Editing Kraftwerk

{{short description|German electronic music band}}
{{about|the band|their debut album|Kraftwerk (album)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Kraftwerk
| image             = Kraftwerk - Royal Albert Hall - Wednesday 21st June 2017 KraftwerkRAH210617-27 (35710073795).jpg
| landscape         = yes
| caption           = Kraftwerk performing at the [[Royal Albert Hall]] 2017. From left to right: [[Ralf Hütter]], Henning Schmitz, [[Fritz Hilpert]] and [[Falk Grieffenhagen]]
| background        = group_or_band
| origin            = [[Düsseldorf]], West Germany
| genre             = {{flatlist|<!--all genres sourced in #Music section-->
* [[Electronic music|Electronic]]
* [[synth-pop]]
* [[krautrock]]}}
| discography       = [[Kraftwerk discography]]
| years_active      = {{start date|1970}}–present
| label             = {{flatlist|
* [[Kling Klang Studio|Kling Klang]]
* [[EMI]]
* [[Capitol Records|Capitol]]
* [[Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros.]]
* [[Philips Records|Philips]]
* [[Vertigo Records|Vertigo]]
* [[Mercury Records|Mercury]]
* [[Mute Records|Mute]]
* [[Astralwerks Records|Astralwerks]]
* [[Elektra Records|Elektra]]
* [[Parlophone Records|Parlophone]]
}}
| spinoffs          = [[Neu!]]
| spinoff_of        = [[Organisation (band)|Organisation]]
| website           = {{URL|kraftwerk.com}}
| current_members   = {{unbulleted list|[[Ralf Hütter]] | Henning Schmitz | [[Falk Grieffenhagen]] | Georg Bongartz}}
| past_members      = {{unbulleted list|[[Florian Schneider]] | Houschäng Nejadépour|Plato Kostic|Peter Schmidt|Hans-Günther Weiss|Thomas Lohmann|Eberhard Kranemann|Andreas Hohmann|[[Klaus Dinger]] | [[Michael Rother]] | [[Emil Schult]] | [[Wolfgang Flür]] | [[Klaus Röder]] | [[Karl Bartos]] | [[Fernando Abrantes]] | Stefan Pfaffe | [[Fritz Hilpert]] }}
}}

'''Kraftwerk''' ({{IPA|de|ˈkʁaftvɛʁk|-|de-Kraftwerk.ogg}}, {{literally|[[power plant]]}}) is a [[Germany|German]] [[Electronic music|electronic]] band formed in [[Düsseldorf]] in 1970 by [[Ralf Hütter]] and [[Florian Schneider]]. Widely considered innovators and pioneers of [[electronic music]], Kraftwerk was among the first successful acts to popularize the genre. The group began as part of [[West Germany]]'s experimental [[krautrock]] scene in the early 1970s before fully embracing electronic instrumentation, including synthesizers, [[drum machine]]s, and [[vocoder]]s. [[Wolfgang Flür]] joined the band in 1973 and [[Karl Bartos]] in 1975, expanding the band to a quartet.

On commercially successful albums such as ''[[Autobahn (album)|Autobahn]]'' (1974), ''[[Trans-Europe Express (album)|Trans-Europe Express]]'' (1977), ''[[The Man-Machine]]'' (1978), and ''[[Computer World]]'' (1981), Kraftwerk developed a self-described "robot pop" style that combined electronic music with pop melodies, sparse arrangements, and repetitive rhythms, while adopting a stylized image including matching suits. Following the release of ''[[Electric Café]]'' (1986), Flür left the group in 1987, followed by Bartos in 1990. The band released ''[[Tour de France Soundtracks]]'', its most recent studio and concept album, in 2003. Founding member Florian Schneider left in 2008 to pursue solo work until his death in 2020. The band, with new members, has continued to tour under the leadership of Ralf Hütter.

The band's work has influenced a diverse range of artists and many genres of modern music, including [[synth-pop]], [[Hip hop music|hip hop]], [[post-punk]], [[techno]], [[house music]], [[Ambient music|ambient]], and [[club music]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://theconversation.com/see-them-to-believe-it-why-kraftwerk-is-the-worlds-most-influential-band-78138|title=See them to believe it: why Kraftwerk is the world's most influential band|first=Uwe|last=Schütte|website=The Conversation|date=June 2017|access-date=13 May 2021|archive-date=4 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211004194205/https://theconversation.com/see-them-to-believe-it-why-kraftwerk-is-the-worlds-most-influential-band-78138|url-status=live}}<br />{{Cite web|url=https://www.laweekly.com/kraftwerk-are-more-influential-than-the-beatles-let-us-explain/|title=Kraftwerk Are More Influential Than The Beatles. Let Us Explain|date=26 September 2017|website=LA Weekly|access-date=21 February 2021|archive-date=28 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028030739/https://www.laweekly.com/kraftwerk-are-more-influential-than-the-beatles-let-us-explain/|url-status=live}}<br />{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/jan/27/kraftwerk-most-influential-electronic-band-tate|title=Why Kraftwerk are still the world's most influential band|date=27 January 2013|website=The Guardian}}<br />{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaQQCW0wH0k| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211030/YaQQCW0wH0k| archive-date=30 October 2021|title=Kraftwerk - Pop Art (documentary 2013)| date=14 January 2018|publisher=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In 2014, [[the Recording Academy]] honoured Kraftwerk with a [[Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award]].<ref>Grammy Academy. [http://www.grammy.com/news/lifetime-achievement-award-kraftwerk "Lifetime Achievement Award: Kraftwerk"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140121173840/http://www.grammy.com/news/lifetime-achievement-award-kraftwerk |date=21 January 2014 }}. National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, 14 January 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2014</ref> It later won the [[Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album]] with its live album ''[[3-D The Catalogue]]'' (2017) at the [[60th Annual Grammy Awards|2018 ceremony]]. In 2021, Kraftwerk was inducted into the [[Rock & Roll Hall of Fame]] in the early influence category.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Tina Turner, Jay-Z, Foo Fighters Among Those Inducted Into Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame|url=https://www.npr.org/2021/05/12/995950982/tina-turner-jay-z-foo-fighters-among-those-inducted-into-rock-roll-hall-of-fame|access-date=12 May 2021|website=NPR.org|language=en|archive-date=12 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512130635/https://www.npr.org/2021/05/12/995950982/tina-turner-jay-z-foo-fighters-among-those-inducted-into-rock-roll-hall-of-fame|url-status=live}}</ref> As of 2024, the band continues to [[Tour (music)|tour]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kraftwerk.com/concerts/index-concerts.html |title=CONCERTS |website=Kraftwerk.com |access-date=29 January 2018 |archive-date=4 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804140909/http://www.kraftwerk.com/concerts/index-concerts.html |url-status=live }}</ref> with the members' live performances celebrating Kraftwerk's fiftieth anniversary.<ref name="Young">{{cite news|title=Kraftwerk Add New Dates to 2022 North American Tour|url=https://consequence.net/2022/03/kraftwerk-north-american-tour/|first=Alex|last=Young|accessdate=29 November 2022|date=29 March 2022|website=[[Consequence.net]]|archive-date=29 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129164901/https://consequence.net/2022/03/kraftwerk-north-american-tour/|url-status=live}}</ref>

== History ==
=== Formation and early years (1970–1973) ===
[[Florian Schneider]] (flutes, synthesizers, violin) and [[Ralf Hütter]] (organ, synthesizers) met as students at the [[Robert Schumann Hochschule]] in Düsseldorf in the late 1960s, participating in the German [[experimental music]] and art scene of the time, which ''[[Melody Maker]]'' jokingly dubbed "[[krautrock]]".<ref name="Bussy">{{cite book |last=Bussy |first=Pascal |title=Kraftwerk—Man, Machine & Music |publisher=SAF Publishing |year=1993 |isbn=978-0-946719-70-9}}</ref>{{page needed|date=April 2019}}

They joined a quintet known as [[Organisation (band)|Organisation]], which released one album, ''[[Tone Float]]'' in 1970, issued on [[RCA Records]] in the UK, and split shortly thereafter.<ref>Pascal Bussy: "Kraftwerk: Man, Machine and Music", SAF Publishing Ltd., Reprinted 1993, 1997, 1999, {{ISBN|978-0-946719-70-9}}</ref> Schneider became interested in synthesizers,  deciding to acquire one in 1970. While visiting an exhibition in their hometown about visual artists [[Gilbert and George]], they see "two men wearing suits and ties, claiming to bring art into everyday life. The same year, Hütter and Schneider started bringing everyday life into art and form Kraftwerk".<ref name="Rogers">{{cite news |first=Jude |last=Rogers |author-link=Jude Rogers |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/jan/27/kraftwerk-most-influential-electronic-band-tate |title=Why Kraftwerk are still the world's most influential band |newspaper=The Observer |date=27 January 2013 |access-date=27 January 2013 |archive-date=2 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902181559/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/jan/27/kraftwerk-most-influential-electronic-band-tate |url-status=live }}</ref>

Early Kraftwerk line-ups from 1970 to 1974 fluctuated, as Hütter and Schneider worked with around a half-dozen other musicians during the preparations for and the recording of three albums and sporadic live appearances, including guitarist [[Michael Rother]] and drummer [[Klaus Dinger]], who left to form [[Neu!]].<ref name="Bussy" />{{page needed|date=April 2019}} The only constant figure in these line-ups was Schneider, whose main instrument at the time was the flute; at times he also played the violin and guitar, all processed through a varied array of electronic devices. Hütter, who left the band for eight months to focus on completing his university studies, played synthesizer and keyboards (including Farfisa organ and electric piano).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Michael Rother |url=https://www.redbullmusicacademy.com/lectures/michael-rother-tokyo-2014/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=www.redbullmusicacademy.com |language=en}}</ref>

