Rock am Ring: Ärzte, Metallica, Foo Fighters – the biggest acts in festival history
What was planned as a one-off event in 1985 is now a fixture on the international festival calendar. Whether icons like David Bowie and Metallica or style-defining acts like Pearl Jam, Linkin Park, and Muse – they have all helped shape the Rock am Ring legend.
The festival has always been more than just a stage: a seismograph of musical trends, a springboard for newcomers, a place for unforgettable moments. Year after year, stage after stage – these acts have made history:
David Bowie during his performance at the Rock am Ring festival at the Nürburgring.
Source: Harald Menk/dpa
Two years after the festival's founding, David Bowie created a memorable moment at the Nürburgring in 1987 – even though he wasn't originally on the lineup. As part of his "Glass Spider Tour," the pop avant-garde artist was given his own stage at short notice. His performance went down in Rock am Ring history as a technical and artistic highlight.
Pearl Jam brought grunge to Germany in the early nineties via Rock am Ring.
Source: imago / POP-EYE
Pearl Jam performed at the height of the grunge hype in 1992, bringing the raw energy of their debut album "Ten" to Germany. Their performance was characterized by an intense stage presence, wild jumps from frontman Eddie Vedder, and an emotional connection with the audience. For many fans, this was the moment grunge finally arrived in Europe.
Rage Against The Machine performed at Rock am Ring four times.
Source: imago images/POP-EYE
With their explosive mix of rap, metal, and political message, Rage Against The Machine captivated the audience at Rock am Ring in 1994. Their performance was a manifesto against the establishment, full of anger and energy.
Further performances by RATM followed in 2008, 2010 and 2013, always being one of the main attractions for the audience.
James Hetfield of Metallica at his last performance at Rock am Ring on June 8, 2014.
Source: imago/Manngold
Headlining Rock am Ring 1999? Alanis Morissette, Bryan Adams – and Metallica. The world's biggest metal band made their first appearance at the Nürburgring, delivering a brutal set with classics like "Master of Puppets," "For Whom the Bell Tolls," and "One." It marked the beginning of a special relationship: Metallica has performed at Rock am Ring a total of six times – most recently in 2014.
Slipknot are known for their impressive stage shows – including their Rock am Ring performance in 2009.
Source: imago stock&people
Slipknot caused a real shock in 2000. With their masks, jumpsuits, and wild stage performance, they brought a new, aggressive energy to the festival. Their performance was loud and uncompromising. To this day, the gig is considered one of the most intense in festival history. The festival organizers secured the crowd-pulling act four more times (2005, 2009, 2015, and 2019).
Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington at the Rock am Ring in 2007.
Source: IMAGO / TF-Foto
Linkin Park are also among the greats in Rock am Ring history – even though their last performance was over a decade ago: They last performed on stage at the Nürburgring in 2012. Even at their debut in 2001, the band provided some of the most emotional moments in the festival's history.
Rumors have repeatedly circulated about a possible comeback at the 2025 anniversary festival—with a new lineup following the death of singer Chester Bennington. But fans will likely have to wait a bit longer. The surprise appearance never materialized.
Although 2004 was not Muse's first appearance at Rock am Ring, the concert is considered one of the British alternative rock band's best live performances.
With their bombastic sound, the three band members around singer Matthew Bellamy created a dense, almost hypnotic atmosphere. Muse impressively demonstrated that a band doesn't need a lot of gimmicks to captivate an audience.
Tens of thousands celebrate Die Ärzte's performance at Rock am Ring in 2007.
Source: imago images/POP-EYE
"The best band in the world" made their Rock am Ring debut back in 1997 – back then still in a lineup with greats like Kiss, Aerosmith, and Supertramp. Ten years later, Die Ärzte returned – this time as headliners. The fact that the 2007 festival sold out in advance for the first time was likely due in no small part to the appeal of punk legends like Bela B, Farin Urlaub, and Rodrigo González.
Hosen singer Campino with a leg cast at Rock am Ring in 2008.
Source: imago images/POP-EYE
Die Toten Hosen are among the (German) bands with the most appearances at Rock am Ring. The punk band made their festival debut in 1996. Die Toten Hosen last performed at the Nürburgring in 2023.
2008 remains one of the band's most memorable Rock am Ring performances: Frontman Campino injured himself playing soccer shortly before the festival and performed with a leg cast and crutches. However, that didn't stop him from climbing the stage towers.
Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters, here at his second Rock am Ring visit in 2018.
Source: imago images/Manngold
"Let me join you, let me sing in your band!" Dave Grohl calls out to the audience after more than two energetic hours on the Main Stage. The Foo Fighters delivered a true rock blast in 2015, led by the charismatic ex-Nirvana drummer. The performance is still considered one of the strongest in recent festival history. The US rockers have returned two more times: in 2018 and 2023.
Rock am Ring has always been a place where music history was written – and by the greatest artists. Anyone browsing the festival's lineups will come across renowned rock icons like Iron Maiden , Guns N' Roses , Aerosmith , Van Halen , Bon Jovi , and Motörhead .
Even legends like Bob Dylan , Neil Young , Elton John , Peter Gabriel and Joe Cocker have given the festival a special musical depth.
Later, new rock greats followed, including Korn , Oasis , Green Day , The Offspring , Queens of the Stone Age , the Red Hot Chili Peppers , and Foo Fighters , who brought the festival into the modern era with contemporary sounds and energetic shows. Also always present: top German artists such as Herbert Grönemeyer , Marius Müller-Westernhagen , Die Toten Hosen , Die Ärzte , and Beatsteaks .
Since the late 2010s, the festival has increasingly embraced new musical trends beyond the traditional rock and metal spectrum. Genres such as rap rock, trap metal, emo rap, and alternative pop have found their way into the lineup – with acts like Machine Gun Kelly , Casper , Fever 333 , and Yungblud blurring the boundaries between rock, hip hop, and electronic elements. Over the decades, Rock am Ring has become a stage where generations of musicians and musical genres have repeatedly performed.
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