spent during W.O:A: >€400 13.1%, €301–400 12%, €201–300 24.3%, €101–200 32.4%, €51–100 12.1%, €26–50 2.5%, €11–25 0.4%, <= €10 0.5% and 2.7% N/A. Average €250.80.

Distance traveled to W:O:A: >700 km 25.4%, 601–700 km 11.6%, 501–600 km 8.5%, 301–500 km 18.8%, 201–300 km 9.7%, 101–200 km 6.9%, 51–100 km 7.7%, 25–50 km 4.7%, <25 km 5.7% and 1% N/A.

A home for the elderly of Itzehoe takes frequently field trips to the festival, to celebrate their over-70 parties. Hosts grant them free passes; the metalheads show their admiration and respect to the seniors by hailing them with "Waaacken" battle cries and showing the Sign of the horns. The elderly patrons, up to 99 years old, admire mostly the peaceful, huge gathering for music; which were unknown in their youth.^[32]

Deep Purple attempted to explain Wacken as a fountain of youth at Wacken 2013:

As you get older the world changes on you and the world becomes a more serious place and lot people do tend to forget what they like when they were kids; and when they do come to a Rock'n'Roll show and they are few kids in the audience; the kids actually remind them what is like being 18 again. And then those guys or those women they forget that they are 55 or 60 and they become 15 years old kids again, and it is an amazing thing to see happen.

— Ian Paice

I see that all around here; the music has a great power to move people.

— Roger Glover^[41]

Numbers[edit]

Since 2011, the hosts have set the target number of attendees at 84,500 people. 75,000 tickets are sold, a third of those being reserved for foreign visitors. An additional 5,000 tickets are reserved for a special guest list of the hosts, mostly with backstage passes. Free passes go to the 1,800 villagers of Wacken and the up to currently 200 bands and their crews. In 2017, 5,000 are for organizational staff. Passes for a couple of hundred of officials and emergency personnel—such as police officers, customs officers (searching for drugs), regulatory authorities, fire fighters and paramedics—are also needed.

In 2011, the hosts decided to not let the festival grow any further, despite the huge demand for tickets. There were several reasons for this decision: First, logistical problems. Wacken is a small village and the entire festival infrastructure must be built up from scratch beginning two weeks before each festival—stages, fresh water, camping grounds, toilets, showers, power, food and beverage supplies, etc. Further growth would create demands that could not be satisfied. Second, safety. Local authorities got very sensitive regarding security after the Love Parade disaster, in 2010, when 21 people died from suffocation and 500 more were injured. Therefore, every festival has to meet the highest safety standards, which are strictly controlled by regulatory authorities nowadays, and which would be hard to meet with a further increase in attendance. Third, so as to not jeopardize the acceptance of the festival by the village, due to the strain caused by higher numbers of visitors, and last, to keep the festival grounds concentrated, which otherwise would have to be expanded.

Camping ground[edit]

In 2017, W:O:A established 2.4-square-kilometre (0.93 sq mi) camping ground, directly connected to the core festival area, for visitors.

Beer pipeline and brewery[edit]

In order to make the event more eco-friendly, the festival organizers decided to have a 1 kilometre (0.62 mile) beer pipeline installed on site for the 2017 edition in order to cut down on traffic and waste.^[42][43] To complete the supply chain Wacken has had its own brewery since 2016.^[44]

Band and artist selection[edit]

Although the W:O:A lineup is strictly by invitation (the last known successful exception was a request by the Scorpions for 2006), in 2003 about 3,000 bands applied for a chance to perform at the festival. In 2004, the festival hosts decided to establish the Wacken Metal Battle,^[46] which is now one of the world's prestigious up-and-coming music competitions.^[47]

The Metal Battle starts with national competitions in each of up to 30 countries; the list of countries is changed annually. Depending on the size of the metal scene, up to 400 local bands in each country compete, for a total of up to 4,000 bands; the winners of the play-offs are invited to perform in a final competition, to play for 20 minutes at the W:O:A in front of a crowd of up to 6,000 die-hard metalheads. In the early years, the winners of the finals got a record deal with Nuclear Blast; today it is prize money, equipment, and worldwide recognition for the top five bands. However, every band gets exposure to a Who’s Who of the international rock music business in attendance – to music magazine and mainstream media reporters; promoters; record label, festival and concert agents; and, lastly, metal fans and bands from all over the world. Most band performances are recorded and edited to high quality video and are published on different video platforms, including "Metal Battle TV" and "Wacken TV", CDs, DVDs, etc., or are broadcast on television.

Before the Metal Battle, the festival founders had established the "Wacken Evolution Tent" (W.E.T.) in 1997, which, in 2012, was replaced by the much bigger "Bullhead City Circus" tent, where younger bands got the opportunity to rock a big crowd. Some upcoming big bands, such as In Flames, Children of Bodom, Immortal, and Heaven Shall Burn, started at the W.E.T. or other small stages; and later performed on the main stages at Wacken as stars or headliners. Big bands and established artists perform in the Bullhead City Circus, just for the opportunity to be a part of this metal family meeting. Therefore, most metal and hard rock bands in the world, even some of the world`s biggest bands, such as Metallica, Scorpions, Deep Purple or Iron Maiden^{[48][49][50][51][52]}, consider it an honor to get invited to the festival.^{[53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64]}

Recordings, broadcasts, and video documentaries[edit]

Dozens of bands have recorded their live acts at W:O:A on video and sell them on DVD or Blu-ray, and of course audio CDs; bands such as Scorpions, Deep Purple, Judas Priest, Alice Cooper, Twisted Sister, Saxon, Motörhead, Heaven & Hell, Europe, Nightwish, Rose Tattoo, Ministry, Savatage, Tygers of Pan Tang, Airbourne, Sabaton, Dimmu Borgir, Immortal, Emperor, Running Wild, Circle II Circle, At the Gates, Sacred Reich, Grave Digger, Rage, Status Quo, Danko Jones, Avantasia, Unisonic, Hansen & Friends, Hypocrisy, Die Apokalyptischen Reiter, Bloodbath, Atheist, Exodus, Megaherz, Gorgoroth, God Seed, Atrocity and Arch Enemy^[65]; these bands' appearances and the international crowds they draw have made W:O:A famous in the global metal community.

