Has a German song ever been a worldwide number one?
When you think about German music, the first thing that is likely to spring to mind is the pioneering electronic sound of Kraftwerk, and perhaps if you’re well-versed in the more experimental side of things, then the likes of Can, Faust and Tangerine Dream are going to be your first ports of call. If you’re to judge based on the output of these selected artists, you might be able to assess that German music is often very focused on technology and innovation, much like the country’s general approach to everything.
Now, let’s be honest, the latter trio of acts I just mentioned weren’t ever likely to have commercial success on a global scale, but Kraftwerk, despite being intrinsically experimental, had some pop sensibilities. When they re-released an English-language version of their 1978 song, ‘Das Model’ (that’s ‘The Model’ to English speakers), they managed to reach number one in the UK charts, which felt like a landmark moment in music of German origin achieving success in this country.
The tune itself is obviously no different between these two versions, although it’s interesting that they could have no success in a foreign land when singing in their mother tongue, but that a simple translation three years later would propel them to the top of the charts. Despite this, the US market wasn’t remotely interested in it, save for a poor showing on the Dance Club Songs chart, where it just about cracked the top 40.
Plenty of artists from non-English speaking nations have managed to top the charts on both sides of the Atlantic, but things are a little different when it comes to German. Much of this may be down to the way the language sounds to a non-speaker, often labelled as harsh, austere and aggressive, as opposed to the supposedly elegant and romantic sounds of say, French and Spanish. As it happens, there have been very few examples of Germany coming out on top in both the UK and US.
What was the first German-language song to top the UK and US charts?
Though Kraftwerk weren’t able to have international chart success with their German versions of their songs, less than a decade later, a German-language song took both the UK and US by storm. Released in 1985, Falco’s ‘Rock Me Amadeus’ shot to number one on both sides of the Atlantic the following year.
Despite being from Austria, Falco remains the only artist to have a German-language chart-topper in both countries, 40 years after having first released the song, and even though a language barrier is in place for large portions of the track, there’s something universally appealing about the track and its adoption of synthpop, electro and disco styles.
Taking inspiration from the life of classical composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and the 1984 Miloš Forman-directed biopic of his life, Amadeus, it takes the listener on a journey through his career and personal life, with the eight-minute album version being split into acts detailing each significant chapter of his existence, culminating in the release of the very hit you’re listening to.
It hit number one in multiple other countries as well, and can therefore be described as the first German-language worldwide hit, but has a German-born act ever achieved the same on both sides of the Atlantic, or indeed in multiple countries across the globe?
Has a German-born artist ever had a worldwide number one?
Interestingly, the song ‘99 Luftballons’ by Nena hit number two in the US and didn’t chart in the UK in 1983, but hit number one in the UK when re-released as ‘99 Red Balloons’, and then failed to chart in the US. The German-language version is ultimately the more popular version, having topped the chart in much of Europe where the language is either spoken by multiple countries or has some degree of mutual intelligibility, but if you were to play the track to a British person, they’re likely to sing along with the English lyrics.
There’s also Munich-born Lou Bega, who, despite having a hit with a cover of the Cuban song ‘Mambo No. 5’, managed to make a name for himself around the world with his interpretation of the song in 1998, reaching number one in most European countries and staying there for a record 20 weeks in France. Although it only peaked at number three in the US, it’s still regularly cited as one of the worst songs of all time in spite of its success, and even sparked parody versions in the UK, such as Neil Morrissey’s version sung under the guise of children’s television character Bob the Builder.
If we’re to discount the US, who seemingly have an aversion to crowning German artists as chart-toppers, then the first German act to reach number one across multiple European nations is Boney M with their double A-side, ‘Rivers of Babylon b/w Brown Girl in the Ring’. Sadly, it’s not their superior hit songs like ‘Rasputin’ or ‘Ma Baker’ that succeeded in this country, and what’s even sadder is that the fake duo Milli Vanilli, which was masterminded by Boney M creator Frank Farian, had more success in the States.
Plenty of other German acts have come close to achieving worldwide chart success, reaching the top ten in multiple countries, but no German act has topped both the UK and US charts with the same song. As well-known as ‘Wind of Change’ by heavy metal act Scorpions may be to some, it wasn’t a number one in either country, and nor was the Eurodance hit ‘Everytime We Touch’ by Cascada – and that’s arguably a good thing. Germany may have a storied history of producing incredible music, especially when it comes to electronic innovation, but it’s tough to imagine a world where Cluster ever found their way to becoming global superstars.
