Krautrock Bands

Best Krautrock Bands – Germany’s Experimental Rock Revolution

Krautrock, also known as Kosmische Musik, emerged in late 1960s West Germany as an experimental and avant-garde approach to rock music. Unlike British and American progressive rock, Krautrock often rejected blues-based structures in favor of hypnotic rhythms, electronic experimentation, and improvisation. The genre heavily influenced ambient, post-rock, electronic, and industrial music. Here are the most influential Krautrock bands that defined the movement.


1. Can – The Masters of Experimental Rock

  • Active Years: 1968–1979
  • Key Albums: Tago Mago (1971), Ege Bamyasi (1972), Future Days (1973)
  • Why They Matter: Can was one of the most groundbreaking Krautrock bands, blending jazz, avant-garde, and hypnotic grooves. Their unique rhythmic approach, pioneered by drummer Jaki Liebezeit, influenced generations of musicians.

2. Kraftwerk – The Pioneers of Electronic Music

  • Active Years: 1970–present
  • Key Albums: Autobahn (1974), Trans-Europe Express (1977), The Man-Machine (1978)
  • Why They Matter: Kraftwerk transitioned from experimental Krautrock to fully electronic music, laying the foundation for techno, synth-pop, and electronic dance music. Their minimalistic, robotic sound reshaped modern music.

3. Neu! – The Innovators of Motorik Rhythm

  • Active Years: 1971–1975
  • Key Albums: Neu! (1972), Neu! 2 (1973), Neu! ‘75 (1975)
  • Why They Matter: Neu! introduced the motorik beat, a steady, driving rhythm that became a defining characteristic of Krautrock and later influenced bands like David Bowie, Stereolab, and Radiohead.

4. Faust – The Avant-Garde Sound Experimenters
  • Active Years: 1971–1975, reformed in the 1990s
  • Key Albums: Faust (1971), Faust IV (1973), The Faust Tapes (1973)
  • Why They Matter: Faust pushed the limits of rock music with their use of industrial noise, tape manipulation, and abstract sound collages.

5. Amon Düül II – The Psychedelic Krautrock Masters
  • Active Years: 1968–present
  • Key Albums: Phallus Dei (1969), Yeti (1970), Wolf City (1972)
  • Why They Matter: Unlike their experimental contemporaries, Amon Düül II incorporated elements of psychedelic rock and progressive rock, creating a more accessible yet still surreal sound.

6. Tangerine Dream – The Cosmic Sound Explorers

  • Active Years: 1967–present
  • Key Albums: Phaedra (1974), Rubycon (1975), Stratosfear (1976)
  • Why They Matter: Tangerine Dream pioneered ambient and electronic prog, using synthesizers to create immersive, space-like soundscapes. Their influence on electronic music is immeasurable.

7. Ash Ra Tempel – The Psychedelic Space Rockers

  • Active Years: 1970–1976
  • Key Albums: Ash Ra Tempel (1971), Schwingungen (1972), Join Inn (1973)
  • Why They Matter: Led by Manuel Göttsching, Ash Ra Tempel blended space rock, ambient, and improvisational psychedelia, paving the way for electronic ambient music.

8. Cluster – The Experimental Electronic Duo

  • Active Years: 1971–2010
  • Key Albums: Cluster II (1972), Zuckerzeit (1974), Sowiesoso (1976)
  • Why They Matter: Cluster’s mix of minimalism, electronic loops, and abstract textures was a precursor to ambient and experimental electronic music.

9. Popol Vuh – The Spiritual Prog Innovators

  • Active Years: 1969–2001
  • Key Albums: Hosianna Mantra (1972), Aguirre (1975), Letzte Tage – Letzte Nächte (1976)
  • Why They Matter: Popol Vuh fused Krautrock with classical and religious themes, producing deeply meditative and cinematic music, often featured in Werner Herzog films.

10. Guru Guru – The Jazz-Rock Fusionists

  • Active Years: 1968–present
  • Key Albums: UFO (1970), Hinten (1971), Känguru (1972)
  • Why They Matter: Guru Guru combined psychedelic rock, jazz improvisation, and experimental noise, making them one of the most unpredictable bands in the genre.

The Legacy of Krautrock

Krautrock remains one of the most forward-thinking and influential movements in rock history. Its emphasis on repetition, electronic experimentation, and rhythmic innovation shaped post-rock, electronic music, ambient, and even punk and industrial rock.

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