The band released two free-form experimental rock albums, ''[[Kraftwerk (album)|Kraftwerk]]'' (1970) and ''[[Kraftwerk 2]]'' (1972). The albums were mostly exploratory musical improvisations played on a variety of traditional instruments including guitar, bass, drums, organ, flute, and violin. Post-production modifications to these recordings were used to distort the sound of the instruments, particularly audio-tape manipulation and multiple dubbings of one instrument on the same track. Both albums are purely instrumental. Live performances from 1972 to 1973 were mostly made as a duo, using a simple beat-box-type electronic [[drum machine]] with preset rhythms taken from an electric organ. Occasionally, they performed with bass players as well. These shows were mainly in Germany, with occasional shows in France.<ref name="Bussy" />{{page needed|date=April 2019}} Later in 1973, [[Wolfgang Flür]] joined the group for rehearsals, and the unit performed as a trio on the television show ''Aspekte'' for German television network [[ZDF]].<ref name="iwasarobot">{{cite book |last=Flür |first=Wolfgang |author-link=Wolfgang Flür |title='Kraftwerk': I Was A Robot |publisher=Sanctuary Publishing |year=1993 |isbn=978-1-86074-417-4}}</ref>

With ''[[Ralf und Florian]]'', released in 1973, Kraftwerk began to rely more heavily on synthesizers and drum machines. Although almost entirely instrumental, the album marks Kraftwerk's first use of the [[vocoder]] in the song "Ananas Symphonie" (Pineapple Symphony,) which became one of its musical signatures. According to English music journalist [[Simon Reynolds]], Kraftwerk were influenced by what he called the "adrenalized insurgency" of Detroit artists of the late '60s [[MC5]] and [[the Stooges]].<ref name="Reynolds">{{cite book |last=Simon |first=Reynolds |author-link=Simon Reynolds |title=Generation Ecstasy: into the world of techno and rave culture |publisher=Routledge |year=1999}}</ref>

The input, expertise, and influence of producer and engineer [[Conny Plank|Konrad "Conny" Plank]] was highly significant in the early years of Kraftwerk. Plank also worked with many of the other leading German electronic acts of that time, including members of [[Can (band)|Can]], [[Neu!]], [[Cluster (band)|Cluster]], and [[Harmonia (band)|Harmonia]]. As a result of his work with Kraftwerk, Plank's studio near [[Cologne]] became one of the most sought-after studios in the late 1970s. Plank co-produced the first four Kraftwerk albums.<ref name="Bussy" />{{page needed|date=April 2019}}

=== International breakthrough: ''Autobahn'' and ''Radioactivity'' (1974–1976) ===
{{Main|Autobahn (album)|Radio-Activity}}
[[File:Kraftwerk by Ueli Frey (1976).jpg|left|thumb|Concert in [[Zürich]], 1976]]

{{Listen
| filename    = Kraftwerk - Autobahn (excerpt).ogg
| title="Autobahn"
| description = An excerpt from Autobahn's closing section.
| pos         = right
}}

The release of ''[[Autobahn (album)|Autobahn]]'' in 1974 saw Kraftwerk moving away from the sound of its first three albums. Hütter and Schneider had invested in newer technology such as the [[Minimoog]] and the [[EMS Synthi AKS]], helping give Kraftwerk a newer, "disciplined" sound. ''Autobahn'' was also the last album that [[Conny Plank]] engineered. After the commercial success of ''Autobahn'' in the US, where it peaked at number 5 in the [[Billboard 200|Billboard Top LPs & Tapes]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/kraftwerk-p4706/charts-awards/billboard-albums |title=allmusic ((( Kraftwerk > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums ))) |website=AllMusic |access-date=9 July 2009}}</ref> Hütter and Schneider invested in updating their studio, thus lessening their reliance on outside producers. At this time the painter and graphic artist [[Emil Schult]] became a regular collaborator, designing artwork, cowriting lyrics, and accompanying the group on tour.<ref name="Bussy" />{{page needed|date=April 2019}}

The year 1975 saw a turning point in Kraftwerk's live shows. With financial support from [[Phonogram Inc.]], in the US, they were able to undertake a tour to promote the ''Autobahn'' album, a tour which took them to the US, Canada and the UK for the first time. The tour also saw a new, stable, live line-up in the form of a quartet. Hütter and Schneider continued playing keyboard synthesizers such as the [[Minimoog]] and [[ARP Odyssey]], with Schneider's use of flute diminishing. The two men started singing live for the first time, and Schneider processing his voice with a vocoder live. Wolfgang Flür and new recruit [[Karl Bartos]] performed on home-made electronic percussion instruments. Bartos also used a Deagan [[vibraphone]] on stage. The Hütter-Schneider-Bartos-Flür formation remained in place until the late 1980s and is now regarded as the classic live line-up of Kraftwerk. Emil Schult generally fulfilled the role of tour manager.<ref name="Bussy" />{{page needed|date=April 2019}}

After the 1975 ''Autobahn'' tour, Kraftwerk began work on a follow-up album, ''[[Radio-Activity]]'' (German title: ''Radio-Aktivität''). After further investment in new equipment, the [[Kling Klang Studio]] became a fully working recording studio. The group used the central theme in radio communication, which had become enhanced on their last tour of the United States. With Emil Schult working on artwork and lyrics, Kraftwerk began to compose music for the new record. Even though ''Radio-Activity'' was less commercially successful than ''Autobahn'' in the UK and United States, the album served to open up the European market for Kraftwerk, earning them a [[gold disc]] in France. Kraftwerk made videos and performed several European live dates to promote the album. With the release of ''Autobahn'' and ''Radio-Activity'', Kraftwerk left behind avant-garde experimentation and moved towards the electronic pop tunes for which they are best known.<ref name="Bussy" />{{page needed|date=April 2019}}

In 1976, Kraftwerk toured in support of the ''Radio-Activity'' album. [[David Bowie]] was among the fans of the record and invited the band to support him on his ''[[Station to Station]]'' tour, an offer the group declined.<ref>[[Richard Witts|Witts, Richard]]. "Vorsprung durch Technik ? Kraftwerk and the British Fixation with Germany". reproduced in "Kraftwerk: Music Non-Stop".  Continuum Books 2012</ref> Despite some innovations in touring, Kraftwerk took a break from live performances after the ''Radio-Activity'' tour of 1976.

=== ''Trans-Europe Express'', ''The Man-Machine'' and ''Computer World'' (1977–1982) ===
{{Main|Trans-Europe Express (album)|The Man-Machine|Computer World}}
After having finished the Radio-Activity tour Kraftwerk began recording ''[[Trans-Europe Express (album)|Trans-Europe Express]]'' (German: ''Trans-Europa-Express'') at the Kling Klang Studio. ''Trans-Europe Express'' was mixed at the [[Record Plant|Record Plant Studios]] in Los Angeles. It was around this time that Hütter and Schneider met David Bowie at the Kling Klang Studio. A collaboration was mentioned in an interview ([[Brian Eno]]) with Hütter, but it never materialised. The release of ''Trans-Europe Express''  in March 1977 was marked with an extravagant train journey used as a press conference by EMI France.  The album won a disco award in New York later that year.

In May 1978 Kraftwerk released ''[[The Man-Machine]]'' (German: ''Die Mensch-Maschine''), recorded at the Kling Klang Studio. Due to the complexity of the recording, the album was mixed at Studio Rudas in Düsseldorf. The band hired sound engineer Leanard Jackson from Detroit to work with Joschko Rudas on the final mix. ''The Man-Machine'' was the first Kraftwerk album where [[Karl Bartos]] was cocredited as a songwriter. The cover, produced in black, white and red, was inspired by Russian artist [[El Lissitzky]] and the [[Suprematism]] movement. Gunther Frohling photographed the group for the cover, a now-iconic image which featured the quartet dressed in red shirts and black ties. After it was released Kraftwerk did not release another album or tour for three years.

In May 1981 Kraftwerk released ''[[Computer World]]'' (German: ''Computerwelt'') on [[EMI Records]]. It was recorded at Kling Klang Studio between 1978 and 1981. Much of this time was spent modifying the studio to make it portable so the band could take it on tour. Some of the electronic vocals on ''Computer World'' were generated using a [[Texas Instruments]] language translator.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.datamath.org/Speech/LanguageTranslator.htm |title=Datamath |publisher=Datamath |date=5 December 2001 |access-date=24 August 2014 |archive-date=3 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141003031106/http://www.datamath.org/Speech/LanguageTranslator.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> "[[Computer Love (Kraftwerk song)|Computer Love]]" was released as a single backed with the ''Man-Machine'' track "[[Das Model|The Model]]". Radio DJs were more interested in the [[A-side and B-side|B-side]] so the single was repackaged by EMI and re-released with "The Model" as the A-side. The single reached number one in the UK, making "The Model" Kraftwerk's most successful song in that country.As a result, the ''Man-Machine'' album also became a success in the UK, peaking at number 9 in the [[UK albums chart|album chart]] in February 1982.<ref name="uk chart">{{cite web |url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/kraftwerk/#albums |title=Kraftwerk albums Chart |website=Officialcharts.com |access-date=8 August 2013 |archive-date=22 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022132034/http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/kraftwerk/#albums |url-status=live }}</ref> The band's live set focused increasingly on song-based material, with greater use of vocals and the use of sequencing equipment for both percussion and music. In contrast to their cool and controlled image, the group used sequencers interactively, which allowed for live improvisation. Ironically, Kraftwerk did not own a computer at the time of recording ''Computer World''.