The 2016 Wacken appearance by Iron Maiden set a new German festival streaming record, and was watched by about 550,000 people worldwide, live online, in addition to being broadcast worldwide by ARTE TV.

In 2016, at W:O:A, an entire festival was recorded in °360 VR for the first time ever, by Sam Dunn and a VR Camera team.^[66] In 2017, people from about 150 countries used the H360°, V360° VR, HD stream offer by a sponsor to watch, live, online, some concerts, the festival or the village.^[67][68][69] In 2017, many remote-enabled, fixed-view records, without using a VR headset, were already available on different video platforms, including German public television broadcast services.^[70][71]

Lineups 1990 – current[edit]

1990[edit]

Wacken Open Air 1990, the first incarnation of the festival, was held on Friday, 24 August and Saturday, 25 August.

Lineup
Friday	Saturday
Skyline	5th Avenue Ax'n Sex Motoslug Sacret Season Wizzard

1991[edit]

Wacken Open Air 1991 was held on Friday, 23 August and Saturday, 24 August.

Lineup
Bon Scott (AC/DC Tribute Band) Gypsy Kyss Kilgore Life Artist	Ruby Red Shanghai'd Guts Skyline

1992[edit]

Wacken Open Air 1992 was held on Friday, 21 August and Saturday, 22 August.

Lineup
5th Avenue Asmodis Ax'n Sex Bad Sister Bai Bang Blind Guardian De La Cruz Doc Eisenhauer Dr. Hörp Eddie E. Highlander Ides of March Incubator	Jolly Hangman Mama's Boys Morbid Mind Motoslug Pagan Spell Paradise Play'n'Bleed Saitensprünge Saxon ("Our first time at Wacken," noted Biff Byford. "It proved a huge eye-opener for us, because Germany is now Saxon's second home. Eighty thousand fans singing 'Denim and Leather' is quite a sight to behold."[72]) Störspatzen of Des STS 8 Mission The Waltons Vivian

1993[edit]

Wacken Open Air 1993 was held from Friday, 20 August to Sunday, 22 August, and was headlined by Doro and Fates Warning.

Main Stage
Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Piracee Railway Gorefest Skew Siskin Riverdogs Doro Bon Scott	Heavenward Restless Blondes Saintcatee Warpath Plan B Jingo de Lunch Trespass Holocaust Fates Warning Highlander	Abi Wallenstein Toy RAX Bad Sister Châlice Vivian Ax'n Sex

Party Stage
Friday	Saturday
Fast Lover Blue Velvet Bai Bang Samael Gary Hughes Sahara Ballroom Bones Stoney Rudolph	Torment Grinning Sinner Häwi Mädels Jack's Hammer Noisy Act of Protest Michael Dickes (acoustic) Riverdogs (acoustic) Buddy Lackey Sahara 5th Avenue

1994[edit]

Wacken Open Air 1994 was held on Friday, 19 August and Saturday, 20 August, and was headlined by Paul Di'Anno's Killers.

Main Stage
Friday	Saturday
Suiciety Pagandom Skyclad The Tea Party	Saintcatee Chemical Breath Decision D U.K. Subs Gamma Ray Rausch Paul Di'Anno's Killers

Party Stage
Friday	Saturday
Moray Many Acts of Maniacs Deceased Stoney Rudolph & The Happy McCardies Hannes Bauer & Orchestra The Waltons Tears for Beers	Roan Riff Raff Easy Livin' (Uriah Heep feat. Markus Grosskopf) Torment Ace Öf Spades Ken Tamplin Prollhead Atrocity Dixie Gunworks

1995[edit]

Wacken Open Air 1995 was held on Friday, 19 May and Saturday, 20 May, and was headlined by D:A:D and Tiamat.

Lineup
5th Avenue Amentia Angra Bad Sister Châlice Creep D:A:D Dark at Dawn Das Auge Gottes Depressive Age Dixie Gunworks	Ghosts of Dawn Graue Zellen Hate Squad Laberinto More About Dogs Morgoth Paragon Phantoms of Future Pothead Power of Expression Pretty Maids	Prime Rape Revelation Schweisser Solitude Aeturnus Temple of the Absurd Tiamat Trauma Trieb Vanden Plas Vocation

1996[edit]

Wacken Open Air 1996 was held on Friday, 9 August and Saturday, 10 August, and was headlined by Böhse Onkelz.

Double Main Stage
Friday		Saturday
Grind Machine Big Nothing Desert Storm Bad Sister Dice Grave Digger Pyogenesis	Gorefest The Gathering The Exploited Crematory Kreator Tom Angelripper Asylum	Gorn Ricochet Whils Sieges Even Dritte Wahl Temple of the Absurd Manos Secret Discovery Vicki Vomit	Atrocity Randalica Schweisser Oomph! Kingdom Come Dimple Minds Böhse Onkelz Tom Angelripper Ramones Mania (Ramones tribute band)

1997[edit]

Wacken Open Air 1997 was held on Friday, 8 August and Saturday, 9 August, and was headlined by Motörhead.

Double Main Stage
Friday		Saturday
Aion Undish Lake of Tears Dissection Virgin Steele Dimmu Borgir Saviour Machine	Sodom Theatre of Tragedy Samael Therion Rage & Lingua Mortis Orchestra Love Gun	Scanner Hassmütz Zed Yago Raven Tank Sinner U.D.O. Iron Savior Overkill	Birth Control HammerFall Waltari Grave Digger Amorphis Motörhead Rock Bitch Subway to Sally Tom Angelripper

W.E.T. Stage
Friday	Saturday
Don Bosco Steiger Paunch Sceptic Acceptance Mummlox In Flames Dismember Late September Dogs	Entrust Gainsay Headcase Fox Force Five The Automanic Totenmond Torment Umbra et Imago Grinning Sinner Soilent Green

1998[edit]

Wacken Open Air 1998 was held on Friday, 7 August and Saturday, 8 August; the festival was headlined by Savatage, JBO, Blind Guardian, and Doro.

