Wacken Open Air (W:O:A) er den største metalfestival i Europa og har eksisteret siden 1990. Festivalen finder sted i en landsby ved navn Wacken i Slesvig-Holsten, Nordtyskland. I 2007 havde festivalen 60000 gæster og i alt 72000 deltagende inklusive personale og tiltrækker således tilskuere fra hele verden.W:O:A – Wacken Open Air : W:O:A 2007 – Statement – hentet 15. august 2007.
Festivalen foregår typisk i begyndelsen af. august og varer tre dage, hvor festivaldeltagerne har mulighed for at slå lejr på store lejrpladser, der ligger placeret rundt om festivalområdet. I løbet af disse tre dage er der koncerter med omkring 60 forskellige musikgrupper på 4 forskellige scener. I 2008 var der 71 bands.
Der spilles ved koncerterne blandt andet power metal, dødsmetal, sortmetal, folkemetal og gothic metal.
Blandt de mere kendte musikgrupper, der har spillet på W:O:A, er Dimmu Borgir, Twisted Sister, Saxon, Warlock, Satyricon (sammen med Nocturno Culto fra Darkthrone), Nightwish, Motörhead, Blind Guardian, Helloween, Gamma Ray.
Optrædende 1990
Wacken Open Air 1990 var den først musikfestival. Den blev afholdt fredag d. 24. august og lørdag d. 25. august. LineupFredagLørdagSkyline5. Avenue Ax'n Sex Motoslug Sacret Season Wizzard
1991
Wacken Open Air 1991 blev afholdt fredag d. 23. august og lørdag d. 24. august. LineupBon Scott (AC/DC Tribute Band) Gypsy Kyss Kilgore Life ArtistRuby Red Shanghai'd Guts Skyline
1992
Wacken Open Air 1992 blev afholdt fredag d. 21. august og lørdag d.22. august. Lineup5. Avenue Asmodis Ax'n Sex Bad Sister Bai Bang Blind Guardian De La Cruz Doc Eisenhauer Dr. Hörp Eddie E. Highlander Ides of March IncubatorJolly Hangman Mama's Boys Morbid Mind Motoslug Pagan Spell Paradise Play'n'Bleed Saitensprünge Saxon Störspatzen of Des STS 8 Mission The Waltons Vivian
1993
Wacken Open Air 1993 blev afholdt fra fredag d.20. august til søndag d.22. august, og hovednavnene var Doro og Fates Warning. Main StageFredagLørdagSøndagPiracee Railway Gorefest Skew Siskin Riverdogs Doro Bon ScottHeavenward Restless Blondes Saintcatee Warpath Plan B Jingo de Lunch Trespass Holocaust Fates Warning HighlanderAbi Wallenstein Toy RAX Bad Sister Châlice Vivian Ax'n Sex
Party StageFredagLørdagFast Lover Blue Velvet Bai Bang Samael Gary Hughes Sahara Ballroom Bones Stoney RudolphTorment Grinning Sinner Häwi Mädels Jack's Hammer Noisy Act of Protest Michael Dickes (acoustic) Riverdogs (acoustic) Buddy Lackey Sahara 5. Avenue
1994
Wacken Open Air 1994 blev afholdt fredag d.19. august og lørdag d.20. august, og hovednavnene var Paul Di'Anno's Killers. Main StageFredagLørdagSuiciety Pagandom Skyclad The Tea PartySaintcatee Chemical Breath Decision D U.K. Subs Gamma Ray Rausch Paul Di'Anno's Killers
Party StageFredagLørdagMoray Many Acts of Maniacs Deceased Stoney Rudolph & The Happy McCardies Hannes Bauer & Orchestra The Waltons Tears for BeersRoan Riff Raff Easy Livin' (Uriah Heep feat. Markus Grosskopf) Torment Ace Öf Spades Ken Tamplin Prollhead Atrocity Dixie Gunworks
1995
Wacken Open Air 1995 blev afholdt fredag d.19 May og lørdag d.20 May, og hovednavnene var D:A:D og Tiamat. Lineup5. Avenue Amentia Angra Bad Sister Châlice Creep D:A:D Dark at Dawn Das Auge Gottes Depressive Age Dixie GunworksGhosts of Dawn Graue Zellen Hate Squad Laberinto More About Dogs Morgoth Paragon Phantoms of Future Pothead Power of Expression Pretty MaidsPrime Rape Revelation Schweisser Solitude Aeturnus Temple of the Absurd Tiamat Trauma Trieb Vanden Plas Vocation
1996
Wacken Open Air 1996 blev afholdt fredag d. 9. august og lørdag d. 10. august, og hovednavnene var Böhse Onkelz. Double Main Stage fredag LørdagGrind Machine Big Nothing Desert Storm Bad Sister Dice Grave Digger PyogenesisGorefest The Gathering The Exploited Crematory Kreator Tom Angelripper AsylumGorn Ricochet Whils Sieges Even Dritte Wahl Temple of the Absurd Manos Secret Discovery Vicki VomitAtrocity Randalica Schweisser Oomph! Kingdom Come Dimple Minds Böhse Onkelz Tom Angelripper Ramones Mania
1997