Kraftwerk returned to live performance with the ''Computer World'' tour of 1981, where the band effectively packed up its entire Kling Klang studio and took it along on the road. It also made greater use of live visuals including back-projected slides and films synchronized with the music as the technology developed, the use of hand-held miniaturized instruments during the set, and the use of replica [[mannequin]]s of themselves to perform on stage during the song "The Robots".{{citation needed|date=November 2022}}

=== ''Electric Café'' (1982–1989) ===
{{Main|Electric Café}}
In 1982 Kraftwerk began to work on a new album that initially had the working title ''[[Technicolor]]'' but due to trademark issues was changed to ''[[Electric Café]]'' for its original release in 1986 (for a remastered re-release in 2009, it was retitled again after its original working title, ''[[Techno Pop]]''). One of the songs from these recording sessions was "[[Tour de France (song)|Tour de France]]", which EMI released as a single in 1983. This song was a reflection of the band's new-found obsession with cycling. After the physically demanding ''Computer World'' tour, Ralf Hütter had been looking for forms of exercise that fitted in with the image of Kraftwerk; subsequently he encouraged the group to become vegetarians and take up cycling. "Tour de France" included sounds that followed this theme including bicycle chains, gear mechanisms and the breathing of the cyclist. At the time of the single's release Ralf Hütter tried to persuade the rest of the band that they should record a whole album based on cycling. The other members of the band were not convinced, and the theme was left to the single alone. "Tour de France" was released in German and French. The vocals of the song were recorded on the Kling Klang Studio stairs to create the right atmosphere. "Tour de France" was featured in the 1984 film ''[[Breakin']]'', showing the influence that Kraftwerk had on [[West Coast Hip Hop]].
In May or June 1982,<ref>[[Karl Bartos]] 2017, ''Der Klang der Maschine'', ch. 12</ref> during the recording of "Tour de France", Ralf Hütter was involved in a serious cycling accident.<ref name="Bussy" /> He suffered head injuries and remained in a coma for several days.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Harris |first=John |date=2009-06-18 |title='I got a new head, and I'm fine' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/jun/19/kraftwerk-hutter-manchester-international |access-date=2024-08-26 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> During 1983 Wolfgang Flür was beginning to spend less time in the studio. Since the band began using sequencers his role as a drummer was becoming less frequent. He preferred to spend his time travelling with his girlfriend. Flür was also experiencing artistic difficulties with the band. Though he toured the world with Kraftwerk as a drummer in 1981, his playing does not appear on that year's ''Computer World'' or on the 1986 album ''Electric Café''. In 1987 he made his last appearance with the band in "[[The Telephone Call]]" music video. As he declined to perform with the band in its Italian concerts in 1990 he was replaced on-stage by [[Fritz Hilpert]].<ref>Bartos, Karl ''The Sound of the Machine'' (Omnibus Press 2022), p. 481</ref>

=== ''The Mix'' (1990–1999) ===
{{Main|The Mix (Kraftwerk album)}}
After years of withdrawal from live performance Kraftwerk began to tour Europe more frequently. In February 1990 the band played a few secret shows in Italy. Karl Bartos left the band shortly afterwards. The next proper tour was in 1991, for the album ''[[The Mix (Kraftwerk album)|The Mix]]''. Hütter and Schneider wished to continue the synth-pop quartet style of presentation, and recruited [[Fernando Abrantes]] as a replacement for Bartos. Abrantes left the band shortly after though. In late 1991, long-time Kling Klang Studio sound engineer Henning Schmitz was brought in to finish the remainder of the tour and to complete a new version of the quartet that remained active until 2008.

In 1997 Kraftwerk made a famous appearance at the dance festival [[Tribal Gathering]] held in England.<ref>[http://www.physicsroom.org.nz/2cents/kraftwerk.htm 2 Cents: Kraftwerk, Tribal Gathering] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130208125456/http://www.physicsroom.org.nz/2cents/kraftwerk.htm |date=8 February 2013 }} (25 May 1997).</ref> In 1998, the group toured the US and Japan for the first time since 1981, along with shows in Brazil and [[Argentina]]. Three new songs were performed during this period and a further two tested in soundchecks, which remain unreleased.<ref name="activitaet1997">{{cite web |title=Aktivitaet Online - Archive - General articles - Kraftwerk's live werk of Autumn 1997 |url=http://www.aktivitaet-fanzine.com/10_live.html |website=Activitaet Online |access-date=8 May 2020 |archive-date=3 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803101115/http://www.aktivitaet-fanzine.com/10_live.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Following this trek, the group decided to take another break.<ref>[http://www.kraftworld.com.br/concerts/1998Tour.htm "Kraftworld, Kraftwerk 1998" Tour] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090324235555/http://kraftworld.com.br/concerts/1998Tour.htm |date=24 March 2009 }}. ''kraftworld.com''. Retrieved 5 March 2009</ref>

In July 1999 the single "Tour de France" was reissued in Europe by EMI after it had been [[out of print]] for several years. It was released for the first time on CD in addition to a repressing of the 12-inch vinyl single. Both versions feature slightly altered artwork that removed the faces of Flür and Bartos from the four-man cycling paceline depicted on the original cover. In 1999 ex-member Flür published his autobiography in Germany, ''Ich war ein Roboter''. Later English-language editions of the book were titled ''Kraftwerk: I Was a Robot''.

In 1999, Kraftwerk were commissioned to create an [[a cappella]] [[jingle]] for the [[Hannover]] [[Expo 2000]] [[world's fair]] in Germany. The jingle was subsequently developed into the single "[[Expo 2000 (song)|Expo 2000]]", which was released in December 1999, and remixed and re-released as "Expo Remix" in November 2000.

=== ''Tour de France Soundtracks'' and touring the world (2000–2009) ===
{{Main|Tour de France Soundtracks|Minimum-Maximum}}
[[File:Kraftwerk live in Stockholm.jpg|thumb|In [[Stockholm]], February 2004]]
In August 2003 the band released ''[[Tour de France Soundtracks]]'', its first album of new material since 1986's ''Electric Café''. In January and February 2003, before the release of the album, the band started the extensive ''Minimum-Maximum'' world tour, using four customised [[Sony]] [[VAIO]] laptop computers, effectively leaving the entire Kling Klang studio at home in Germany. The group also obtained a new set of transparent video panels to replace its four large projection screens. This greatly streamlined the running of all of the group's sequencing, sound-generating, and visual-display software. From this point, the band's equipment increasingly reduced manual playing, replacing it with interactive control of sequencing equipment. Hütter retained the most manual performance, still playing musical lines by hand on a controller keyboard and singing live vocals and having a repeating [[ostinato]]. Schneider's live vocoding had been replaced by software-controlled speech-synthesis techniques. In November, the group made a surprising appearance at the MTV European Music Awards in [[Edinburgh]], Scotland, performing "Aerodynamik". The same year a promotional box set titled ''12345678'' (subtitled ''The Catalogue'') was issued, with plans for a proper commercial release to follow.  The box featured [[Audio mastering|remastered]] editions of the group's eight core studio albums, from ''Autobahn'' to ''Tour de France Soundtracks''. This long-awaited box-set was eventually released in a different set of remasters in November 2009.

In June 2005 the band's first-ever official live album, ''[[Minimum-Maximum]]'', which was compiled from the shows during the band's tour of spring 2004, received praise from ''[[NME]]''.<ref name="taylor">Tony Naylor. [https://www.nme.com/reviews/kraftwerk/7663 "Kraftwerk: Minimum-Maximum Live"]. ''[[NME]]'', 2 June 2005. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303223710/http://www.nme.com/reviews/kraftwerk/7663 |date=3 March 2016 }}. Retrieved 8 August 2013</ref> The album contained reworked tracks from existing studio albums. This included a track titled "Planet of Visions" that was a reworking of "Expo 2000". In support of this release, Kraftwerk made another quick sweep around the [[Balkans]] with dates in [[Serbia]], [[Bulgaria]], [[North Macedonia|Macedonia]], [[Turkey]], and Greece. In December, the [[Minimum-Maximum (video)|''Minimum-Maximum'' DVD]] was released. During 2006, the band performed at festivals in Norway, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Spain, Belgium, and Germany.

In April 2008 the group played three shows in US cities [[Minneapolis]], [[Milwaukee]], and [[Denver]], and were a coheadliner at the [[Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival]]. This was its second appearance at the festival since 2004. Further shows were performed in Ireland, Poland, [[Ukraine]], Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore later that year. The touring quartet consisted of Ralf Hütter, Henning Schmitz, [[Fritz Hilpert]], and video technician Stefan Pfaffe, who became an official member in 2008. Original member Florian Schneider was absent from the lineup. Hütter stated that he was working on other projects.<ref>{{cite news |first=Graham |last=Reid |title=Interview: Ralf Hutter of Kraftwerk |date=27 September 2008 |work=The New Zealand Herald |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10534357&pnum=0 |access-date=27 September 2008 |archive-date=14 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200614185943/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10534357&pnum=0 |url-status=live }}</ref> On 21 November, Kraftwerk officially confirmed Florian Schneider's departure from the band;<ref>{{cite news |author=Music |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/4144592/Kraftwerks-co-founder-Florian-Schneider-leaves-band.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/4144592/Kraftwerks-co-founder-Florian-Schneider-leaves-band.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Kraftwerk's co-founder Florian Schneider leaves band |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=7 January 2009 |access-date=7 December 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref> ''[[The Independent]]'' commented: "There is something brilliantly Kraftwerkian about the news that Florian Schneider, a founder member of the German electronic pioneers, is leaving the band to pursue a solo career. Many successful bands break up after just a few years. It has apparently taken Schneider and his musical partner, Ralf Hütter, four decades to discover musical differences."<ref name="independent editorial">[https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/editorials/leading-article-nice-werk-1229948.html Editorials leading article: "Nice Werk"]. ''The Independent''. 7 January 2009. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171009195752/https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/editorials/leading-article-nice-werk-1229948.html |date=9 October 2017 }}. Retrieved 8 August 2013</ref> Kraftwerk's headline set at Global Gathering in Melbourne, Australia, on 22 November was cancelled moments before it was scheduled to begin, due to Fritz Hilpert experiencing a medical emergency.<ref>''[http://www.inthemix.com.au/news/aust/40542/Illness_forces_Kraftwerk_to_miss_Melbourne_Global_Gathering Illness forces Kraftwerk to miss Melbourne Global Gathering]'', inthemix.com.au (23 November 2008), {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081220181704/http://www.inthemix.com.au/news/aust/40542/Illness_forces_Kraftwerk_to_miss_Melbourne_Global_Gathering |date=20 December 2008 }}</ref>