Double Main Stage
Friday		Saturday
Metal Worx Angel Dust Unrest Fair Warning Arch Enemy Iron Savior Sweet Savage Stratovarius	Blitzkrieg Cradle of Filth Anvil Doro Warrior JBO Goddess of Desire Haggard	Sweet Noise Lacuna Coil Hollow Rough Silk Stahlhammer Holy Mother Primordial Sentenced Sacred Steel Bonfire Pegazus Gamma Ray	Virgin Steele Primal Fear Iced Earth Exciter Blind Guardian Riot Savatage Tom Angelripper In Extremo

W.E.T./Black Stages
Friday		Saturday
Third Teeth Incubator Telltalehard Custard God Dethroned Soulburn Stigmata IV Dew-Scented Darkseed	Krabathor Manos Children of Bodom Am I Blood Benediction Tankard Crematory Skyclad Temple of the Absurd	Murder One Lost Resistance Night in Gales Silent Scream Suidakra Borknagar Postmortem Old Man's Child Crack Up Raise Hell Disbelief Sadist	Heavenwood Agathodaimon Skyclad Hades Almighty Dritte Wahl Gorgoroth Vader Covenant Hypocrisy Grober Spass

1999[edit]

Wacken Open Air 1999 was held from Thursday, 5 August to Saturday, 7 August.

Double Main Stage
Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Death SS Fates Warning Spock's Beard	Edguy Witchery Leatherwolf Blind Passengers Dokken Crematory U.D.O. Destruction HammerFall Mayhem Rage Mercyful Fate Saxon In Extremo Tygers of Pan Tang	Dr. Death Marshall Law Amon Amarth Wardog Tristania Metalium In Flames The Bullheadz The Gathering Primal Fear Subway to Sally Axel Rudi Pell Six Feet Under Pretty Maids Cannibal Corpse Metal Church Atrocity D:A:D (substitute for Dee Snider) Dimmu Borgir Therion & Orchestra Onkel Tom

History Stage	Party Stage
Friday		Saturday
In Aeternum Graveworm House of Spirits Eisregen Sinister Temple of the Absurd Pariah Freedom Call Warhammer Die Apokalyptischen Reiter Enslaved The Waltons Vicki Vomit	Powergod Totenmond Richthofen Roland Grapow & Band Sinner Girlschool Napalm Death Eläkeläiset Reverend Jürgen & Igor	The Crown Memory Garden Threshold Dark Tranquillity Marduk Angra Axxis Jaguar Nevermore Warrant Umbra et Imago

W.E.T. Stage
Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Tankwart Skyclad	Paragon Bewitched The Sygnet Brainstorm Mystic Circle Killers (French metal band) Immortal God Dethroned Jag Panzer	Mindfeed Paradox Lefay Labyrinth Steel Prophet Agent Steel Destiny's End Razor Torment Solitude Aeturnus Whiplash

2000[edit]

Wacken Open Air 2000 was held from Thursday, 3 August to Saturday, 5 August.

Double Main Stage
Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Krokus Molly Hatchet The Company of Snakes	Vader Samson Dark Funeral Royal Hunt Umbra et Imago Angel Witch Dee Snider Marduk Rhapsody Immortal Stratovarius Overkill Iced Earth Hypocrisy Gamma Ray Six Feet Under	Dark Age Freedom Call Agro Labyrinth Ancient Blaze Sentenced Lizzy Borden Entombed Nightwish Morbid Angel Doro Rose Tattoo Thin Lizzy Venom Black Label Society Chantal Chevalier Onkel Tom Angelripper

Party Stage
Friday	Saturday
Dark at Dawn Gaskin 31 October Desperados Pink Cream 69 Artillery Liege Lord	SHARD Late Nite Romeo Agathodaimon Pain Solstice Demon Spiritual Beggars Heir Apparent Raise Hell Engine

W.E.T. Stage
Friday	Saturday
Deranged Savage Lock Up Grim Reaper Praying Mantis Black Sweden Breaker	Mob Rules Nightmare Steel Attack Squealer Vanishing Point Hades Jacobs Dream Skew Siskin Knorkator Twisted Tower Dire

2001[edit]

Wacken Open Air 2001 was held from Thursday, 2 August to Saturday, 4 August.

Double Main Stage
Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Knight Errant Finntroll Crematory W.A.S.P.	Deceased Stygma IV Carnal Forge Lacuna Coil Holy Moses Napalm Death Exciter Primal Fear Paul Di'Anno Nevermore Overkill Therion (with choir) Helloween Saxon Dimmu Borgir	Warhammer Cryptopsy Brainstorm Dark Tranquillity Metalium Culprit Annihilator Rage Subway to Sally Grave Digger In Flames Nightwish HammerFall Motörhead Sodom

Party Stage
Friday	Saturday
Nostradameus Nightfall Soilwork Blackshine Cage Kamelot Nasum Exhumed Sonata Arctica Mortician Desaster The Haunted Exumer Rawhead Rexx	Trail of Tears Deströyer 666 Vintersorg Krisiun Soul Doctor Tad Morose Artch Tankard Jag Panzer Naglfar Opeth Death SS Die Apokalyptischen Reiter Mägo de Oz

W.E.T. Stage
Friday	Saturday
Bionix Crystal Shark 16 Hell Ventiler Smoke Blow Sacraphyx Circle of Grief Wizard (canceled) Behemoth Silent Force	Kju The Traceelords Chinchilla The Centre of Gravity Paragon Lost Horizon Arch Enemy Night in Gales

2002[edit]

Wacken Open Air 2002 was held from Thursday, 1 August to Saturday, 3 August.

