German Pop Music

I was reading this crazy forum online for expats and someone asked about German pop singers because she only knew of Falco so of course, being a music lover, I had to post a few to show that Germany isn't all about folk music and Falco. he he.

Klee

Klee's leading lady singing in Russia this past April.
If you don't know much about German pop music, well there isn't much to know about it because most of the music I hear on the radio when I'm there is not really coming out of Germany as much as it is from America, Britain, Italy, etc. But there are bands in Germany that are quite good. Not all are my taste exactly, just like I wouldn't suggest every single band in America if someone asked me, but here are a few you can sample online. The ones with the * are my favorites. Ich + Ich Sarah Connor Juli* Jazzanova MIA* Thomas Godoj* Jeanette Biedermann Annett Louisan* Maike von Bremen Tokio Hotel Soehne Mannheims Julia Neigel Fettes Brot Jennifer Rostock Klee* Silbermond Rosenstolz Rammstein Do you know of any German bands/singers that you'd like to add? (images: klee)

Comments

ritaC said…
Hi, Holly! Thanks for sharing. I'm from Portugal and getting to know some German Pop this summer sounds a great ideia.

...and wasn´t Falco from Austria? ;)
→lisa said…
Well, Nena of course!!

I also like De-Phazz, although the only album I'm familiar with is "Daily Lama"

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&searchlink=DE-PHAZZ&sql=11:0ifoxqlkldfe~T1

(I hope that link worked. AMG links are strange...)
suzanne said…
I love The Bates!
haus maus said…
pb - she sang the 99 balloons song in the 80s right? is she still making music??

ritaC - Yeah but he sang in German so people always associate him with being a German pop star... at least the girl on the newsgroup I read did. ;)
→lisa said…
Hehe, I just put Nena down for old time's sake, of course!

But it looks like she's still got it goin' on:

http://www.nena.de/
Arabella said…
Coloma - two Brits based in Cologne/Berlin, award-winning too; does that qualify?!

http://www.myspace.com/colomamusic

And I believe Kraftwerk are still alive.....
Schnurz said…
My favourite is the german Soul-Queen Joy Denalane!

Have a nice day,
Anita
Herr M said…
Hi Holly,

Falco is Austrian and he would certainly mind being made German.
Annett Louisan is very cool and concerning her lyrics quite "German".
Nena is still singing and she is one of the few singers who survived the "Neue Deutsche Welle" in ´the 80´s.

Best wishes
Herr M
Bettina said…
Barbara Schöneberger
Ina Müller
Hildegard Knef
Jazzamor
Moca
Moodorama
Die Fantastischen Vier
Lima
Xavier Naidoo
Max Herre
Joy Delanane
Freundeskreis
Daniel Schuhmacher
Sebastian Hämer
Miranda
Disco Boys
Moonbootica
Clueso
Dynamite Deluxe
Nico Suave
Absolute Beginner
Afrob
Blumentopf
Jan Delay
Fünf Sterne Deluxe
Mo' Horizons
Paul van Dyk
Gabin
dZihan & Kamien
Koop
Minus 8
Micatone
Roger Cicero
Tom Gaebel
Virginia Jetzt!
Kettcar
Tomte



to name a few.

Every Wednesday at 9:00pm on NDR2: Musikszene Deutschland – 3 hours of the finest German music.

Every Monday and Wednesday at 9:pm on 1Live: 1LIVE Heimatkult - 3 hours of up-and-coming German music.
oolong said…
Here is the link to my all time favourite german band Wolfsheim:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkGGi_uUaPc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YWniR0lK_o

I couldn't find the original video for this one but this performance is breathtaking. I'm so sorry these two split up.
oolong said…
And don't forget Die toten Hosen. They are really big punk band. Not my cup of tea, but big.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Die_Toten_Hosen
Nice Design said…
Peter Fox
is a good german singer and songwriter.
diana said…
oh ehm yes....no list complete without Herbert Grönemeyer...
Unknown said…
Heh. Not that goth music is "pop", but if you count that the place is swarming with musicians. :)
amanda james said…
hah...this is a really good one. i can tell. well, there are a lot of good german bands-mostly singing in english. i will link their myspace sites to their names, so everyone can listen for themselves.
clueso-http://www.myspace.com/clueso2;
boundzound-http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=150272141;
seeed-http://www.myspace.com/seeed;
peter fox-http://www.myspace.com/peterfoxxx;
miss platnum-http://www.myspace.com/missplatnum;
the beatsteaks-http://www.myspace.com/beatsteaks

well, these are a few! there is much, much more. and of curse you have to know all the local musicians. there are plenty of bands out there. i hope this helped a bit ;-)
kind regards,
amanda
DaisyflowerD said…
You should check out "Wir sind Helden", they are quite good :)
M3000 said…
I'm from Texas, and I love listening to Clueso.

http://www.myspace.com/clueso2
Isa said…
oh, Xavier Naidoo, you forgot Xavier Naidoo!!!!!

