--- title: "NWOBHM" type: "MusicGenre" url: "https://themetalnet.com/genre/nwobhm" parent: "Heavy Metal" bands: 87 era: "late 1970s" --- # NWOBHM **NWOBHM** is a metal sub-genre, formative in the late 1970s. TheMetalNet maps 87 bands and 230 albums under it. The New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) was the late-1970s and early-1980s British movement that modernized heavy metal, speeding it up, adding punk’s energy and DIY spirit, and emphasizing twin-guitar harmonies and galloping rhythms over blues. Iron Maiden, Saxon, and Diamond Head led a wave of hundreds of bands that redefined the genre and directly inspired thrash. The songs favored melody, speed, and anthemic choruses. It is the foundation on which most modern metal was built. ## Facts | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Genre | NWOBHM | | Level | Sub-genre | | Parent genre | Heavy Metal | | Formative era | late 1970s | | Bands | 87 | | Albums | 230 | | Formation span | 1967 to 2025 | ## Notable bands (top 60 by prominence) - [Tygers of Pan Tang](https://themetalnet.com/band/tygers-of-pan-tang) (United Kingdom, 1978) - [Samson](https://themetalnet.com/band/samson) (United Kingdom, 1977) - [Tokyo Blade](https://themetalnet.com/band/tokyo-blade) (United Kingdom, 1982) - [Angel Witch](https://themetalnet.com/band/angel-witch) (United Kingdom, 1977) - [Holocaust](https://themetalnet.com/band/holocaust) (United Kingdom, 1977) - [Grim Reaper](https://themetalnet.com/band/grim-reaper) (United Kingdom, 1979) - [Satan](https://themetalnet.com/band/satan) (United Kingdom, 1979) - [Witchfinder General](https://themetalnet.com/band/witchfinder-general) (1979) - [Living Death](https://themetalnet.com/band/living-death) (Germany, 1981) - [Jaguar](https://themetalnet.com/band/jaguar) (United Kingdom, 1979) - [Savage](https://themetalnet.com/band/savage) (United Kingdom, 1978) - [Vardis](https://themetalnet.com/band/vardis) (United Kingdom, 1973) - [Quartz](https://themetalnet.com/band/quartz) (United Kingdom, 1974) - [Sweet Savage](https://themetalnet.com/band/sweet-savage-a3ff2ea1) (United Kingdom, 1979) - [Gaskin](https://themetalnet.com/band/gaskin) (United Kingdom, 1980) - [Elixir](https://themetalnet.com/band/elixir) (United Kingdom, 1983) - [Avenger](https://themetalnet.com/band/avenger) (United Kingdom, 1982) - [Heavy Pettin’](https://themetalnet.com/band/heavy-pettin) (United Kingdom, 1981) - [Axewitch](https://themetalnet.com/band/axewitch) (Sweden, 1981) - [Witchfynde](https://themetalnet.com/band/witchfynde) (United Kingdom, 1974) - [Fist](https://themetalnet.com/band/fist) (1979) - [Legend](https://themetalnet.com/band/legend-922d2481) (Jersey, 1980) - [Tytan](https://themetalnet.com/band/tytan) (United Kingdom, 1981) - [Toranaga](https://themetalnet.com/band/toranaga) (1985) - [Mythra](https://themetalnet.com/band/mythra) (1976) - [Limelight](https://themetalnet.com/band/limelight) (United Kingdom, 1967) - [Marseille](https://themetalnet.com/band/marseille) (United Kingdom, 1976) - [Millennium](https://themetalnet.com/band/millennium) (United Kingdom, 1982) - [Rogue Male](https://themetalnet.com/band/rogue-male) (United Kingdom, 1983) - [Alien Force](https://themetalnet.com/band/alien-force) (Denmark, 1984) - [Atomkraft](https://themetalnet.com/band/atomkraft) (United Kingdom, 1979) - [Deep Switch](https://themetalnet.com/band/deep-switch) (1984) - [Dragster](https://themetalnet.com/band/dragster) (United Kingdom, 1977) - [Roxxcalibur](https://themetalnet.com/band/roxxcalibur) (2007) - [Chariot](https://themetalnet.com/band/chariot) (United Kingdom, 1983) - [Gunslinger](https://themetalnet.com/band/gunslinger) (United Kingdom, 1979) - [Preyer](https://themetalnet.com/band/preyer) (1984) - [Soldier](https://themetalnet.com/band/soldier) (1979) - [Kröwnn](https://themetalnet.com/band/krownn) (Italy, 2012) - [Horsepower](https://themetalnet.com/band/horsepower) (United States, 1978) - [Streetfighter](https://themetalnet.com/band/streetfighter) (United Kingdom, 1979) - [Chateaux](https://themetalnet.com/band/chateaux) (United Kingdom, 1981) - [Metal Mirror](https://themetalnet.com/band/metal-mirror) (United Kingdom, 1979) - [Aragorn](https://themetalnet.com/band/aragorn) (United Kingdom, 1978) - [Steve Grimmett](https://themetalnet.com/band/steve-grimmett) (United Kingdom) - [Cobra](https://themetalnet.com/band/cobra-928651fb) (1984) - [Satanic Rites](https://themetalnet.com/band/satanic-rites) (United Kingdom, 1980) - [Stormchild](https://themetalnet.com/band/stormchild) (United Kingdom, 1977) - [Urchin](https://themetalnet.com/band/urchin) (United Kingdom, 1971) - [Tyrant](https://themetalnet.com/band/tyrant-e31deb90) (United Kingdom, 1980) - [Hellanbach](https://themetalnet.com/band/hellanbach) (United Kingdom, 1979) - [Shiva](https://themetalnet.com/band/shiva-b99e3e79) (United Kingdom, 1979) - [A·Ⅱ·Z](https://themetalnet.com/band/a-ii-z) (United Kingdom, 1979) - [Mendes Prey](https://themetalnet.com/band/mendes-prey) (United Kingdom, 1981) - [Quest V8](https://themetalnet.com/band/quest-v8) (1970) - [Shadow Witch](https://themetalnet.com/band/shadow-witch) (2015) - [Freeways](https://themetalnet.com/band/freeways) - [Hessian](https://themetalnet.com/band/hessian) (United States, 2008) - [Tilt](https://themetalnet.com/band/tilt) (United Kingdom, 1985) - [Apocalypse](https://themetalnet.com/band/apocalypse-8d7631da) (1980) ## Where it is played - [United Kingdom](https://themetalnet.com/country/gb): 51 bands - [United States](https://themetalnet.com/country/us): 3 bands - [Denmark](https://themetalnet.com/country/dk): 1 bands - [Finland](https://themetalnet.com/country/fi): 1 bands - [Germany](https://themetalnet.com/country/de): 1 bands - [Italy](https://themetalnet.com/country/it): 1 bands - [Jersey](https://themetalnet.com/country/je): 1 bands - [Sweden](https://themetalnet.com/country/se): 1 bands ## Bands formed by decade | Decade | Bands formed | | --- | --- | | 1960s | 1 | | 1970s | 33 | | 1980s | 27 | | 2000s | 5 | | 2010s | 5 | | 2020s | 2 | --- Source: [TheMetalNet https://themetalnet.com/genre/nwobhm](https://themetalnet.com/genre/nwobhm). Catalog data from MusicBrainz and Metal Archives. Full site index: https://themetalnet.com/llms.txt