Wacken Open Air 1997 blev afholdt fredag d.8. august og lørdag d.9. august, og hovednavnene var Motörhead. Double Main Stage fredag LørdagAion Undish Lake of Tears Dissection Virgin Steele Dimmu Borgir Saviour MachineSodom Theatre of Tragedy Samael Therion Rage & Lingua Mortis Orchestra Love GunScanner Hassmütz Zed Yago Raven Tank Sinner U.D.O. Iron Savior OverkillBir. Control HammerFall Waltari Grave Digger Amorphis Motörhead Rock Bitch Subway tilSally Tom Angelripper
W.E.T. StageFredagLørdagDon Bosco Steiger Paunch Sceptic Acceptance Mummlox In Flames Dismember Late September DogsEntrust Gainsay Headcase Fox Force Five The Automanic Totenmond Torment Umbra et Imago Grinning Sinner Soilent Green
1998
Wacken Open Air 1998 blev afholdt fredag d.7. august og lørdag d.8. august. Hovednavnene var Savatage, JBO, Blind Guardian og Doro. Double Main Stage fredag LørdagMetal Worx Angel Dust Unrest Fair Warning Arch Enemy Iron Savior Sweet Savage StratovariusBlitzkrieg Cradle of Filth Anvil Doro Warrior JBO Goddess Of Desire HaggardSweet Noise Lacuna Coil Hollow Rough Silk Stahlhammer Holy Mother Primordial Sentenced Sacred Steel Bonfire Pegazus Gamma RayVoivod (aflyst) Virgin Steele Primal Fear Iced Earth Exciter Blind Guardian Riot Savatage Atrocity (aflyst) Tom Angelripper In Extremo
W.E.T./Black Stages Fredag LørdagThird Teeth Incubator Telltalehard Custard God Dethroned Soulburn Stigmata IV Dew-Scented DarkseedKrabathor Manos Children of Bodom Am I Blood Benediction Tankard Crematory Skyclad Temple of the AbsurdMurder One Lost Resistance Night in Gales Silent Scream Suidakra Borknagar Postmortem Old Man's Child Crack Up Raise Hell Disbelief SadistHeavenwood Agathodaimon Skyclad Hades Almighty Dritte Wahl Gorgoroth Vader Covenant Hypocrisy Grober Spass
1999
Wacken Open Air 1999 blev afholdt fra torsdag d. 5. august til lørdag d. 7. august. Double Main StageTorsdagFredagLørdagDea. SS Fates Warning Spock's BeardEdguy Witchery Leatherwolf Blind Passengers Dokken Crematory U.D.O. Destruction HammerFall Mayhem Rage Mercyful Fate Saxon In Extremo Tygers of Pan TangDr. Death Marshall Law Amon Amarth Wardog Tristania Metalium In Flames The Bullheadz The Gathering Primal Fear Subway tilSally Axel Rudi Pell Six Feet Under Pretty Maids Cannibal Corpse Metal Church Atrocity Dee Snider (aflyst) D:A:D (substitute for Dee Snider) Dimmu Borgir Therion & Orchestra Onkel Tom History Stage Party Stage fredagLørdagIn Aeternum Graveworm House of Spirits Eisregen Sinister Temple of the Absurd Pariah Freedom Call Warhammer Die Apokalyptischen Reiter Enslaved The Waltons Vicki VomitPowergod Totenmond Richthofen Roland Grapow & Band Sinner Girlschool Napalm Death Eläkeläiset Reverend Jürgen & IgorThe Crown Memory Garden Threshold Dark Tranquillity Marduk Angra Axxis Jaguar Nevermore Warrant Umbra et Imago W.E.T. StageTorsdagFredagLørdagTankwart SkycladParagon Bewitched The Sygnet Brainstorm Mystic Circle Killers (fransk metal band) Immortal God Dethroned Jag PanzerMindfeed Paradox Lefay Labyrinth Steel Prophet Agent Steel Destiny's End Razor Torment Solitude Aeturnus Whiplash
2000
Wacken Open Air 2000 blev afholdt fra torsdag d. 3. august til lørdag d. 5. august. Double Main StageTorsdagFredagLørdagKrokus Molly Hatchet The Company of SnakesVader Samson Dark Funeral Royal Hunt Umbra et Imago Angel Witch Dee Snider Marduk Rhapsody Immortal Stratovarius Overkill Iced Earth Hypocrisy Gamma Ray Six Feet UnderDark Age Freedom Call Immolation (aflyst) Agro Labyrinth Ancient Blaze Sentenced Lizzy Borden Entombed Nightwish Morbid Angel Doro Rose Tattoo Thin Lizzy Venom Zakk Wylde Chantal Chevalier Onkel Tom
Party StageFredagLørdagDark at Dawn Gaskin October 31 Desperados Pink Cream 69 Artillery Liege LordSHARD Late Nite Romeo Agathodaimon Pain Solstice Demon Spiritual Beggars Heir Apparent Raise Hell Engine
W.E.T. StageFredagLørdagDeranged Savage Lock Up Grim Reaper Praying Mantis Black Sweden BreakerMob Rules Nightmare Steel Attack Squealer Vanishing Point Hades Jacobs Dream Skew Siskin Knorkator Twisted Tower Dire
2001
Wacken Open Air 2001 blev afholdt fra torsdag d.2. august til lørdag d.4. august.