Double Main Stage
Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Messiah Kiss Kotipelto Blaze Doro Rose Tattoo	Stormwarrior Vomitory Domine Necrophobic Iron Savior Debris Inc. Angra Dying Fetus Pretty Maids Borknagar Savatage Destruction Bruce Dickinson Children of Bodom JBO In Extremo Warlord	Stormwitch Criminal Wizard Amon Amarth Vicious Rumors Macabre Nuclear Assault Immortal Exodus Hypocrisy Edguy Cannibal Corpse Blind Guardian Kreator U.D.O. Onkel Tom

Party Stage
Friday	Saturday
Avalanch Dornenreich Wolf Rebellion Metalucifer Nocturnal Rites Lock Up Dimple Minds Megaherz Dragonlord Pungent Stench Torfrock My Dying Bride Candlemass Red Aim	Rottweiler Evergrey Mezarkabul Thunderstone Angel Dust Shakra Falconer Vanden Plas Sinergy Sabbat Heathen Unleashed Blitzkrieg Green Carnation Haggard

W.E.T. Stage
Friday	Saturday
Antagonist Justice Withering Surface Fleshcrawl Alabama Thunderpussy Heavenly Mob Rules Primordial Eisregen	Victims of Madness Centre of Gravity Kalmah Hollenthon Vision Divine Dream Evil Suidakra Mörk Gryning Nightmare

2003[edit]

Wacken Open Air 2003 was held from Thursday, 31 July to Saturday, 2 August.

Double Main Stage
Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Circle II Circle Annihilator Victory Saxon (surprise act) Running Wild	Dew-Scented Extreme Noise Terror The Crown Diamond Head Dismember Freedom Call Sentenced Primal Fear Testament Gamma Ray In Flames Twisted Sister Subway to Sally	Sinister Thyrfing Malevolent Creation Metalium Carpathian Forest Masterplan Soilwork Rage Dark Funeral Stratovarius Nile Slayer Vader Onkel Tom

Party Stage
Friday	Saturday
The Quill Seventh One Dark Age Lotto King Karl Die Apokalyptischen Reiter Assassin Lordi	Raunchy Twisted Tower Dire Evidence One Eidolon Kataklysm Sinner Sonata Arctica

W.E.T. Stage
Friday	Saturday
Obscenity V8 Wankers Psychopunch Oratory Raise Hell Symphorce Rotting Christ	Human Fortress Graveworm Callenish Circle Cryptic Wintermoon Bai Bang Ancient Rites Heaven Shall Burn Darkane Breed 77

2004[edit]

Wacken Open Air 2004 was held from Thursday, 5 August to Saturday, 7 August.

Double Main Stage
Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Zodiac Mindwarp Motörhead Böhse Onkelz	Orphanage Paragon Cathedral Weinhold Arch Enemy Brainstorm Mayhem Grave Digger Feinstein / The Rods Dio Destruction Doro (with The Metal Classic Night Orchestra) Warlock Amon Amarth	Bal-Sagoth Death Angel Unleashed Anthrax Cannibal Corpse Nevermore Hypocrisy Helloween Children of Bodom Saxon Satyricon & Nocturno Culto JBO

Party Stage
Friday	Saturday
Mnemic Raunchy Dionysus Satan Kotipelto Eläkeläiset Quireboys	Mystic Prophecy Ektomorf After Forever Thunderstone Knorkator Schandmaul

W.E.T. Stage
Friday	Saturday
Methedras Vanguard Artefact Engine of Pain Gutbucket Astral Doors Hobbs' Angel of Death Misery Index Suffrage	Dr. Rock Everfest Thora Voodoma Supersoma Reckless Tide Gun Barrel Disbelief Griffin

2005[edit]

Wacken Open Air 2005 was held from Wednesday, 3 August to Saturday, 6 August.

Double Main Stage
Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Tristania Candlemass Oomph! Nightwish	Naglfar Morgana Lefay Illdisposed Sonata Arctica Bloodbath Metal Church Obituary Edguy Within Temptation Machine Head Apocalyptica Corvus Corax Samael	Zyklon DragonForce Suffocation Overkill Dissection Axel Rudi Pell Marduk HammerFall Kreator Accept Sentenced Stratovarius (surprise act) Sputniks Onkel Tom

Party Stage
Friday	Saturday
Mercenary Marky Ramone Ensiferum Hanoi Rocks (canceled) Eisregen Gorefest Turisas	Mob Rules Count Raven Holy Moses Finntroll Equilibrium Torfrock emKay (surprise act)

W.E.T. Stage
Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Doomfoxx Hatesphere	Victims of Madness Snake Eye Gorilla Monsoon Sinners Bleed Hatedrive Vanguard jp:Saeko Suidakra Reckless Tide Mucc Cataract Metalium Potentia Animi Teräsbetoni Contradiction	Stigma Unleash the Fury Manifest Agonizer Tuatha de Danann Machine Men Hard Time Panic Cell Noise Forest Regicide Endhammer Primordial Endstille Goddess of Desire

Jim Beam Stage
Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Mambo Kurt	Doomfoxx Los Los	Doomfoxx

2006[edit]

Wacken Open Air 2006 was held from Wednesday, 2 August to Saturday, 5 August.

Double Main Stage
Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Faster Inferno (feat. Tyson Schenker) Victory Michael Schenker Group Scorpions (with special guests)	Mystic Circle Wintersun Legion of the Damned Danko Jones Six Feet Under Nevermore Opeth In Extremo Carnivore Children of Bodom Celtic Frost Ministry Amon Amarth	Aborted Caliban Arch Enemy Fear Factory Morbid Angel Gamma Ray Soulfly Whitesnake Emperor Motörhead Finntroll Subway to Sally

Party Stage
Friday	Saturday
End of Green Born from Pain Ektomorf Soilwork Vaxination Korpiklaani D'espairsRay Primal Fear	Metal Church Bloodthorn Orphaned Land Atheist Die Apokalyptischen Reiter Rose Tattoo

W.E.T. Stage
Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Mambo Kurt	Gutlock Malefactor Transilvanian Beat Club Mortal Sin C.O.R. Mambo Kurt	Monster Joe Würm Cadaveric Crematorium Kottak Nikki Puppet Gorilla Monsoon Fleshgore Vreid Krypteria Dezperadoz Hellfueled Metal Inquisitor Battlelore	Morbus Gravis Drone InfiNight The Dogma Suidakra Tourettes We Lake of Tears Krieger Obscenity Delirious Forever Slave

2007[edit]

Wacken Open Air 2007 was held from Wednesday, 1 August to Saturday, 4 August; the festival was headlined by Blind Guardian, Saxon, Iced Earth, and Immortal.