In 2009, Kraftwerk performed concerts with special 3D background graphics in Wolfsburg, Germany; Manchester, UK; and Randers, Denmark. Members of the audience were able to watch this multimedia part of the show with 3D glasses, which were given out. During the Manchester concert (part of the 2009 [[Manchester International Festival]])<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mif.co.uk/ |title=MIF.co.uk |website=MIF.co.uk |access-date=7 December 2012 |archive-date=3 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121203121234/http://www.mif.co.uk/ |url-status=live }}</ref> four members of the GB cycling squad ([[Jason Kenny]], [[Ed Clancy]], [[Jamie Staff]] and [[Geraint Thomas]]) rode around the Velodrome while the band performed "Tour de France".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/jul/03/popandrock-kraftwerk |work=The Guardian |location=London |title=Kraftwerk/Steve Reich |first=Dave |last=Simpson |date=3 July 2009 |access-date=7 May 2010}}</ref> The group also played several festival dates, the last being at the [[Bestival 2009]] in September, on the [[Isle of Wight]].<ref>''[http://ventnorblog.com/bestival-09-kraftwerk-and-massive-attack-headline/ Kraftwerk to headline Bestival]'', ventnorblog.com (26 February 2009), {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090302065209/http://ventnorblog.com/bestival-09-kraftwerk-and-massive-attack-headline/ |date=2 March 2009 }}</ref> 2009 also saw the release of ''[[The Catalogue]]'' box set in November.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=P25715_0_2_0 |title=More and more remastered Kraftwerk eight-CD promo boxed sets auctioned via eBay |website=Side-line.com |date=1 December 2012 |access-date=7 December 2012 |archive-date=30 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130630153503/http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=P25715_0_2_0 |url-status=live }}</ref> It is a 12-inch album-sized box set containing all eight remastered CDs in cardboard slipcases, as well as LP-sized booklets of photographs and artwork for each individual album.

=== ''The Catalogue'' and continued touring (2010–2017) ===
{{Main|3-D The Catalogue}}
[[File:KRAFTWERK im Kiew 01.jpg|thumb|Kraftwerk performing in [[Kyiv]], 2008]]
Although not officially confirmed, Ralf Hütter suggested that a second boxed set of their first three experimental albums—''[[Kraftwerk (album)|Kraftwerk]]'', ''[[Kraftwerk 2]]'' and ''[[Ralf and Florian]]''—could be on its way, possibly seeing commercial release after their next studio album: "We've just never really taken a look at those albums. They've always been available, but as really bad [[bootleg recording|bootlegs]]. Now we have more artwork. [[Emil Schult|Emil]] has researched extra contemporary drawings, graphics, and photographs to go with each album, collections of paintings that we worked with, and drawings that Florian and I did. We took a lot of [[instant camera|Polaroids]] in those days." Kraftwerk also released an [[iOS]] app called Kraftwerk Kling Klang Machine.<ref>{{cite news |last=Witter |first=Simon |title=Article |website=Kraftwerk.technopop.com.br |url=http://kraftwerk.technopop.com.br/interview_123.php |date=Spring 2006 |access-date=25 November 2009 |archive-date=12 April 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080412112707/http://kraftwerk.technopop.com.br/interview_123.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Lenbach House in Munich exhibited some Kraftwerk 3-D pieces in Autumn 2011. Kraftwerk performed three concerts to open the exhibit.<ref name="Lenbachhaus">{{cite web |title=Lenbachhaus – Kunstbau |url=http://www.lenbachhaus.de/cms/index.php?id=51&cHash=cc4d30f42b&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=176&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=1&L=1 |website=Lenbachhaus.de |access-date=14 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426000911/http://www.lenbachhaus.de/cms/index.php?id=51&cHash=cc4d30f42b&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=176&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=1&L=1 |archive-date=26 April 2012}}</ref>

Kraftwerk played at Ultra Music Festival in Miami on 23 March 2012. Initiated by [[Klaus Biesenbach]], the [[Museum of Modern Art]] of New York organized an exhibit titled ''Kraftwerk – Retrospective 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8'' where the band performed their studio discography from ''[[Autobahn (album)|Autobahn]]'' to ''[[Tour de France Soundtracks|Tour de France]]'' over the course of eight days to sell-out crowds. The exhibit later toured to the [[Tate|Tate Gallery]] as well as to [https://www.kunstsammlung.de/en/home.html K20] in Düsseldorf. Kraftwerk performed at the No Nukes 2012 Festival in Tokyo, Japan. Kraftwerk was also going to play at the Ultra Music Festival in [[Warsaw]], but the event was cancelled; instead, Kraftwerk performed at Way Out West in [[Gothenburg]]. A limited edition version of the ''Catalogue'' box set was released during the retrospective, restricted to 2000 sets. Each box was individually numbered and inverted the colour scheme of the standard box. In December, Kraftwerk stated on its website that it would be playing its ''Catalogue'' in Düsseldorf and at London's Tate Modern. Kraftwerk tickets were priced at £60 in London, but fans compared that to the $20 ticket price for tickets at New York's MoMA in 2012, which caused consternation. Even so, the demand for the tickets at The Tate was so high that it shut down the website.

In March 2013, the band was not allowed to perform at a music festival in China due to unspecified "political reasons".<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/mar/29/kraftwerk-denied-festival-appearance-in-china Kraftwerk denied festival appearance in China]. ''The Guardian''. 29 March 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2013</ref> In an interview in June after performing the eight albums of ''The Catalogue'' in Sydney, Ralf Hütter stated: "Now we have finished one to eight, now we can concentrate on number nine."<ref name="Street">P Street, Andrew. [https://www.theguardian.com/music/australia-culture-blog/2013/jun/12/kraftwerk-new-album-catalogue-sydney Kraftwerk's Ralf Hütter: 'Now we can concentrate on album number nine']. ''The Guardian''. 12 June 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2013</ref> In July, it performed at the 47th Montreux Jazz Festival. The band also played a 3-D concert on 12 July at Scotland's biggest festival – [[T in the Park]] – in Balado, Kinross, as well as 20 July at [[Latitude Festival]] in Suffolk, and 21 July at the Longitude Festival in Dublin.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/sun-cream-at-the-ready-as-longtitude-festival-gets-underway-in-marlay-park-1.1467913 |title=Sun cream at the ready as Longitude<!-- "Longtitude" in original --> festival gets underway in Marlay Park |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |date=19 June 2018 |first1=Ronan |last1=McGreevy |access-date=21 April 2020 |archive-date=24 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191224064703/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/sun-cream-at-the-ready-as-longtitude-festival-gets-underway-in-marlay-park-1.1467913 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In October 2013 the band played four concerts, over two nights, in [[Eindhoven]], Netherlands. The venue, [[Evoluon]] (the former technology museum of [[Philips Electronics]], now a conference center) was handpicked by Ralf Hütter,<ref>{{cite web |author=Reageren Uw reactie Naam E-mail adres Versturen |title=Kraftwerk: 'Optreden in Evoluon is geweldig' |url=http://www.ed.nl/extra/muziek/kraftwerk-optreden-in-evoluon-is-geweldig-1.4058625 |website=Ed.nl |access-date=24 August 2014 |archive-date=2 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502210754/http://www.ed.nl/extra/muziek/kraftwerk-optreden-in-evoluon-is-geweldig-1.4058625 |url-status=live }}</ref> for its [[retro-futuristic]] UFO-like architecture. Bespoke visuals of the building, with the saucer section descending from space, were displayed during the rendition of ''Spacelab.''<ref>{{cite web |author=saret97 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4RscwiGhAc | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211030/H4RscwiGhAc| archive-date=30 October 2021|title=Kraftwerk – Spacelab (Live @ Evoluon 18-10-2013) | date=18 October 2013 |publisher=YouTube |access-date=24 August 2014}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

In 2014, Kraftwerk brought its four-night, 3D ''Catalogue'' tour to the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://kraftwerk.laphil.com/ |title=Kraftwerk – KRAFTWERK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 – LAPhil |website=Kraftwerk.laphil.com |date=24 September 2012 |access-date=11 February 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140209071956/http://kraftwerk.laphil.com/ |archive-date=9 February 2014}}</ref> and at NYC's [[United Palace Theatre]]. It also played at the Cirkus in Stockholm, Sweden and at the music festival [[Summer Sonic]] in Tokyo, Japan.<ref>{{cite web |title=Summer Sonic 2014 Lineup |url=http://www.summersonic.com/2014/lineup/ |website=Summersonic.com |date=19 May 2014 |access-date=24 August 2014 |archive-date=31 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140831033551/http://www.summersonic.com/2014/lineup/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> In November 2014 the 3D ''Catalogue'' live set was played in Paris, France, at the brand new Fondation Louis-Vuitton from 6 to 14 November.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.myconcertarchive.com/en/event?id=38271 |title=Computer World (3-D Le Catalogue): Kraftwerk – Fondation Louis Vuiton, Paris – November 10, 2014 |work=My Concert Archive |access-date=28 September 2014 |archive-date=29 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129210547/http://www.myconcertarchive.com/en/event?id=38271 |url-status=live }}</ref> and then in the iconic [[Paradiso (Amsterdam)|Paradiso]] concert hall in [[Amsterdam]], [[Netherlands]], where they played before in 1976.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nltimes.nl/2014/09/09/kraftwerk-sets-8-night-paradiso-residency/ |title=Kraftwerk sets 8-night Paradiso residency |work=NL Times |date=9 September 2014}}</ref> In 2015, Ralf Hütter, being told that the [[Tour de France]] would be starting that year in the nearby Dutch city of [[Utrecht]], decided that Kraftwerk would perform during the "Grand Départ". Eventually the band played three concerts 3 and 4 July in [[TivoliVredenburg]] performing "Tour de France Soundtracks" and visited the start of the Tour in-between.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Special Report Kraftwerk At The Tour De France – Electronic Sound |url=https://www.electronicsound.co.uk/features/long-reads/special-report-kraftwerk-at-the-tour-de-france/ |access-date=2024-07-04 |language=en-AU}}</ref>

