# The best German albums of all time

The top ten of Rolling Stone Germany's 50 best German albums (headed by Fehlfarben's Monarchie und Alltag) and other milestones from krautrock to the Hamburger Schule that keep appearing in critics' lists.

- 35 votes · 20 items
- Jun 23, 2022 · Sabine Müller
- https://even.best/en/l/305/the-best-german-albums-of-all-time

## Top 20

1. **The Man-Machine — Kraftwerk** (6 · ▲6 ▼0) — 1978. 'The Model' and 'The Robots': electronic pop that changed the world.
2. **Monarchie und Alltag — Fehlfarben** (5 · ▲6 ▼1) — 1980. Neue Deutsche Welle with 'Ein Jahr (Es geht voran)'; number one for Rolling Stone.
3. **Trio — Trio** (4 · ▲4 ▼0) — 1981. Minimalism from Großenkneten with 'Da Da Da'.
4. **Neu! — Neu!** (2 · ▲2 ▼0) — 1972. Michael Rother and Klaus Dinger and krautrock's motorik beat.
5. **Weißes Papier — Element of Crime** (2 · ▲2 ▼0) — 1993. Sven Regener's melancholy Berlin chansons in German.
6. **Keine Macht für Niemand — Ton Steine Scherben** (1 · ▲2 ▼1) — 1972. Rio Reiser and the soundtrack of West Berlin's squatter scene.
7. **Ideal — Ideal** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — 1980. Annette Humpe and 'Berlin', an anthem of the Neue Deutsche Welle.
8. **½ Mensch — Einstürzende Neubauten** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — 1985. Blixa Bargeld, metal and jackhammers as instruments.
9. **Trans-Europe Express — Kraftwerk** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — 1977. Trains, Europe and a riff later sampled by Afrika Bambaataa.
10. **Tago Mago — Can** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — 1971. A double album with Damo Suzuki; the peak of Cologne krautrock.
11. **Alles ist gut — DAF** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — 1981. Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft and 'Der Mussolini'; a prototype of electronic body music.
12. **L'Etat et moi — Blumfeld** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — 1994. Jochen Distelmeyer and the Hamburger Schule between theory and guitars.
13. **Rio I. — Rio Reiser** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — 1986. The Scherben singer's solo debut with 'König von Deutschland' and 'Junimond'.
14. **Nina Hagen Band — Nina Hagen Band** (0 · ▲1 ▼1) — 1978. Punk and opera from East Berlin, with 'TV-Glotzer'.
15. **Autobahn — Kraftwerk** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — 1974. A 22-minute drive on the motorway; their international breakthrough.
16. **Computer World — Kraftwerk** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — 1981. Home computers, databases and 'Computer Love', years before they were everyday things.
17. **Digital ist besser — Tocotronic** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — 1995. The Hamburg band's debut, all tracksuit tops and slogans.
18. **4630 Bochum — Herbert Grönemeyer** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — 1984. 'Männer', 'Flugzeuge im Bauch' and 'Bochum'; one of the best-selling German albums.
19. **Faust IV — Faust** (-1 · ▲0 ▼1) — 1973. Recorded in England; with 'Krautrock', the track that gave the genre its name.
20. **Future Days — Can** (-1 · ▲0 ▼1) — 1973. The last album with Damo Suzuki, floating and atmospheric.

How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.