Double Main Stage
Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Blitzkrieg Rose Tattoo Sodom (with guests) Saxon[73]	Suidakra Amorphis Napalm Death Therion Possessed Grave Digger Turbonegro JBO Lacuna Coil Blind Guardian[74] Dimmu Borgir Iced Earth Die Apokalyptischen Reiter	Sonic Syndicate Sacred Reich Moonspell Stratovarius Dir en grey Rage[75] (with Lingua Mortis Orchestra) Destruction (with guests) Type O Negative Immortal In Flames Cannibal Corpse Subway to Sally

Party Stage
Thursday	Friday	Saturday
The Sorrow Narziss Neaera Animal Alpha All That Remains Hatesphere Overkill	The Black Dahlia Murder Communic Volbeat[76] Falconer Enslaved Schandmaul Samael	Disillusion Heaven Shall Burn Dimension Zero Norther Stormwarrior (featuring Kai Hansen) Haggard

W.E.T. Stage
Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Mambo Kurt	Krossbreed Wargasm Roots of Death Gutbucket Týr Letzte Instanz Electric Eel Shock Maroon	Red Ink Corruption Ecliptica Crystal Blaze Torture Squad Mennen Drone Pharao Sabbat Chthonic Black Majesty The Answer Belphegor Sahg Fastway Kampfar	Sheephead Fracture Abstract Rapture Mythlorian Fair to Midland Secrets of the Moon The Vision Bleak Swallow the Sun Turisas Benedictum Moonsorrow Municipal Waste Unheilig 1349 Vital Remains

2008[edit]

Wacken Open Air 2008 was held from Wednesday, 30 July to Saturday, 2 August; the festival was headlined by Iron Maiden, Children of Bodom, Avantasia, and Nightwish.

Exodus' set was filmed for their 2010 live DVD Shovel Headed Tour Machine: Live At Wacken & Other Assorted Atrocities

Double Main Stage
Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Girlschool Lauren Harris Airbourne Avenged Sevenfold Iron Maiden	Grave Mortal Sin Job for a Cowboy Unearth Ensiferum Kamelot Soilwork Sonata Arctica Opeth Children of Bodom Corvus Corax Avantasia Gaahl and King ov Hell (as Gorgoroth)	3 Inches of Blood Sweet Savage Holy Moses Exodus Hatebreed As I Lay Dying Carcass Killswitch Engage At the Gates Nightwish Kreator Lordi

Party Stage
Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Mustasch Nashville Pussy Sturm und Drang Leaves' Eyes	Primordial Cynic Headhunter Sabaton Massacre The Haunted Crematory	Machine Men Mercenary Obituary Krypteria girugämesh Axxis

W.E.T. Stage
Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Threat Metakilla Sweet Savage Mambo Kurt	Concept Insomnia Negură Bunget Alestorm	The Fading The Rotted Destructor Autumn Stam1na Psychopunch Nifelheim van Canto Saltatio Mortis Excrementory Grindfuckers	Ripsaw Evocation Before the Dawn Enemy of the Sun Powerwolf Warbringer Torture Squad Dream of an Opium Eater Watain Lord Belial The Bones

2009[edit]

Wacken Open Air 2009 was held from Wednesday, 29 July to Saturday, 1 August, and marked the festival's 20th year.

Kampfar were originally scheduled to perform on the Party Stage on Saturday, but were forced to cancel their appearance due to personal reasons, their slot was filled by Onkel Tom.

Double Main Stage
Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Skyline Schandmaul Der W Running Wild Heaven & Hell	Vreid UFO Endstille Gamma Ray Walls of Jericho Nevermore Airbourne HammerFall Bullet for My Valentine Motörhead In Flames Doro Amon Amarth	Einherjer Rage Cathedral Testament Heaven Shall Burn Axel Rudi Pell In Extremo Volbeat Machine Head Saxon GWAR Subway to Sally

Party Stage
Thursday	Friday	Saturday
D-A-D JBO BossHoss Lacuna Coil	Napalm Death Retrospect Tristania DragonForce Coheed and Cambria Epica ASP	Suidakra Onkel Tom Borknagar Pain Enslaved Korpiklaani

W.E.T. Stage
Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Victims of Madness Bai Bang Bon Scott Onkel Tom Mambo Kurt	X-Plod Furion 5th Avenue The Waltons Drone Bloodwork Grand Magus	Leave Scars Reason to Kill Ade Insidead Scarred Kielwater Irr Beneath Silence Means Death Callejón Bring Me the Horizon Whiplash Nervecell Insidious Disease Eths Sarke Pentagram (Chile)	None Cadaver Race A Fine Day to Exit Crisix (Crysys) T.A.N.K (Think of a New Kind) Trinitys Blood Ferium Split Heaven The Fading Trouble U.K. Subs Engel Turisas Tracedawn Torment

Medieval Stage
Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Fejd Ragnaröek	Reincarnatus Cumulo Nimbus	Swashbuckle Ingrimm	Adorned Brood Rabenschrey Feuerschwanz

2010[edit]

Wacken Open Air 2010 was held from Wednesday, 4 August to Saturday, 7 August; the festival was headlined by Iron Maiden, Alice Cooper, Mötley Crüe, and Slayer.

Several bands played special sets at the festival. Corvus Corax played a show entitled "Wacken Burns" to close out the main stage performances on Friday.

Double Main Stage
Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Skyline (with special guests) Alice Cooper Mötley Crüe Iron Maiden	Dew-Scented Amorphis Orphaned Land Ill Niño Die Apokalyptischen Reiter BossHoss Endstille Kamelot Arch Enemy Grave Digger Slayer Anvil Corvus Corax	Ektomorf Caliban Unleashed Overkill Lock Up W.A.S.P. Immortal Edguy Cannibal Corpse Soulfly Fear Factory U.D.O.