At the request of race director [[Christian Prudhomme]], Kraftwerk performed at the Tour de France on 1 July 2017, this time in Kraftwerk's hometown [[Düsseldorf]]. French electronic band [[Air (French band)|Air]] opened the concert, invited by Kraftwerk. Concertgoers were offered 3D glasses to perceive [[Stereoscopy|stereoscopic]] effects on the video screen.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.dw.com/en/german-electronic-music-legends-kraftwerk-to-open-tour-de-france-in-dusseldorf/a-37344612 |title=Kraftwerk to open Tour de France in Dusseldorf |author=Kate Müser |date=31 January 2017 |newspaper=[[Deutsche Welle]] |access-date=23 January 2023 |archive-date=3 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230303132107/https://www.dw.com/en/german-electronic-music-legends-kraftwerk-to-open-tour-de-france-in-dusseldorf/a-37344612 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== ''3-D The Catalogue'' and Schneider's death (2017–present) ===
In April 2017, Kraftwerk announced ''[[3-D The Catalogue]]'', a live album and video documenting performances of all eight albums in ''The Catalogue'' that was released 26 May 2017. It is available in multiple formats, the most extensive of which being a 4-disc [[Blu-ray]] set with a 236-page hardback book. The album was nominated for the [[Grammy Award]]s for [[Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album|Best Dance/Electronic Album]] and [[Grammy Award for Best Surround Sound Album|Best Surround Sound Album]] at the ceremony that took place on 28 January 2018, winning the former, which became the band's first Grammy win.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.residentadvisor.net/news/40924|title=Kraftwerk and LCD Soundsystem among Grammy Awards 2018 winners|website=Resident Advisor|access-date=8 October 2019|archive-date=8 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191008165356/https://www.residentadvisor.net/news/40924|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 20 July 2018, at a concert in Stuttgart, German astronaut [[Alexander Gerst]] performed "Spacelab" with the band while aboard the [[International Space Station]], joining via a live video link. Gerst played melodies using a tablet as his instrument alongside Hütter as a duet, and delivered a short message to the audience.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCQEzgtWv-E|title=Good evening, Kraftwerk / Guten Abend Kraftwerk, guten Abend Stuttgart!|date=21 July 2018 |access-date=23 June 2021|publisher=YouTube|archive-date=21 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421052014/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCQEzgtWv-E|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 20 July 2019, Kraftwerk headlined the Saturday night lineup on the [[Bernard Lovell|Lovell]] Stage at [[Bluedot Festival]], a music and science festival held annually at [[Jodrell Bank Observatory]], Cheshire, UK.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discoverthebluedot.com/profile/kraftwerk|title=Kraftwerk|website=Bluedot Festival|language=en|access-date=22 July 2019|archive-date=22 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190722223611/https://www.discoverthebluedot.com/profile/kraftwerk|url-status=live}}</ref> The 2019 festival celebrated the 50th anniversary of the [[Apollo 11]] Moon landing.

On 21 April 2020, Florian Schneider died at age 73 after a brief battle with cancer. On 3 July 2020, the German-language versions of ''Trans Europe Express'', ''The Man Machine'', ''Computer World'', ''Techno Pop'' and ''The Mix'', alongside ''3-D The Catalogue'', were released worldwide on streaming services for the first time.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://nationalpost.com/opinion/colby-cosh-remembering-kraftwerks-florian-schneider-the-prophet-of-the-post-human|title=Remembering Kraftwerk's Florian Schneider, the prophet of the post-human|work=National Post|first=Colby|last=Cosh|date=8 May 2020|access-date=10 May 2020|archive-date=12 May 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200512072356/https://nationalpost.com/opinion/colby-cosh-remembering-kraftwerks-florian-schneider-the-prophet-of-the-post-human|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Kraftwerk co-founder Florian Schneider-Esleben dies aged 73 |url=https://apnews.com/62ea80e5b55964628898ed76b447eeb1 |website=AP News |date=6 May 2020 |access-date=7 May 2020 |archive-date=7 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200507005610/https://apnews.com/62ea80e5b55964628898ed76b447eeb1 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2 July 2020|title=Kraftwerk's German language albums, 3-D documentary hit streaming services for first time|url=https://consequence.net/2020/07/kraftwerk-add-five-unavaiable-albums-tidal-and-amazon/|access-date=4 July 2020|website=Consequence of Sound|language=en-US|archive-date=15 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220815031624/https://consequence.net/2020/07/kraftwerk-add-five-unavaiable-albums-tidal-and-amazon/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 21 December 2020, Parlophone/WEA released ''Remixes'', a digital [[compilation album]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Remixes |url=https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/remixes-kraftwerk/r9xaxf7f7f95b |website=Qobus |access-date=23 March 2021 |archive-date=5 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105151836/https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/remixes-kraftwerk/r9xaxf7f7f95b |url-status=live }}</ref> It includes remixed tracks taken from singles released 1991, 1999, 2000, 2004 and 2007, plus the previously unreleased "Non Stop", a version of "[[Musique Non-Stop]]" used as a jingle by [[MTV Europe]] beginning in 1993.<ref>{{cite web |title=MTV Europe - Music Non-Stop (1993-97) - ALL Idents |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eeQjo8A2MI | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211030/_eeQjo8A2MI| archive-date=30 October 2021|website=YouTube | date=5 June 2013 |access-date=16 February 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The cover re-uses the cover from "[[Expo 2000|Expo Remix]]". The compilation was released on CD and vinyl in 2022.

On 30 October 2021, Kraftwerk was inducted into the [[Rock & Roll Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kraftwerk have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame |url=https://mixmag.net/read/kraftwerk-inducted-into-rock-roll-hall-of-fame-news |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=Mixmag}}</ref> In November 2021, the band announced plans for a 2022 North American tour.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Minsker|first=Evan|title=Kraftwerk Announce 2022 North American Tour|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/kraftwerk-announce-2022-north-american-tour/|date=1 November 2021|access-date=1 November 2021|website=Pitchfork|archive-date=1 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211101144257/https://pitchfork.com/news/kraftwerk-announce-2022-north-american-tour/|url-status=live}}</ref> With the members' live performances celebrating Kraftwerk's fiftieth anniversary, the ''Remixes'' compilation album came out on compact disc and vinyl for the first time in addition.<ref name="Young"/>

From 27 May to 10 July 2022, the formation undertook a successful North American tour, performing in 24 cities.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/kraftwerk-north-american-tour-dates-2022-1251454|title=Tourdates 2022|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=2021}}</ref>

Since 2023, it has begun visualising its music on the façades of castles and other historic buildings in a special way.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK32u_50Y4E|title=Optic & Music I|website=[[YouTube]] |date=2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stimme.de/freizeit/kultur/kultur/die-mensch-maschine-beeindruckendes-konzert-vonkraftwerk-in-karlsruhe-art-4830757|title=Optic & Music II|date=2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.krone.at/3448226|title=Optic & Music III|date=2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bild.de/regional/dresden/trotz-hochwasser-in-dresden-kraftwerk-spielen-vor-der-semperoper-66e54b1ee3fed11bdbc997a5|title=Optic & Music IV|date=2024}}</ref>

In May 2024, it performed nine nights at the [[Walt Disney Concert Hall]] in Los Angeles, presenting one of its eight albums each night and another concert as the ninth gig.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Madison|first=Evan|title=Kraftwerk Announce Career-Spanning Residency in Los Angeles|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/kraftwerk-announce-career-spanning-residency-in-los-angeles/|date=10 January 2024|access-date=1 February 2024|website=Pitchfork|archive-date=6 February 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240206023943/https://pitchfork.com/news/kraftwerk-announce-career-spanning-residency-in-los-angeles/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 27 July 2024, at the [[Fuji Rock Festival]] in [[Naeba Ski Resort|Naeba]], Kraftwerk played a cover version of another artist's work for the first time: "[[Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (instrumental)|Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence]]" by [[Ryuichi Sakamoto]], who died in 2023. Hütter had been friends with Sakamoto since 1981. After performing "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence", Kraftwerk played "Radioactivity", for which Sakamoto wrote the Japanese lyrics in 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kraftwerk perform 'Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence' in tribute to Ryuichi Sakamoto|url=https://mixmag.net/read/kraftwerk-perform-merry-christmas-mr-lawrence-tribute-ryuichi-sakamoto-japan-news|access-date=2024-07-31 |website=Mixmag}}</ref>

On 4 December 2024, Kraftwerk announced their Multimedia Tour to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of ''Autobahn'', enlisting professional skateboarder [[Tony Hawk]] in doing so.<ref>{{cite news |last=Madarang |first=Charisma |date=5 December 2024 |title=Kraftwerk Celebrate 50 Years of 'Autobahn,' Announce 2025 North American Tour |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/kraftwerk-2025-north-american-tour-dates-1235194423/ }}</ref>