Double Main StageTorsdagFredagLørdagKnight 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 (wi. choir) Helloween Saxon Dimmu BorgirWarhammer Cryptopsy Brainstorm Dark Tranquillity Metalium Culprit Annihilator Rage Subway tilSally Grave Digger In Flames Nightwish HammerFall Motörhead Sodom
Party StageFredagLørdagNostradameus Nightfall Soilwork Blackshine Cage Kamelot Nasum Exhumed Sonata Arctica Mortician Desaster The Haunted Exumer Rawhead RexxTrail of Tears Deströyer 666 Vintersorg Krisiun Soul Doctor Tad Morose Artch Tankard Jag Panzer Naglfar Opeth Dea. SS Die Apokalyptischen Reiter Mägo de Oz
W.E.T. StageFredagLørdagBionix Crystal Shark 16 Hell Ventiler Smoke Blow Sacraphyx Circle of Grief Wizard (aflyst) Behemoth Silent ForceKju The Traceelords Chinchilla The Centre of Gravity Paragon Lost Horizon Arch Enemy Night in Gales
2002
Wacken Open Air 2002 blev afholdt fra torsdag d.1. august til lørdag d.3. august.
Double Main StageTorsdagFredagLørdagMessiah Kiss Kotipelto Blaze Doro Rose TattooStormwarrior Vomitory Domine Necrophobic Iron Savior Debris Inc. Angra Dying Fetus Pretty Maids Borknagar Savatage Destruction Bruce Dickinson Children of Bodom JBO In Extremo WarlordStormwitch Criminal Wizard Amon Amarth Vicious Rumors Macabre Nuclear Assault Immortal Exodus Hypocrisy Edguy Cannibal Corpse Blind Guardian Kreator U.D.O. Onkel Tom
Party StageFredagLørdagAvalanch Dornenreich Wolf Rebellion Metalucifer Nocturnal Rites Lock Up Dimple Minds Megaherz Dragonlord Pungent Stench Torfrock My Dying Bride Candlemass Red AimRottweiler Evergrey Mezarkabul Thunderstone Angel Dust Shakra Falconer Vanden Plas Sinergy Sabbat Heathen Unleashed Blitzkrieg Green Carnation Haggard
W.E.T. StageFredagLørdagAntagonist Justice Withering Surface Fleshcrawl Alabama Thunderpussy Heavenly Mob Rules Primordial
EisregenVictims of Madness Centre of Gravity Kalmah Hollenthon Vision Divine Dream Evil Suidakra Mörk Gryning Nightmare
2003
Wacken Open Air 2003 blev afholdt fra torsdag d. 31. juli til lørdag d. 2. august.
Double Main StageTorsdagFredagLørdagCircle II Circle Annihilator Victory Saxon (Surprise show) Running WildDew-Scented Extreme Noise Terror The Crown Diamond Head Dismember Freedom Call Sentenced Primal Fear Testament Gamma Ray In Flames Twisted Sister Subway tilSallySinister Thyrfing Malevolent Creation Metalium Carpathian Forest Masterplan Soilwork Rage Dark Funeral Stratovarius Nile Slayer Vader Onkel Tom
Party StageFredagLørdagThe Quill Seven. One Dark Age Lotto King Karl Die Apokalyptischen Reiter Assassin LordiRaunchy Twisted Tower Dire Evidence One Eidolon Kataklysm Sinner Sonata Arctica
W.E.T. StageFredagLørdagObscenity V8 Wankers Psychopunch Oratory Raise Hell Symphorce Rotting ChristHuman Fortress Graveworm Callenish Circle Cryptic Wintermoon Bai Bang Ancient Rites Heaven Shall Burn Darkane Breed 77
2004
Wacken Open Air 2004 blev afholdt fra torsdag d. 5. august til lørdag d. 7. august.
Double Main StageTorsdagFredagLørdagZodiac Mindwarp Motörhead Böhse OnkelzOrphanage Paragon Cathedral Weinhold Arch Enemy Brainstorm Mayhem Grave Digger Feinstein / The Rods Dio Destruction Doro (wi. The Metal Classic Night Orchestra) Warlock Amon AmarthBal-Sagoth Dea. Angel Unleashed Anthrax Cannibal Corpse Nevermore Hypocrisy Helloween Children of Bodom Saxon Satyricon & Nocturno Culto JBO
Party StageFredagLørdagMnemic Raunchy Dionysus Satan Kotipelto Eläkeläiset QuireboysMystic Prophecy Ektomorf After Forever Thunderstone Knorkator Schandmaul
W.E.T. StageFredagLørdagMethedras Vanguard Artefact Engine of Pain Gutbucket Astral Doors Hobbs' Angel of Death Misery Index