Party Stage
Friday	Saturday
Suicidal Angels Job for a Cowboy Frei.Wild Voivod Tarja Turunen 1349 Atrocity	Smoke Blow Kampfar Delain Stratovarius Candlemass Tiamat

W.E.T. Stage
Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Victims of Madness Void Creation† No Dawn† Snakebite† Raging Mob† Dymytry† By the Patient† Forever Storm† Battle Beast†‡ Frontal† Vice† Total Riot† Wistaria† Missing in Action† Penthagon† Soul Stealer† Mambo Kurt	Orcus O Dis† Seven Ends† Demolished† The Sixpounder† Prayers of Sanity† Altar† Vita Imana† Katana† Hathors† Cangaço† Black Out Beauty† Ghost Brigade MacBeth Crisix (Crysys) Gojira	Brutus Dead Means Nothing Skanners Astral Doors Hackneyed Mad Max The Other Eternal Legacy Evile Lizzy Borden Broilers Holy Grail Secrets of the Moon Ihsahn Imperium Dekadenz Raven	Nightmare The New Black Degradead Crucified Barbara End of Green Die Kassierer Metsatöll Varg Debauchery Solstafir Lake of Tears Rotting Christ Despised Icon Killing Machine The Devil's Blood
† – Metal Battle 2010 finalists ‡ – Metal Battle 2010 winner

Wackinger Stage
Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Lord of the Lost Fiddler's Green Red Hot Chilli Pipers	Svartsot Sevron Vaxination Torfrock Hanggai	Letzte Instanz Schelmish DJ Cool Equilibrium	The Keltics Týr Orden Ogan

Red Bull Bus		Bullhead City Tent
Wednesday	Thursday		Friday	Saturday
9mm	Apocalyptica (surprise act)	Spit Like This	The Circus of Horrors

2011[edit]

Wacken Open Air 2011 was held from Thursday, 4 August to Saturday, 6 August; the festival was headlined by Blind Guardian, Judas Priest, Ozzy Osbourne, Motörhead, Airbourne and Sepultura.

Double Main Stage
Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Skyline (plus guests) Bülent Ceylan Frei.Wild Helloween Blind Guardian Ozzy Osbourne	Ensiferum Suicidal Tendencies Morbid Angel Sodom As I Lay Dying Trivium Heaven Shall Burn Judas Priest Triptykon Airbourne Apocalyptica	Moonsorrow Crashdïet Kataklysm Dir en Grey Mayhem Iced Earth Sepultura Avantasia Kreator Motörhead Children of Bodom Subway to Sally

Party Stage
Friday	Saturday
Primal Fear Van Canto Rhapsody of Fire Morgoth Kyuss Lives! Saltatio Mortis	Visions of Atlantis The Haunted Knorkator Vreid Danko Jones Eläkeläiset

W.E.T. Stage
Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Mother of God† Leash Eye† Dust Bolt† Hammercult†‡ Virginia Clemm† Death Clocks† Mortal Strike† Aphyxion† Noein† Atrum† Voltax† Paralytic† Eccentric Pendulum† Nekrost† Powerstroke† Mambo Kurt	Tanker† Sacramental† Seven Stitches† Achren† Exquisite Pus† Golem† Rude Revelation† X-Tinxion† Coldwar† Bucovina† Aeon Throne† Omnicide† Battle Beast Pneuma	Pharao Volcano Pussy Sister Skálmöld The Prophecy 23 Khold Negator Deadlock Blowsight Suidakra Sirenia Tsujder Accuser Skindred Slime Shraphead	The Murder of My Sweet Triosphere Hellsaw Torture Squad Stormzone Hämatom Shining Skeletonwitch In Solitude Warrant Blowsight Hail of Bullets Tokyo Blade Venomin James Ghost Tauthr
† – Metal Battle 2011 finalists ‡ – Metal Battle 2011 winner

2012[edit]

Wacken Open Air 2012 was held from Thursday, 2 August to Saturday, 4 August.

Double Main Stage
Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Skyline† Jim Breuer Sepultura & Les Tambours du Bronx U.D.O.† Saxon Volbeat	Endstille Sacred Reich Sanctuary Kamelot Overkill The BossHoss Opeth HammerFall Dimmu Borgir & Orchestra In Flames In Extremo D-A-D	Delain Gamma Ray Napalm Death Axel Rudi Pell Six Feet Under Testament Cradle of Filth Amon Amarth Scorpions Machine Head Ministry Edguy (surprise act)
† – With guests

Party Stage
Friday	Saturday
Betontod Oomph! Broilers Coroner Leaves' Eyes Athonite	Suffocated Paradise Lost Sick of It All Dark Funeral Schandmaul Watain

Bullhead City Circus
Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Inquisitor† Victims of Madness Rust2Dust† Fateful Finality† RavenBlood† Gothic† Midnight Priest† Electric Hellride† Lord Shades† Ease of Disgust† Cold Snap† Gone Postal† Helmut† Devil's Note† MindthreaT† Shredhead† Hamferð†‡ Rain Shatter† Zygnema† Epsilon† Opifex† Frantic Amber† Disquiet† Corpse Garden† Warpath† Mambo Kurt	Russkaja Faanefjell† Dead by April Exuviated† Wölli & Die Band Des Jahres Hone Your Sense† Kellermensch The Falling† Winterstorm Amaranthe Hammercult Keule Chthonic Channel Zero Unearth Circle II Circle Mono Inc.	FDJ Yaksa Warbringer Liquid Meat Crimes of Passion Darkest Hour The Black Dahlia Murder Graveyard Decapitated Red Fang D.R.I. We Butter the Bread with Butter Jim Breuer Gehenna Aura Noir Kobra and the Lotus Insomnium Ghost Brigade	Agro Eschenbach Manticora Manimals Massacre WETO Kylesa Megaherz Moonspell (acoustic show) Sylosis Nasum Djerv Warrior Soul Suicide Silence Dio Disciples Riotgod Winterfylleth Leningrad Cowboys
† – Metal Battle 2012 finalists ‡ – Metal Battle 2012 Winner

Wackinger Stage
Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Russkaja Saor Patrol Vogelfrey Santiano	Santiano Saor Patrol Vogelfrey Panteón Rococó Torfrock	Saor Patrol Vogelfrey Eisenherz Russkaja	Santiano Ingrimm Vogelfrey Russkaja Diablo Swing Orchestra

The Scorpions announced the W:O:A appearance would be the last festival show in Germany ever, in line of the planned end of their career and coming departure, but they changed their mind and continued later due "pressure" of their fans and still go on.^[77][78]

2013[edit]

Wacken Open Air 2013 was held from Thursday, 1 August to Saturday, 3 August.

