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Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic power metal quintet, formed in 1996 in the town of Kitee, Finland. Nightwish is considered one of the bands responsible for the development and rise in popularity of symphonic metal at the end of the 1990s, as well as the creation of the subgenre symphonic power metal. Although they have 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 and Wishmaster, which were released in 1998 and 2000 respectively. Their 2004 album, Once, led to Nightwish video clips being shown on MTV in the United States and inclusion of their music in U.S. movie soundtracks. Their biggest U.S. hit single, “Wish I Had an Angel” (2004), made it onto three U.S. film soundtracks as a means to promote their North American tour. 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, Swede Anette Olzon, was revealed as Turunen’s replacement, and in the autumn, the band released a new album Dark Passion Play, for which the band is currently touring.
Current members: Anette Olzon – Vocals (2007-Present) Tuomas Holopainen – Keyboards (1996-Present), Vocals, Backing Vocals (1996-Present) Erno “Emppu” Vuorinen – Electric and Acoustic Guitars (1996-Present), Bass (1996-1998) Marko “Marco” Hietala – Bass and Acoustic Guitars, Vocals (2002-Present) Jukka “Julius” Nevalainen – Drums, Percussion (1997-Present)
Former Members: Tarja Turunen - Vocals (1996-2005) Sami Vänskä - Bass (1998-2000)
Sessional Members: Samppa Hirvonen - Bass (Sessional Live Member 1997-8) Marjaana Pellinen - Backing vocals, Second Keyboard (Sessional Live Member 1997-8) Tapio Wilska - Vocals on Oceanborn album and Over the Hills and Far Away EP Tony Kakko - Vocals and backing vocals on Over the Hills and Far Away EP Ike Vil - Vocals on Wishmaster album John Two-Hawks - Vocals on Once album Jouni Hynynen - Roar on Once album Johanna "Jonsu" Salomaa - Vocals on "Erämaan Viimeinen" Troy Donockley - Uilleann Pipes, Low/Tin Whistle and Bodhran on Dark Passion Play