Amateurs de métal, le Wacken Open Air présente chaque année un panel de ce qui se fait de mieux dans ce genre musical.

3 Inches of Blood
Airbourne
Alestorm
As I Lay Dying
At the Gates
Autumn
Avenged Sevenfold
Avantasia
Axel Rudi Pell
Axxis
Before the Dawn
Carcass
Children of Bodom
Corvus Corax
Crematory
Cynic
Destructor
Dream of an O...
Enemy of the Sun
Ensiferum
Evocation
Ex. Grindfuckers
Exodus
Girugämesh
The Rotted
Gorgoroth
Grave
Hatebreed
Head Hunter
Holy Moses
Iron Maiden
Job for a Cowboy
Kamelot
Killswitch Engage
Kreator
Krypteria
Lauren Harris
Leaves Eyes
Lord Belial
Lordi
Machine Head
Machine Men
Massacre
Mercenary
Metakilla
Mortal Sin
Motörhead
Mustasch
Nashville Pussy
Negura Bunget
Nifelheim
Nightwish
Obituary
Opeth
Powerwolf
Primordial
PsychoPunch
Sabaton
Saltatio Mortis
Saxon
Soilwork
Sonata Arctica
Stam1na
Sturm und Drang
The Bones
The Haunted
Torfrock
Torture Squad
Unearth
Van Canto
Warbringer
Watain