Editing Autobahn (album) (section)

==Release==
''Autobahn'' was released in Germany in November 1974{{sfn|Schütte|2020|p=63}} by [[Philips Records]] as the third of the group's three-album deal with the label.{{sfn|Bussy|2004|p=69}} The album was released in the United States in January 1975, and the group's first album to be released in the US.{{sfn|Hunt|1975|p=66}} ''Autobahn'' charted in the US for 22 weeks on ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'''s ''[[Billboard 200|Top LPs and Tapes chart]]'' and peaked at number 5 on 3 May 1975.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/kraftwerk/chart-history/tlp/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129012315/https://www.billboard.com/music/Kraftwerk/chart-history/TLP|title=Kraftwerk|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=17 November 2021|archive-date=29 January 2020}}</ref> In the UK, the album was released by [[Phonogram Inc.|Phonogram]] with a blue-and-white motorway logo rather than Schult's painted cover.{{sfn|Dalton|2016a|p=4}} The UK cover became the default sleeve on later reissues.{{sfn|Dalton|2016a|p=4}} ''Autobahn'' was digitally remastered for released on CD, LP and cassette in 1985.{{sfn|Bussy|2004|p=69}} In 2009, Kraftwerk remastered and released eight of their albums, including ''Autobahn'', as part of a compilation called ''[[The Catalogue]]''.{{sfn|Breihan|2009}} In 2025 a 50th anniversary blu-ray edition was released, containing a Dolby Atmos Mix, a 5.1 Mix (48/24) and a Stereo Mix (48/24). Additionally, the blu-ray features two new 2024 single edits and a video of the ‘Autobahn’ edit using animation/live projection visuals.

A [[Chicago]] radio station was the first to play the single release of "Autobahn", which it had received as an import.{{sfn|Bussy|2004|p=61}} [[Jem Records]] in New Jersey imported a large quantity of the studio album, leading [[Vertigo Records]] to release both the single and the album in the US. The single cut of "Autobahn" became an international hit song in early 1975;{{sfn|Rogers|2013}} only a small portion of the song was played on top-40 radio.{{sfn|Van Matre|1975}} The single version of "Autobahn" is three-and-a-half minutes long; Hütter stated cutting down the track was simple because it was "loosely constructed, so making a short version was easy because you don't have to worry so much about boundaries and continuity".{{sfn|Hunt|1975|p=67}} Following the popularity of ''Autobahn'' in the US, Vertigo also released Kraftwerk's  earlier album  ''[[Ralf and Florian]]'' (1973).{{sfn|Hooker|1976}} Philips released "Kometenmelodie 2" as the album's second single.{{sfn|Bussy|2004|p=69}}

===Tour===
At the end of 1974, Kraftwerk had a short tour in West Germany; where the group remained a quartet, retaining Wolfgang Flür and hiring [[Karl Bartos]], who replaced Roeder in the group.{{sfn|Bussy|2004|p=56}}{{sfn|Bussy|2004|p=63}} Bartos was a 22-year old music student at [[Robert Schumann Hochschule]], Düsseldorf, who was hoping to become a percussionist with the [[Berliner Symphoniker|Berlin Symphony Orchestra]]. Bartos had played percussion at concerts in Germany with works by [[Karlheinz Stockhausen]] and [[Mauricio Kagel]].{{sfn|Bussy|2004|p=64}} Kraftwerk toured the US for three months, starting in April 1975.{{sfn|Bussy|2004|p=65}}{{sfn|Dalton|2004}} The US tour was followed by a seventeen-date tour of the UK in September. Bartos noted poor ticket sales for the British shows, recalling the group played to mostly empty halls in [[Newcastle-upon-Tyne]], London, [[Bournemouth]], [[Bath, Somerset|Bath]], [[Cardiff]], Birmingham, and [[Liverpool]].{{sfn|Schütte|2020|p=72}}

During the tour, the material consisted mostly of music from ''Autobahn'' and some of their earlier material. The group had difficulties with their initial road crew, who were fired and replaced during the American tour.{{sfn|Bussy|2004|p=65}} Issues also arose with the group's equipment; synthesizers had to be turned on in the afternoon to be tuned for the evening, and lighting from rigs was strong enough to put the instruments out of tune.{{sfn|Bussy|2004|p=66}}{{sfn|Bussy|2004|p=67}} They also experienced problems with the differences in [[mains voltage]]s between countries.{{sfn|Bussy|2004|p=66}}