Nightwish are a symphonic metal band from Kitee, Finland, formed in 1996 by songwriter/keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and vocalist Tarja Turunen. The group currently consists of Holopainen and Vuorinen, alongside multi-instrumentalist Troy Donockley (official since 2013, touring from 2007), lead vocalist Floor Jansen (since 2012), drummer Kai Hahto (official since 2019, touring from 2014) and bassist Jukka Koskinen (since 2021).
Although Nightwish has been prominent in their home country since the release of their first single, "The Carpenter" (1997) and debut album Angels Fall First, they did not achieve worldwide fame until the release of the albums Oceanborn, Wishmaster and Century Child, which were released in 1998, 2000 and 2002 respectively. Their 2004 album, Once, which has sold more than 1.2 million copies,[1] led to Nightwish video clips being shown on MTV in the United States and inclusion of their music in US movie soundtracks. Their biggest US hit single, "Wish I Had an Angel" (2004), made it onto three US film soundtracks as a means to promote their North American tour.[2] The band produced three more singles and two music videos for the album, as well as "Sleeping Sun", from the 2005 "best of" compilation album, Highest Hopes, prior to vocalist Tarja Turunen’s dismissal.
In May 2007, former Alyson Avenue frontwoman, Anette Olzon, was revealed as Turunen’s replacement,[3] and in the autumn, the band released a new album – Dark Passion Play, which has sold more than 1.5 million copies.[4] The supporting tour started on 6 October 2007 and ended on 19 September 2009.[5] [6] A new E.P./live album, Made in Hong Kong (And in Various Other Places), was released in March 2009 as a MCD/DVD.
Nightwish has received eleven awards from both the Emma-gaala Awards, from thirteen nominations,[7] [8] [9] and one Echo Awards from two nominations. Nightwish has also received 2 nominations from the Metal Hammer Golden God Awards, but has not received an award; Nightwish already won awards from MTV Europe Music Awards[10] and from World Music Awards.
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuomas Holopainen | 1996–present | all releases | |||
| Emppu Vuorinen | |||||
| Troy Donockley | 2013–present | all releases since Dark Passion Play (2007) | |||
| Floor Jansen | 2013–present | lead vocals | all releases since Endless Forms Most Beautiful (2015) | ||
| Kai Hahto | 2019–present | ||||
| Jukka Koskinen | 2022–present | bass | Yesterwynde (2024) |
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tarja Turunen | 1996–2005 | lead vocals | all releases until Once (2004) | ||
| Jukka Nevalainen | 1997–2019 | drums | all releases from Angels Fall First (1997) until Imaginaerum (2011) | ||
| Sami Vänskä | 1998–2001 | bass | all releases from Oceanborn (1998) until Over the Hills and Far Away (2001) | ||
| Anette Olzon | 2007–2012 | lead vocals | all releases from Dark Passion Play (2007) until Imaginaerum (2011) | ||
| Marko Hietala | 2002–2021 | all releases from Century Child (2002) up to Human. :II: Nature (2020) |
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samppa Hirvonen | 1997–1998 | bass | During the debut tour. | |
| Marianna Pellinen | During the debut tour, as well as certain promotions and performances for Oceanborn. | |||
| Tapio Wilska | male vocals | |||
| Pekka Kuusisto | violin | Pekka joined Nightwish for the final concert of Dark Passion Play tour at Hartwall Areena and later played violin solos for the album Imaginaerum. Pekka later joined Nightwish for the Imaginaerum Movie Premiere at Hartwall Areena and played violin/pipe battle with Troy Donockley. | ||
| Alissa White-Gluz | 2012 | vocals | Alissa and Ryd filled in for Anette while she was in hospital during the Denver show in 2012.[11] | |
| Elize Ryd | ||||
| Netta Skog | 2018 | accordion | Netta joined Nightwish for the Mukkula, Gatorade Center and Hartwall Arena shows on the in 2018. | |
| Henk Poort | 2022 | vocals | Joined Nightwish for The Phantom of the Opera performance at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam. Performance released as a live single. | |
| Yannis Papadopoulos | Joined Nightwish for Sahara performance at the O2 arena in Prague. |
| Years | Artist | Albums / songs | Instrument | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000–2002 | Sam Hardwick |
| Backing vocals | Live in Playback | |
| 2000 | Ike Vil |
| Male vocals | Live in Playback | |
| 2001 | Tony Kakko |
| Featured in the 2001 DVD, From Wishes to Eternity (in song Beauty and the Beast) | ||
| 2004 | John Two-Hawks |
| Male vocals, Native American flute | Featured in 2006 DVD, End of an Era | |
| 2004–2007 | The London Session Orchestra |
| All the chorus effects and orchestral sounds | Live in Playback | |
| 2007 | Johanna Salomaa |
| Female vocals | Indica frontwoman |