And yes, Nena is still making music. :)
Christine said…
Just came across your blog and I really like it.
Silbermond und Juli are important :-)
Anonymous said…
Hi Holly,

Definitively...you have to add Xavier Naidoo. Or did I miss him next to the Soehne Mannheims?

Yes, Falco was Austrian.

Please also add "Fettes Brot" and "Fanta (die fantastischen 4) 4".

With fondest regards from Susanne who is not yet on vacation
leela said…
I can add
Die Fantastischen Vier
Die Ärzte
Die Toten Hosen

The last two are actually punk bands, although they seem to wind down by now (IMHO).
My favourite german bands are definitely from the "Hamburger Schule" e.g.
*Kettcar
*Tocotronic
*Tomte
and

*Bernd Begemann

Besides that I like
*Jupiter Jones
*Bosse
*Jan Delay
*Peter Fox
*Clueso
and definitely
*Selig!
They reunited after 10 years! I love their new CD, espcially
"Wir werden uns wiedersehen"
maki said…
hi holly,
one of the most successful singers in germany is herbert grönemeyer ;o) I've been to his concert last month in bochum. great! he's so powerful & and his lyrics are beautiful.
Anonymous said…
I'm putting my vote in for Krautrock, German 1960's-1970's experimental rock. The first generation to come of age after WWII with their own unique style of performance and sound, not so much derivative of UK and US hard rock bands. Mostly sung in German, sometimes English. A great period for experimentation. Unusual instrumentation and songwriting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krautrock

I recommend Julian Cope's Krautrocksampler as a starting point.

Bands:

Can
Faust
Amon Duul II
Agitation Free
Guru Guru
Dom
Rufus Zuphal
Grobschnitt

Sometimes it's hard to find, and sometimes hard to appreciate. But I love the anything-goes attitude. Start with CAN, which is a little easier on the ears than some of the rest. End with Amon Duul which requires a little bit of history to appreciate.

Oh, and HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Jason
Anonymous said…
Love your question. I came to realize I usually have been listening international and rarely German ...

Ina Mueller
Annett Louisan
e.g. "Drueck die 1"
Reinhard Mey
e.g. "Ich bin Klempner von Beruf"

http://web.ard.de/radio/radionet/

http://www.radio.de/

Angelika
Unknown said…
A Londoner but I love a bit of German indie/electro

try:
Barbara Morgenstern
The Notwist (my favourite)
Kettcar
Tocotronic

they often sing in english so that helps :)
Laura said…
Not pop, but the german band Waikiki Beach bombers are crazy fun!

http://www.baroquebabies.com/2009/06/music-in-morning-waikiki-beach-bombers.html
Eleanor said…
Am I the only one that likes 'Die Sterne'? Also a lot of good bands on the Compost label.
deviled megz said…
also love ms. john soda, notwist, erdmöbel, tomte, kettcar, lali puna
deviled megz said…
oh yeah- and PeterLicht!
Unknown said…
I don't know if they'd be your style, but I quite like Stereo Total.
Anonymous said…
Die Prinzen!
Anonymous said…
dear holly!

just because falco sang in german doesn't make him an german pop star, in the same sense as britney spears singing in english doesn't makes her a british pop star.

i love to read your blog, but please keep in mind that even though european countries are quite small, you can't just mix and match...
allison said…
hi holly,

no one mentioned 2raumwohnung http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2raumwohnung


oh and do you know recaptcha? to make people do something useful while entering captchas...
http://recaptcha.net/

allison
Rammstein? I would have never thought...
haus maus said…
Monica - ha! I don't listen to Rammstein - no way. Not my thing AT ALL.
I am a little relieved. :) Read through your post a little too quickly. Reading your posts about your transatlantic move sure brings back memories. I wish you all the best!
Unknown said…
I love:

Bettina Wegner &
Marius Mueller Westernhagen

besides many others that have already been named.
Anonymous said…
Joy Denalane!! Fantastic singer out of Berlin. http://www.joydenalane.de/

Check her out
Unknown said…
uh, i forgot.... 2Raumwohnung. you will love it!
"ich und elaine" is one of my favorite songs from them.
Jany said…
They've already mentioned, i guess:
Herbert Grönemeyer
Peter Fox
Die Fantastischen Vier
Trio
Kraftwerk
Marius Müller-Westernhagen
Isis said…
Farin Urlaub, one of the members of Die Ärzte started a solo carreer a couple of years back, you can still notice some punk influences in his music, but it is more than only punk.

He's one of my favorit artists ever.
jebcat said…
Hi Holly,

Claudia Koreck sings in Bavarian and is hardly ever played on the radio outside of Bavaria. You should check her out: www.claudia-koreck.de

lol from sunny Munich!
axel said…
Some of my german favourites (not all are exactly pop bands):

The Notwist
Konsole
Fischmob
Fink (there's an english singer called Fink as well)
Extrabreit (for a little 80's flashback)
Kraftwerk
Phonoboy
Stereo Total
Selig
2 Raumwohnung
Birthcontrol
Funny van Dannen (only if you are able to understand the lyrics)
LaBrassBanda
Willie-Le-Truc

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