== Music and artistry ==
=== Style ===
Kraftwerk have been recognized as pioneers of [[electronic music]]<ref name="McCormick" /><ref name="Independentconference">{{cite web |last1=Lusher |first1=Adam |title=The Kraftwerk conference: Why a bunch of academics consider the German electropoppers worthy of their own symposium |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/the-kraftwerk-conference-why-a-bunch-of-academics-consider-the-german-electropoppers-worthy-of-their-9993879.html |website=[[The Independent]] |access-date=11 September 2016 |date=21 January 2015 |archive-date=9 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171009201330/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/the-kraftwerk-conference-why-a-bunch-of-academics-consider-the-german-electropoppers-worthy-of-their-9993879.html |url-status=live }}</ref> as well as subgenres such as [[electropop]],<ref>{{cite book |author=John Shepherd |title=Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World: VolumeII: Performance and Production |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pJvzEzjahkQC&pg=PA268 |date=8 July 2003 |publisher=A&C Black |isbn=978-0-8264-6322-7 |page=268}}</ref><ref name="McCormick" /><ref name="Independentconference" /> [[art pop]],<ref name="moma">{{cite web |last1=Michaels |first1=Sean |title=Kraftwerk announce residency at New York's Moma |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/feb/16/kraftwerk-residency-new-york-moma |website=[[The Guardian]] |date=16 February 2012 | access-date=12 February 2018}}</ref><ref name="Ucr">{{cite web |last1=Giles |first1=Jeff |title=Beatles to Receive Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award |url=http://ultimateclassicrock.com/beatles-grammy-lifetime-award/ |website=Ultimate Classic Rock |date=13 December 2013 |access-date=28 October 2016 |archive-date=28 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161028152858/http://ultimateclassicrock.com/beatles-grammy-lifetime-award/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Ny">{{cite news |last1=Ratliff |first1=Ben |title=Made in Detroit, Different Music Models |url=http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/06/01/arts/music/movement-music-festival-trip-metal-detroit.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=28 October 2016 |date=31 May 2016 |archive-date=11 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240611121504/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/01/arts/music/movement-music-festival-trip-metal-detroit.html |url-status=live }}</ref> [[house music]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.80s80s.de/kraftwerk-hall-of-fame|title=House Roots|date=2021|access-date=5 February 2022|archive-date=3 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220203130536/https://www.80s80s.de/kraftwerk-hall-of-fame|url-status=live}}</ref> [[synth-pop]]<ref name="bv">{{cite web |last1=Staff |title=Kraftwerk brought their 3D tour to United Palace Theatre (pics, set list), do it again tonight |url=http://www.brooklynvegan.com/kraftwerk-broug/ |website=[[Brooklyn Vegan]] |date=2 April 2014 |access-date=24 October 2016 |archive-date=25 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025051008/http://www.brooklynvegan.com/kraftwerk-broug/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="ind">{{cite web |last1=Stubbs |first1=David |title=Ladies und Gentlemen, the future has arrived |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/ladies-und-gentlemen-the-future-has-arrived-8468340.html |website=[[The Independent]] |access-date=24 October 2016 |date=27 January 2013 |archive-date=25 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025044713/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/ladies-und-gentlemen-the-future-has-arrived-8468340.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="tc">{{cite web |last1=Raihala |first1=Ross |title=Review: Kraftwerk rocks Northrop Auditorium, German-style |url=http://www.twincities.com/2015/10/06/review-kraftwerk-rocks-northrop-auditorium-german-style/ |website=Twin Cities |access-date=24 October 2016 |date=6 October 2015}}</ref> and [[electronic rock]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://whatculture.com/music/10-most-influential-electronic-rock-artists?page=5|title=10 Most Influential Electronic Rock Artists|first=Tim|last=Coffman|date=10 February 2022|website=WhatCulture.com|access-date=9 October 2022|archive-date=9 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221009045005/https://whatculture.com/music/10-most-influential-electronic-rock-artists?page=5|url-status=live}}</ref> In its early incarnation, the band pursued an [[Avant-garde music|avant-garde]],<ref name="Independentconference"/><ref name="Consequence">{{cite web |last1=Coplan |first1=Chris |title=Video Surfaces of Kraftwerk's Television Debut in 1970 |url=https://consequence.net/2014/03/video-surfaces-of-kraftwerks-television-debut-in-1970/ |website=[[Consequence of Sound]] |access-date=31 March 2016 |date=26 March 2014 |archive-date=22 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211122160925/https://consequence.net/2014/03/video-surfaces-of-kraftwerks-television-debut-in-1970/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="thestranger">{{cite web |last1=Segal |first1=Dave |title=What Does Kraftwerk Mean to You? |url=http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/what-does-kraftwerk-mean-to-you/Content?oid=19946422 |website=The Stranger |access-date=11 September 2016 |archive-date=23 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923005009/http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/what-does-kraftwerk-mean-to-you/Content?oid=19946422 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[experimental rock]] style inspired by the compositions of [[Karlheinz Stockhausen]]. Hütter has also listed [[the Beach Boys]] as a major influence.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thing.de/delektro/interviews/eng/kraftwerk/kw11-76.html |title=D>Elektro – MATERIAL – Kraftwerk – Interview 11/76 – P. Alessandrini |website=Thing.de |access-date=14 December 2012 |archive-date=2 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130402171728/http://www.thing.de/delektro/interviews/eng/kraftwerk/kw11-76.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The group was also inspired by the [[funk music]] of [[James Brown]] and, later, [[punk rock]].<ref name="Rogers" /> They were initially connected to the German [[krautrock]] scene.<ref>{{cite book |first1=Steven D. | last1=Martinson |first2=Renate A. | last2=Schulz |title=Deutsch Als Fremdsprache |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OfeeqFk7QVYC&pg=PA225 |year=2008 |publisher=Peter Lang |isbn=978-3-03911-627-0 |page=225}}</ref><ref name="McCormick" /> In the mid-[[1970s in music|1970s]], they transitioned to an electronic sound which they described as "robot pop".<ref name="allmusic">{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=mn0000104714|tab=biography|label=Artist Biography by Jason Ankeny|first=Jason|last=Ankeny|access-date=11 September 2012}}</ref> Kraftwerk's lyrics dealt with [[Aftermath of World War II|post-war]] European urban life and technology—traveling by car on the ''[[Autobahn]]'', traveling by train, using home computers, and the like. They were influenced by the [[Modernist art|modernist]] [[Bauhaus]] aesthetic, seeing art as inseparable from everyday function.<ref name="ind" /> Usually, the lyrics are very [[Minimalist music|minimal]] but reveal both an innocent celebration of, and a knowing caution about, the modern world, as well as playing an integral role in the rhythmic structure of the songs. Many of Kraftwerk's songs express the paradoxical nature of modern urban life: a strong sense of alienation existing side by side with a celebration of the joys of modern technology.<ref>{{cite book |author=Barr, Tim |title=Kraftwerk: from Dusseldorf to the Future With Love |publisher=Ebury Press |date=1998 |isbn=978-0-09-186490-3}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2012/may/18/donna-summer-i-feel-love |title=DNA I |website=[[TheGuardian.com]] |date=2012 |access-date=21 September 2022 |archive-date=5 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160505162412/http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2012/may/18/donna-summer-i-feel-love |url-status=live }}</ref>

Starting with the release of ''[[Autobahn (album)|Autobahn]]'', Kraftwerk began to release a series of [[concept albums]] (''[[Radio-Activity]]'', ''[[Trans-Europe Express (album)|Trans-Europe Express]]'', ''[[The Man-Machine]]'', ''[[Computer World]]'', ''[[Tour de France Soundtracks]]'').<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NSamDwAAQBAJ&q=kraftwerk+%22concept+albums%22&pg=PT147 |title=Kraftwerk: Future Music from Germany |last=Schütte |first=Uwe |date=27 February 2020 |publisher=Penguin UK |isbn=9780241320556 |access-date=29 April 2020 |archive-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408075905/https://books.google.com/books?id=NSamDwAAQBAJ&q=kraftwerk+%22concept+albums%22&pg=PT147 |url-status=live }}</ref> All of Kraftwerk's albums from ''Trans Europe Express'' onwards, except ''Tour de France Soundtracks'', have been released in separate versions: one with German vocals for sale in Germany, Switzerland and Austria and one with English vocals for the rest of the world, with occasional variations in other languages when conceptually appropriate. Live performance has always played an important part in Kraftwerk's activities. Also, despite its live shows generally being based around formal songs and compositions, live [[improvisation]] often plays a noticeable role in its performances. This trait can be traced back to the group's roots in the first [[Experimental music|experimental]] Krautrock scene of the late [[1960s in music|1960s]], but, significantly, it has continued to be a part of its playing even as it makes ever greater use of digital and computer-controlled sequencing in its performances. Some of the band's familiar compositions have been observed to have developed from live improvisations at its concerts or sound-checks.<ref>{{citation |url=https://edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/preview+behind+kraftwerk+machines/11360476/story.html |title=The man behind Kraftwerk's machines |author=Sperounes, Sandra |work=Edmon Journal |date=14 September 2015 |access-date=28 October 2016 |archive-date=11 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211161100/http://www.edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/preview+behind+kraftwerk+machines/11360476/story.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== Technological innovations ===
Throughout their career, Kraftwerk have pushed the limits of [[music technology]] with some notable innovations, such as home-made instruments and custom-built devices. The group has always perceived their Kling Klang Studio as a complex music instrument, as well as a sound laboratory; Florian Schneider in particular developed a fascination with music technology, with the result that the technical aspects of sound generation and recording gradually became his main fields of activity within the band.<ref name="Bussy" />{{page needed|date=April 2019}}  Alexei Monroe called Kraftwerk the "first successful artists to incorporate representations of [[Industrial music|industrial]] sounds into non-academic electronic music".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Monroe |first=Alexei |title=Interrogation Machine: Laibach and NSK |publisher=Cambridge: The MIT Press |page=[https://archive.org/details/interrogationmac0000monr/page/212 212] |year=2005 |isbn=0-262-63315-9 |url=https://archive.org/details/interrogationmac0000monr/page/212 }}</ref>
[[File:Kraftwerk Vocoder custom made in early1970s.JPG|thumb|Early 1970s vocoder, custom-built for Kraftwerk]]

