Editing Rammstein (section)

===Concert misconduct allegations===
In May 2023, a woman claimed that her drink was spiked (drugged) during a Rammstein concert in Lithuania and was selected for an aftershow party, during which she was ushered into a small room underneath the stage for lead singer Till Lindemann. After making herself unavailable for sex, she claimed Lindemann reacted angrily and left. While emphasising that she was never assaulted, she believed there to be an "organised system of funnelling girls."<ref name="bbc-08-06-2023">{{Cite news |date=8 June 2023 |title=Rammstein fan Shelby Lynn alleges she was groomed for sex |website=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-65843882 |access-date=8 June 2023}}</ref> Although Vilnius prosecutors found no evidence of drugging, her story amplified the band's "Row Zero" practice, where young women would be pre-selected on social media by casting director Alena Makeeva to stand in an exclusive area closest to the stage dubbed Row Zero and attend pre-show and after-show parties, during which Lindemann would request to have sex with fans in attendance.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rammstein won't be investigated in Lithuania – DW – 06/26/2023 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/rammstein-wont-be-investigated-in-lithuania/a-65991207 |access-date=23 July 2023 |website=dw.com |language=en}}</ref> Further claims against Lindemann prompted an investigation by German police for sexual offences and the distribution of narcotics.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Schuetze |first=Christopher F. |date=15 June 2023 |title=German Police Investigate Rammstein Singer Over Sexual Assault Accusations |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/15/arts/music/rammstein-singer-sexual-assault-accusations.html |access-date=23 July 2023 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In response, the band denied all claims of illegal behavior, fired Makeeva and halted the "Row Zero" afterparties.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Exberliner |date=7 June 2023 |title=Rammstein allegations mean no more "Row Zero" at Berlin concerts |url=https://www.exberliner.com/english-news-berlin/rammstein-allegations-mean-no-more-row-zero-at-berlin-concerts/ |access-date=23 July 2023 |website=Exberliner |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=19 June 2023 |title=Rammstein scandal: casting director fired amidst abuse accusations |url=https://www.msn.com/en-sg/entertainment/news/rammstein-scandal-casting-director-fired-amidst-abuse-accusations/ss-AA1ccDUp |access-date= |website=www.msn.com}}</ref>

In view of the allegations, Rammstein's label [[Universal Music Group|Universal]] announced that it would be suspending all promotional activities for Rammstein's albums.<ref>{{cite web |title=Universal Halts Rammstein Marketing Amid Abuse Claims |url=https://www.barrons.com/news/universal-halts-rammstein-marketing-amid-abuse-claims-dd99192c?refsec=topics_afp-news |website=[[Barron's (newspaper)|Barron's]] |access-date=15 June 2023 |date=15 June 2023}}</ref> Universal also confirmed a press report that it had confidentially requested the German Music Industry Association [[Bundesverband Musikindustrie|BVMI]] not to include the 25th anniversary re-release of ''Sehnsucht'' in the [[GfK Entertainment charts|official album charts]], regardless of its actual sales figures, and that the request had been authorized by the band itself.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rammstein will nicht in die Musikcharts|trans-title=Rammstein doesn't want to enter the charts |url=https://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/nach-lindemann-vorwuerfen-rammstein-will-nicht-in-die-musikcharts-18966021.html |website=[[Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung]] |access-date=16 June 2023 |language=de |date=16 June 2023 |last1=Theurer |first1=Marcus }}</ref> Various other companies including [[Kiepenheuer & Witsch]] and [[Rossmann (company)|Rossmann]] also halted joint ventures with the band.<ref>{{cite web |title=Der Verlag Kiepenheuer & Witsch beendet die Zusammenarbeit mit Till Lindemann |trans-title=Publishing house Kiepenheuer & Witsch ends cooperation with Till Lindemann |url=https://www.kiwi-verlag.de/magazin/news/der-verlag-kiepenheuer-witsch-beendet-die-zusammenarbeit-mit-till-lindemann |website=[[Kiepenheuer & Witsch]] |access-date=14 June 2023 |language=de |date=14 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Nach Vorwürfen gegen Till Lindemann: Rossmann stellt Verkauf von Rammstein-Parfüms ein |trans-title=After allegations against Till Lindemann: Rossmann suspends sales of Rammstein perfumes |url=https://www.stern.de/lifestyle/leute/vorwuerfe-gegen-till-lindemann--rossmann-stellt-verkauf-von-rammstein-parfuems-ein-33531836.html |website=[[Stern (magazine)|Stern]] |date=6 June 2023 |access-date=15 June 2023 |language=de-DE}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Rammstein: Radioeins lässt Sendung mit Flake ausfallen |trans-title=Rammstein: Radioeins cancels program with Flake |url=https://www.rollingstone.de/rammstein-keine-radioeins-sendung-mit-flake-heute-2599659/ |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |access-date=15 June 2023 |language=de |date=15 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.spiegel.de/kultur/musik/rammstein-plattenfirma-setzt-marketing-und-promotion-aktivitaeten-aus-a-a6731634-940b-4a62-90da-058667bf1694 | title=Rammstein: Plattenfirma setzt Marketing- und Promotion-Aktivitäten aus | newspaper=Der Spiegel | date=15 June 2023 }}</ref>

On 29 August, the German prosecutors announced that they dropped the case, saying that the investigations did not unearth any evidence of a crime.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.barrons.com/news/germany-drops-sex-assault-probe-into-rammstein-frontman-prosecutors-a3c69809 | title=German Prosecutors Drop Sex Assault Probe into Rammstein Frontman }}</ref> The investigations were originally taken up because of complaints filed by unaffected third persons who were unable to identify any victim. While alleged victims sent sworn statements to journalists, none of those women filed a criminal complaint, and therefore the police were unable to contact and interview them. Also, the journalists had promised the alleged victims anonymity, and made use of their [[Source protection|legal right to keep their sources secret]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Ermittlungen gegen Lindemann eingestellt |url=https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/staatsanwaltschaft-lindemann-100.html |date=2023-08-29 |access-date=2023-12-21 |work=[[Tagesschau (German TV programme)]] |language=de}}</ref>