10 Reasons Why The New Wave Of British Heavy Metal Was So Influential

9. Achieving The Seemingly Impossible - Arena Level Success

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cKS_ENb2C0 When British bands such as Iron Maiden, Tygers of Pan Tang and Saxon first emerged they were so far underground they may as well have been drilling for oil, but the British music scene was hungry for something tangible, something real, and these bands answered the call; slowly building a fan base which grew into an army of like-minded individuals. At the time, the journey from playing in sweaty, shoebox-sized clubs to headlining arenas and stadiums must have seemed an impossible dream but for some NWOBHM bands that is exactly what happened. Through a relentless work ethic including touring the width and breadth of the country while also recording at least an album a year, a few select bands found themselves gradually digging their way out of the underground; dirty, unkempt, raw and utterly uncivilised - but reaching an audience that was steadily growing. Admittedly, only a select few NWOBHM bands achieved massive success and went on to sell out arenas, Def Leppard, Iron Maiden and Judas Priest standing head and shoulders above the competition, but all were breaking down the boundaries of what was considered acceptable mainstream music with each ticket sold and gig played. Def Leppard, Priest and Maiden's influence and lasting legacy was to prove that no matter how uncommercial and challenging your music may be, putting on shows at arenas and stadiums is never an impossible task. The likes of homegrown Metalcore heroes Bring Me The Horizon playing at Wembley Arena this year stands testament to that.