Kraftwerk used a custom-built [[vocoder]] on their albums ''[[Ralf und Florian]]'' and ''Autobahn''; the device was constructed by engineers P. Leunig and K. Obermayer of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt Braunschweig.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kraftwerk Vocoder (Barth / Leunig) sold: $12,500 |url=http://www.sequencer.de/blog/?p=843 |website=Sequencer.de |access-date=14 December 2012 |date=25 June 2006 |archive-date=29 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329051751/http://www.sequencer.de/blog/?p=843 |url-status=live }}</ref> Hütter and Schneider received a patent for an [[electronic drum kit]] with sensor pads, filed in July 1975 and issued in June 1977.<ref name="aktivitaet-fanzine1" /> It must be hit with metal sticks, which are connected to the device to complete a circuit that triggers analog synthetic percussion sounds.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-zX6QkdQ30 | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211030/D-zX6QkdQ30| archive-date=30 October 2021|title='Tomorrow's world' (1976 TV performance) |publisher=YouTube |date=23 January 2008 |access-date=14 December 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The band first performed in public with this device in 1973, on the television program ''Aspekte'' (on the all-German channel [[ZDF|Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen]]), where it was played by Wolfgang Flür.<ref>Flür, Wolfgang (2001). "Kraftwerk": I Was A Robot. Sanctuary Publishing. {{ISBN|978-1-86074-417-4}}.</ref> They created drum machines for ''Autobahn'' and ''Trans-Europe Express''.<ref>Reynolds, Simon. "Generation Ecstasy". Routledge. 2013.</ref>

On the ''Radio-Activity'' tour in 1976 Kraftwerk tested out an experimental light-beam-activated drum cage allowing Flür to trigger electronic percussion through arm and hand movements. Unfortunately, the device did not work as planned, and it was quickly abandoned.<ref name="aktivitaet-fanzine1">{{cite web |url=http://www.aktivitaet-fanzine.com/10_kk0.html |title=Aktivitaet Online – Archive – General articles – Kling Klang: The Electronic Garden |website=Aktivitaet-fanzine.com |access-date=14 December 2012 |archive-date=12 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130312160256/http://www.aktivitaet-fanzine.com/10_kk0.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The same year Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider commissioned [[Bonn]]-based "Synthesizerstudio Bonn, Matten & Wiechers" to design and build the Synthanorma Sequenzer with Intervallomat, a 4×8 / 2×16 / 1×32 step-sequencer system with some features that commercial products couldn't provide at that time.<ref name="aktivitaet-fanzine1" /> The [[music sequencer]] was used by the band for the first time to control the electronic sources creating the rhythmic sound of the album ''Trans-Europe Express''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.elektropolis.de/synthanorma.pdf|website=Elektropolis.de|title=Synthanorma Sequenzer – description by D. Matten|access-date=14 December 2012|archive-date=6 August 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100806212737/http://www.elektropolis.de/synthanorma.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

Since 2002, Kraftwerk's live performances have been conducted with the use of virtual technology (i.e. software replicating and replacing original analogue or digital equipment). According to [[Fritz Hilpert]], "the mobility of music technology and the reliability of the notebooks and software have greatly simplified the realization of complex touring setups: we generate all sounds on the laptops in real time and manipulate them with controller maps. It takes almost no time to get our compact stage system set up for performance. [...] This way, we can bring our Kling-Klang Studio with us on stage. The physical light weight of our equipment also translates into an enormous ease of use when working with software synthesizers and sound processors. Every tool imaginable is within immediate reach or just a few mouse clicks away on the Internet."<ref>Interview: ''The Future Is Virtual – Music Tech Talk With Fritz Hilpert'', Sounds & Performance magazine, 2009</ref>

=== Reclusiveness and eccentricity ===
The band is also known for being notoriously reclusive, providing rare and enigmatic interviews, using life-size mannequins and robots while conducting official photo shoots, refusing to answer fanmail and barring visitors from the Kling Klang Studio, the precise location of which they used to keep secret.

Another notable example of this eccentric behavior was reported to [[Johnny Marr]] of [[the Smiths]] by Karl Bartos, who explained that anyone trying to contact the band for collaboration would be told the studio telephone did not have a ringer since, while recording, the band did not like to hear any kind of noise pollution. Instead, callers were instructed to phone the studio precisely at a certain time, whereupon the phone would be answered by Ralf Hütter, despite never hearing the phone ring.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ioyvLPs4Bc | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120629180016/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ioyvLPs4Bc| archive-date=29 June 2012|title=Top 100 Albums: Kraftwerk Trans-Europe-Express commented by Johnny Marr and Mark Radcliffe |publisher=YouTube |date=1 April 2007 |access-date=14 December 2012}}</ref>

[[Chris Martin]] of [[Coldplay]] recalled in a 2007 article in [[Q (magazine)|''Q'']] magazine the process of requesting permission to use the melody from the track "[[Computer Love (Kraftwerk song)|Computer Love]]" on "[[Talk (Coldplay song)|Talk]]" from the album ''[[X&Y]]''. He sent a letter through the lawyers of the respective parties and several weeks later received an envelope containing a handwritten reply that simply said "yes".<ref name="Q Magazine – The 21 people who changed Music.">Goddard, Simon. "The 21 people who changed music – They are the robots." ''[[Q Magazine]]''. November 2007, p. 106.</ref>

== Influence and legacy ==
According to music journalist Neil McCormick, Kraftwerk might be "the most influential group in pop history".<ref name="McCormick">{{cite news |author=McCormick, Neil. |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopfeatures/9837423/Kraftwerk-the-most-influential-group-in-pop-history.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopfeatures/9837423/Kraftwerk-the-most-influential-group-in-pop-history.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Kraftwerk: the most influential group in pop history? |work=The Telegraph |date=30 January 2013 |access-date=10 August 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref> ''NME'' wrote: {{"'}}The Beatles and Kraftwerk' may not have the ring of 'the Beatles and the Stones', but nonetheless, these are the two most important bands in music history".<ref name="taylor" /> [[AllMusic]] wrote that their music "resonates in virtually every new development to impact the contemporary pop scene of the late 20th century".<ref name="allmusic" />

Kraftwerk's musical style and image can be heard and seen in 1980s [[synth-pop]] groups such as [[Gary Numan]],<ref name="sa">Sean Albiez, David Pattie ''Kraftwerk: Music Non-Stop'' 2011, page 152-157</ref> [[Ultravox]],<ref name="sa" /> [[John Foxx]],<ref name="sa" /> [[Visage (band)|Visage]],<ref name="sa" /> [[Simple Minds]],<ref name="sa" /> [[The Human League]],{{CN|date=June 2024}}  [[Soft Cell]],{{CN|date=June 2024}} and [[Yellow Magic Orchestra]].{{CN|date=June 2024}} [[Depeche Mode]]'s composer [[Martin Gore]] said: "For anyone of our generation involved in electronic music, Kraftwerk were the godfathers".<ref name="McCormick" /> [[Daniel Miller (music producer)|Daniel Miller]], founder of Mute Records, purchased the [[vocoder]] used by Kraftwerk in their early albums, comparing it to owning "the guitar [[Jimi Hendrix]] used on '[[Purple Haze]]{{'"}}.<ref>"Synth Britannia", BBC Four, 19 October 2009. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pctRkmzNDY Excerpt] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170406133147/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pctRkmzNDY |date=6 April 2017 }}.</ref> [[Andy McCluskey]] and [[Paul Humphreys]], founding members of [[Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark]] (OMD), have stated that Kraftwerk was a major reference on their early work;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://omd.uk.com/html/biography.html |title=OMD biography |website=OMD.uk.com |access-date=12 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100311003621/http://www.omd.uk.com/html/biography.html |archive-date=11 March 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> OMD covered "Neon Lights" on the 1991 album, ''[[Sugar Tax (album)|Sugar Tax]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://omd.uk.com/discography/sugar_tax |title=OMD discography: Sugar Tax |website=OMD.uk.com |access-date=12 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110321091746/https://omd.uk.com/discography/sugar_tax |archive-date=21 March 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> 

Kraftwerk influenced other forms of music such as [[Hip hop music|hip hop]], house, and drum and bass, and they are also regarded as one of the pioneers of the [[Electro music|electro]] genre.<ref>Fink, R. "The story of ORCH5, or, the classical ghost in the hip-hop machine". Popular Music 24.3 (2005): 339–356. 9 November 2009.</ref> [[Karl Hyde]] of [[Underworld (band)|Underworld]] has referenced Kraftwerk as a prominent influence.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lynskey |first1=Dorian |title=Underworld's Dubnobass ... 20 years on |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/oct/09/karl-hyde-rick-smith-underworld-1994-album-dubnobasswithmyheadman |website=The Guardian |access-date=19 April 2022 |language=en |date=9 October 2014 |archive-date=13 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190713080049/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/oct/09/karl-hyde-rick-smith-underworld-1994-album-dubnobasswithmyheadman |url-status=live }}</ref> Most notably, "Trans Europe Express" and "Numbers" were interpolated into "[[Planet Rock (song)|Planet Rock]]" by [[Afrika Bambaataa]] & the Soul Sonic Force, one of the earliest hip-hop/electro hits. Kraftwerk helped ignite the New York electro-movement.<ref name="Reynolds" /> [[Techno]] was created by three musicians from Detroit, often referred to as the '[[The Belleville Three|Belleville three]]' ([[Juan Atkins]], [[Kevin Saunderson]] & [[Derrick May (musician)|Derrick May]]), who fused the repetitive melodies of Kraftwerk with funk rhythms.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kexp.org/learn/docu_pop_goes_electronic.asp#2 |title=KEXP 90.3 FM – KEXP Documentary: POP Goes Electronic |access-date=7 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090301081318/http://kexp.org/learn/docu_pop_goes_electronic.asp#2 |archive-date=1 March 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The Belleville three were heavily influenced by Kraftwerk and their sounds because Kraftwerk's sounds appealed to the middle-class black people residing in Detroit at this time.<ref name="Reynolds" />

