nwobhm
what it is
The new wave of British heavy metal (often abbreviated as NWOBHM) was a musical movement in the United Kingdom that emerged in the mid-1970s and gained wider attention in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The term was coined by Alan Lewis in connection with an article by Geoff Barton published in the May 1979 issue of the British music newspaper "Sounds", used to describe a new generation of heavy metal bands developing in the period following the decline of punk rock and alongside the rise of new wave music. The music associated with NWOBHM drew on earlier hard rock and heavy metal traditions while incorporating a faster and more aggressive approach influenced in part by punk rock.
✦ start here: albums
✦ who's making it, level by level
level 1 · mainstream
the pop everyone knows
level 3 · one step out
cult favorites and indie darlings
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
✦ make nwobhm a playlist
turn these 25 artists into something you can press play on.
✦ nearby genres
questions
What is nwobhm?
The new wave of British heavy metal (often abbreviated as NWOBHM) was a musical movement in the United Kingdom that emerged in the mid-1970s and gained wider attention in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The term was coined by Alan Lewis in connection with an article by Geoff Barton published in the May 1979 issue of the British music newspaper "Sounds", used to describe a new generation of heavy metal bands developing in the period following the decline of punk rock and alongside the rise of new wave music. The music associated with NWOBHM drew on earlier hard rock and heavy metal traditions while incorporating a faster and more aggressive approach influenced in part by punk rock.
What are good nwobhm albums to start with?
Try The Number of the Beast by Iron Maiden, The Nightcomers by Holocaust, Death Penalty by Witchfinder General, and Denim And Leather by Saxon.
Who are some women making nwobhm?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/nwobhm/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making nwobhm, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-22