Double Main Stage
Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Skyline Annihilator Thunder Deep Purple Rammstein	Neaera Tristania Gojira Powerwolf Ihsahn Pretty Maids Agnostic Front Sabaton Motörhead† Doro ASP Grave Digger	Callejon Fear Factory Die Apokalyptischen Reiter Lamb of God Anthrax Danzig Trivium Alice Cooper Nightwish‡ Lingua Mortis Orchestra & Rage Subway to Sally
† – Set was cut short due to frontman Lemmy Kilmister's poor health. ‡ – Set was filmed and released as Showtime, Storytime.

Party Stage
Friday	Saturday
Russkaja Eisbrecher Ugly Kid Joe Soilwork Corvus Corax Amorphis	Alestorm Sonata Arctica DevilDriver Candlemass Meshuggah

Bullhead City Circus
Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Harpyie Victims of Madness Spring and Autumn Chronosphere J.T. Ripper SIC An Apple a Day Infanteria Nine Treasures BackJumper Overoth Asthma Vengha Rotten State Crimson Shadows Ophidian I Kill with Hate Midnight Scream Count to Six Trallery Devoid Utopium GOD: The Barbarian Horde Karma Zero Mambo Kurt	Russkaja La Chudra Behold the Grave Rotten Souls Gnida Mysterious Priestess Industrial City Cancelled Eskimo Callboy 9mm Haggard Soulless Alpha Tiger Die Kassierer Ragnarok Dezperadoz	Benighted Eat the Gun Stahlmann Nachtblut Naglfar Dr. Living Dead! Kamikaze Kings Black Messiah Mustasch Heaven's Basement Legion of the Damned Whitechapel Leprous Anvil Uli Jon Roth Bullet	Hate Squad Chrome Molly Run Liberty Run Null DB Spitfire Dew-Scented Secret Sphere Serum 114 Rebattered Emergency Gate Fozzy Dunderbeist Kärbholz Kryptos Hardcore Superstar Suidakra

Wackinger Stage
Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Impius Mundi Pampatut Coppelius Fejd Feuerschwanz Russkaja Santiano	Pampatut Feuerschwanz Rabenschrey Versengold Faun	Harpyie Impius Mundi Mr. Hurley & Die Pulveraffen Pampatut Ignis Fatuu Feuerschwanz	Harpyie Pampatut Mr. Hurley & Die Pulveraffen Impius Mundi Feuerschwanz Finsterforst

2014[edit]

Wacken Open Air 2014 was held from Thursday, 31 July to Saturday, 2 August.
The confirmed bands Death Angel and Iced Earth canceled their summer shows including Wacken Open Air.

Double Main Stage
Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Skyline Bülent Ceylan HammerFall Steel Panther Saxon Accept	Chthonic Skid Row Endstille Five Finger Death Punch Bring Me the Horizon Heaven Shall Burn Children of Bodom Apocalyptica & Orchestra Motörhead Slayer King Diamond W.A.S.P.	Arch Enemy Sodom Behemoth Devin Townsend Project Emperor Amon Amarth Megadeth Avantasia Kreator Schandmaul

Party Stage
Friday	Saturday
Russkaja Knorkator Hellyeah Santiano Carcass Saltatio Mortis	Prong August Burns Red Hatebreed JBO Van Canto & Special Guests†
† – Performance included following Special Guests: Tarja Turunen, Victor Smolski, Chris Boltendahl, Andre Matos and Jörg Michael

2015[edit]

Wacken Open Air 2015 was held from Thursday, 30 July to Saturday, 1 August.

Double Main Stage
Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Skyline U.D.O. with Bundeswehr Musikkorps In Extremo Rob Zombie Savatage Trans-Siberian Orchestra	Epica Ensiferum Sepultura Kvelertak At the Gates Queensrÿche Opeth Dream Theater Black Label Society In Flames Running Wild The BossHoss	Khold Powerwolf Amorphis Danko Jones Rock Meets Classic Bloodbath Sabaton Judas Priest Cradle of Filth Subway to Sally

Party Stage
Friday	Saturday
Angra Falconer Stratovarius Annihilator Oomph! Within Temptation	Kataklysm Skindred Biohazard Cannibal Corpse Santiano

Bullhead City Circus
Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Sycorax Scratch the Floor Legacy ID Nik Kai feat. Mikkey Dee – Motörhead Label Launch Nuclear Chaos Blaakyum The Loudest Silence Summoned Tide Vesperia Itcom Renaissense Vesperia Deadiron John Diva Grailknights Mambo Kurt New Model Army Uli Jon Roth Europe	Ethereal Sin Silius Impureza Savage Machine Dark Fusion For I Am King Don Gatto Shiraz Lane Dream Spirit Dash the Effort Troldskugge Walkways Libertad O Muerte Stortregn Deathless Legacy Metaprism Arana Noctiferia Dark Tranquillity Combichrist The Quireboys The Answer Mantar Architects of Chaoz	Zodiac Ancient Bards The Quireboys Crossplane The Poodles Truckfighters Stoneman Kaerbholz Anaal Nathrakh Thyrfing Death Angel Armored Saint Samael Nuclear Assault Ill Niño My Dying Bride Burgerkill	Victims of Madness Breakdown of Sanity The Black Spiders Avatar Godsized Kommando Beyond the Black Walking Dead on Broadway Cryptopsy No Words (Nik Kai) Morgoth Exumer Suicide Silence Obituary Blood Red Throne Shining Waltari

Wackinger Stage
Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Vroudenspil Comes Vagantes Mr. Hurley und die Pulveraffen Ye Banished Privateers Pampatut The Gentle Storm Knasterbart Feuerschwanz	Pampatut Knasterbart Ye Banished Privateers Mr. Hurley und die Pulveraffen Feuerschwanz Baltic Sea Child Tears for Beers Eric Fish & Friends	Vroudenspil Comes Vagantes Knasterbart Pampatut Ye Banished Privateers Mr. Hurley und die Pulveraffen Harpyie Cultus Ferox	Cultus Ferox Impius Mundi Pampataut Skiltron Harpyie Vroudenspil Celtica Lord of the Lost

2016[edit]

Wacken 2016 was held from Thursday 4 August to Saturday 6 August.

