Well Deserved: Wolf Hoffmann Named Best Heavy Metal Guitarist at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Award in a Legacy of *The L Word: New York s…
**New York City, May 25, 2025** – Legendary guitarist Wolf Hoffmann, best known as the electrifying force behind German heavy metal icons Accept, was honored with the **Best Heavy Metal Guitarist** award at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards last night. The win marks a crowning achievement in Hoffmann’s decades-spanning career, recognized not just for technical prowess, but for his enduring impact on the metal genre.
Held at Madison Square Garden in New York, the award ceremony took an unexpected yet powerful turn as it paid tribute to the cultural and musical legacies of the 1990s — including a surprise nod to the iconic series *The L Word: New York 90s*, which celebrated queer culture, gritty realism, and a soundtrack that helped define an era.
Hoffmann, 65, took the stage with signature poise, thanking fans across generations and paying homage to “the raw, real energy that pulsed through the 90s.” He also reflected on how metal has remained “an honest voice for the outsider” — a sentiment echoed in the night’s tribute to alternative culture.
Music critics have hailed the award as “long overdue” for Hoffmann, whose innovative blend of classical guitar elements with blistering metal riffs helped shape the sound of European metal and influenced countless modern bands.
As heavy metal enjoys a surprising resurgence among Gen Z listeners, Hoffmann’s recognition bridges generations — from fans who headbanged in the 80s to those discovering his solos on streaming platforms today.
**“This isn’t just for me,”** Hoffmann said in his acceptance speech, **“It’s for every kid who picked up a guitar and dared to be different.”