Double Main Stage
Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Skyline Saxon Foreigner Whitesnake Iron Maiden Born to Lose, Lived to Win - A Farewell to Lemmy Kilmister	Pyogenesis The Haunted Legion of the Damned Loudness Entombed A.D Axel Rudi Pell Eluveitie Bullet for My Valentine Tarja Blind Guardian Ministry Testament	DragonForce Symphony X Borknagar Metal Church Therion Steel Panther Triptykon Twisted Sister Arch Enemy Dio Disciples (performing with a Dio hologram)

Party Stage
Friday	Saturday
Orden Ogan Beyond the Black Equilibrium Torfrock Kai Hansen & Friends Unisonic	Eskimo Callboy DevilDriver Callejon Clutch Parkway Drive

There was also a tribute to the late Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead, who died on 28 December 2015; the tribute was filmed by Franco-German TV Network Arte and released as a 24-minute music video documentary Born to Lose, Lived to Win – A Farewell to Lemmy Kilmister.^[79] The former members of the band Dio, touring since 2011 as Dio Disciples after the death of vocalist Dio, performed for the first time with a hologram of him.^[80][81] In total 158 bands performed on eight stages, including Blue Öyster Cult.^[82]

2017[edit]

Wacken 2017 was held from Thursday 3 August to Saturday 5 August.

First bands announced:

Amon Amarth, Apocalyptica, ASP, Aura Noir, Avantasia, Candlemass, Cypecore, Emperor, Europe, Fates Warning, Grand Magus, Hämatom, Heaven Shall Burn, Kreator, Lacuna Coil, Mayhem (performing De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas), Napalm Death, Orange Goblin, Paradise Lost, Powerwolf, Rage, Saltatio Mortis, Soilwork, Sonata Arctica, Tankard, Trivium, Turbonegro.^[83]

2018[edit]

Wacken 2018 was held from Thursday 2 August to Saturday 4 August.

First bands announced^[84][85]:

Alien Weaponry, Amaranthe, Amorphis, Arch Enemy, Attic, AWS, Bannkreis, Behemoth, Belphegor, Children of Bodom, Deserted Fear, Diablo BLVD, Die Apokalyptischen Reiter, Dimmu Borgir, Dirkschneider, Dokken, Doro, Evil Invaders, Enslaved, Epica, Firewind, Ghost, In Extremo, In Flames, Judas Priest, Knorkator, Korpiklaani, Long Distance Calling, Lovebites, Madball, Mantar, Mr. Big, Nails, Night Demon, Nightwish, Nocturnal Rites, Oomph!, Plainride, Riot V, Running Wild, Samael, Sarke, Sepultura, Spoil Engine, The Charm The Fury, Unzucht, Vallenfyre, Vince Neil, W.A.R., Walking Dead on Broadway, Watain.

2019[edit]

Wacken 2019 was held from Thursday 1 August to Saturday 3 August.

First bands to be announced^[86]:

Opeth, Eisbrecher, Meshuggah, HammerFall, Sabaton, Parkway Drive, Demons & Wizards, Powerwolf, Airbourne, Rose Tattoo, Within Temptation, Krokus, Dark Funeral, Avatar, Slayer, Anthrax, Testament

As in every year, visitors will receive a free Full Metal Bag. However, this year the bag is made entirely out of recycled materials.^[87]

2020[edit]

Wacken 2020 will be held from Thursday 30 July to Saturday 1 August.

First bands announced^[88]:

Judas Priest, Amon Amarth, Mercyful Fate, Sodom, Hypocrisy, Death Angel, At the Gates, Venom, Sick of It All, Cemican (México), Beast in Black, Nervosa (Brasil).

This edition WOA will have a theme based on Mayan and Aztec cultures.

Wacken Rocks[edit]

2009[edit]

Wacken Rocks South[edit]

27–29 August 2009: 9mm, Agathodaimon, Age of Evil, Alestorm, AM/FM, Axxis, Bai Bang, Chrome Molly, Cripper, Debauchery, Der W, Dezperados, Doro, Drone, Edguy, Eisbrecher, Fatal Smile, Feuerschwanz, Five and the Ted One, Flotsam & Jetsam, Frei.Wild, Girlschool, Grave Digger, Hämatom, Hank III & Assjack, Heaven Shall Burn, Herman Frank Band, In Extremo, Krypteria, The New Black, Parity Boot, SAHG, Secrets of the Moon, Slayer, Stainless Steel, Stratovarius, Suidakra, Tribe, U.D.O., Volbeat, and Warpath.

Wacken Rocks Seaside[edit]

28–30 August 2009: Age of Evil, Agathodaimon, Alestorm, Axxis, Bai Bang, Cripper, Debauchery, Der W, Dezperadoz, Dirty Deeds, Doro, Edguy, Eisbrecher, Fatal Smile, Five and the Red One, Flotsam & Jetsam, Frei.Wild, Girlschool, Hank III, Herman Frank Band, Heaven Shall Burn, In Extremo, J.B.O, Kneipenterroristen, Krypteria, Mob Rules, Ohrenfeindt, Parity Boot, SAHG, Secrets of the Moon, Slayer, Stratovarius, Suidakra, Glitter, Torfrock, Tribe, U.D.O, Victims of Madness, Volbeat, and Warpath.

Video[edit]

• 25 Years Louder Than Hell - The W:O:A Documentary, Aug 2015, DVD/Blu-ray, 3 Eps. 45 min, 1h 5 min, 42 min, original sound: German, English and Spanish with subtitles German or English

See also[edit]

• Full Metal Village, a 2007 documentary by Sung Hyung Cho about the village of Wacken and the influence of the festival on it.
• Metal: A Headbanger's Journey, and Global Metal, documentaries by anthropologist Sam Dunn which feature the festival.

References[edit]

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wacken Open Air.

• Official website
• Official Wacken Radio

Coordinates: 54°01′42″N 9°21′22″E / 54.02833°N 9.35611°E / 54.02833; 9.35611