The electronic band [[Ladytron]] were inspired by Kraftwerk's song "The Model" when they composed their debut single "He Took Her to a Movie".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ladytron: 604 - Release Music Magazine review |url=http://www.releasemagazine.net/Onrecord/orladytron604.htm |access-date=2022-06-25 |website=www.releasemagazine.net |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303232930/http://www.releasemagazine.net/Onrecord/orladytron604.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Aphex Twin]] noted Kraftwerk as one of his biggest influences and cited ''Computer World'' as a very influential album towards his music and sound.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2001/oct/05/artsfeatures3 |work=The Guardian |location=London |title=Tank boy |first=Paul |last=Lester |date=5 October 2001 |access-date=25 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100529161147/http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2001/oct/05/artsfeatures3 |archive-date=29 May 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Björk]] has cited the band as one of her main musical influences.<ref>{{cite book |last=Pytlik |first=Mark |title=Björk: Wow and Flutter |publisher=[[ECW Press]] | page=126 |year=2003 |isbn=1-55022-556-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bill263dqDAC}}</ref> Electronic musician [[Kompressor (musician)|Kompressor]] has cited Kraftwerk as an influence. The band was also mentioned in the song "Rappers We Crush" by Kompressor and [[MC Frontalot]] ("I hurry away, get in my Chrysler. Oh, the dismay!/Someone's replaced all of my Backstreet Boys with Kraftwerk tapes!"). Dr. [[Alex Paterson]] of [[the Orb]] listed ''The Man-Machine'' as one of his 13 favourite albums of all time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://thequietus.com/articles/05233-bakers-dozen-alex-paterson-chooses-his-favourite-13-albums?page=5 |title=Bakers Dozen: Alex Paterson of the Orb Chooses His Favourite 13 Albums |website=Thequietus.com |date=4 November 2010 |access-date=7 December 2012 |archive-date=11 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240611121505/https://thequietus.com/interviews/bakers-dozen/bakers-dozen-alex-paterson-chooses-his-favourite-13-albums/ |url-status=live }}</ref> According to ''NME'', Kraftwerk's pioneering "robot pop" also spawned groups like [[The Prodigy]] and [[Daft Punk]].<ref name="taylor" />

Kraftwerk inspired many acts from other styles and genres, along with having their work been repeatedly sampled. David Bowie's "[[V-2 Schneider]]", from the 1977's ''[["Heroes" (David Bowie album)|"Heroes"]]'' album, was a tribute to Florian Schneider.<ref name="Bowie: An Illustrated Record">[[Roy Carr]] & [[Charles Shaar Murray]] (1981). ''Bowie: An Illustrated Record'': p. 92.</ref> [[Post-punk]] bands [[Joy Division]] and [[New Order (band)|New Order]] were heavily influenced by the band. Joy Division frontman [[Ian Curtis]] was a fan, and showed his colleagues records that would influence their music.<ref>The album ''Trans-Europe Express'' was played over the PA before Joy Division's concerts. New Order's song "Your Silent Face" also has some similarities with "Europe Endless" and had a working title of "KW1", or "Kraftwerk 1". New Order also recorded a song called "[[Krafty]]" that appeared as a single and on the album ''[[Waiting for the Sirens' Call]]''.</ref> New Order also sampled "Uranium" in its biggest hit "[[Blue Monday (New Order song)|Blue Monday]]".<ref>{{cite book |first=Michael |last=Butterworth |title=The Blue Monday Diaries: In the Studio with New Order |publisher=Plexus Publishing Ltd |date=30 November 2015 |quote=Kraftwerk's Uranium from the 1975 album Radio-Activity, became the model for the keyboard pad sound at the start and end of the track}}</ref> [[Siouxsie and the Banshees]] recorded a cover of "Hall of Mirrors" on their 1987 album ''[[Through the Looking Glass (Siouxsie and the Banshees album)|Through the Looking Glass]]'', which was lauded by Ralf Hütter: "In general, we consider cover versions as an appreciation of our work. The version of 'Hall of Mirrors' by Siouxsie and the Banshees is extraordinary, just like the arrangements of [[Alexander Bălănescu]] for his [[Balanescu Quartet]] release [of ''Possessed'', 1992]. We also like the album ''[[El Baile Alemán]]'' of [[Señor Coconut]] a lot."<ref>{{citation |title=Intervista: I Kraftwerk, redeirelettronica: 'Partiamo per il Tour de France' |work=[[La Stampa]] |date=22 August 2003 |issue=numero 229 |page=29 |url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,29/articleid,0168_01_2003_0229_0029_1167122/ |quote=In genere lo consideriamo un apprezzamento per il nostro lavoro. La versione di Siouxsie di 'Hall Of Mirrors' è straordinaria, come gli arrangiamenti di Alexander Balanescu per quartetto d'archi. Anche il disco di Señor Coconut ci è piaciuto molto. |access-date=17 March 2017 |archive-date=18 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170318085837/http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,29/articleid,0168_01_2003_0229_0029_1167122/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Members of [[Blondie (band)|Blondie]] have admitted on several occasions that Kraftwerk were an important reference for their sound by the time they were working on their third album ''[[Parallel Lines]]''. The worldwide hit "[[Heart of Glass (song)|Heart of Glass]]" turned radically from an initial [[reggae]]-flavoured style to its distinctive electronic sound in order to imitate the technological approach of Kraftwerk's albums and adapt it to a disco concept.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AVQbF9lTBwgC&q=mojo+blondie+parallel+lines&pg=PA410 |title=Blondie – Parallel Lines |publisher=The Mojo Collection: the ultimate music companion |date=2007 |page=410 |quote=We didn't expect the song to be that big (...) We weren't thinking about selling out. We were thinking about Kraftwerk and Eurodisco |isbn=978-1-84767-643-6 |access-date=18 October 2020 |archive-date=5 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405023935/https://books.google.com/books?id=AVQbF9lTBwgC&q=mojo+blondie+parallel+lines&pg=PA410 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Simple Minds]] and [[U2]] each recorded cover versions of "Neon Lights"; Simple Minds' version was included on their 2001 all-covers album [[Neon Lights (album)|''Neon Lights'']], and U2 included "Neon Lights" as the B-side of their 2004 single "[[Vertigo (U2 song)|Vertigo]]". [[LCD Soundsystem]]'s "Get Innocuous!" is built on a sample of "The Robots".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ft.com/content/2fe62cd8-a1dc-11e7-9e4f-7f5e6a7c98a2 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/2fe62cd8-a1dc-11e7-9e4f-7f5e6a7c98a2 |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Falstaff with a synth: LCD Soundsystem at Alexandra Palace |last=Hunter-Tilney  |first=Ludovic |date=25 September 2017 |publisher=Financial Times |access-date=21 April 2020}}</ref> [[Rammstein]] covered Kraftwerk's song "[[Das Model#Rammstein cover|Das Modell]]", releasing it as a non-album single in 1997.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=Die zehn erfolgreichsten Singles von Rammstein |url=https://www.rollingstone.de/die-zehn-erfolgreichsten-singles-von-rammstein-1928581/ |last=Brandstetter |first=Markus |date=30 March 2020 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone|Rolling Stone Germany]] |language=de |access-date=2 June 2020 |archive-date=1 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200401135126/https://www.rollingstone.de/die-zehn-erfolgreichsten-singles-von-rammstein-1928581/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[John Frusciante]] cited the group's ability to experiment of as an inspiration when working in a recording studio.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.laut.de/John-Frusciante/Interviews/Kraftwerk-hatten-noch-Mut-zum-Risiko-...-01-03-2004-191 |title=Kraftwerk hatten noch Mut zum Risiko ... |last=Schuh |first=Michael |date=1 March 2004 |website=laut.de |access-date=14 November 2017 |archive-date=15 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115015057/http://www.laut.de/John-Frusciante/Interviews/Kraftwerk-hatten-noch-Mut-zum-Risiko-...-01-03-2004-191 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1989, a sped up version of Kraftwerk's song "Electric Café" began appearing as the theme song for a series of sketches on ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' called "[[Sprockets (Saturday Night Live)|Sprockets]]", a German television spoof by [[Mike Myers]].<ref name="Gregor">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qzhmDwAAQBAJ&dq=sprockets+kraftwerk&pg=PA281 |last1=Gregor |first1=Neil |last2=Irvine |first2=Thomas |title=Dreams of Germany: Musical Imaginaries From the Concert Hall to the Dance Floor |date=2019 |page=281 |publisher=[[Berghahn Books]] |isbn=9781789200331 |access-date=28 May 2022 |archive-date=5 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405023934/https://books.google.com/books?id=qzhmDwAAQBAJ&dq=sprockets+kraftwerk&pg=PA281 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="MOMA">{{cite web |url=https://www.moma.org/explore/inside_out/2011/02/24/riding-the-trans-europe-express |last=Weber |first=Stephanie |title=Riding the Trans-Europe Express |website=[[Museum of Modern Art]] |date=February 24, 2011 |access-date=May 26, 2022 |archive-date=26 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220526214312/https://www.moma.org/explore/inside_out/2011/02/24/riding-the-trans-europe-express/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The 1998 comedy ''[[The Big Lebowski]]'' features a fictional band called Autobahn, a parody of Kraftwerk and their 1974 record ''Autobahn''.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/film/the-dude-abides-the-big-lebowski-20-years-on-1.3633263 |title=The Dude abides: The Big Lebowski 20 years on |last=Brady |first=Tara |date=22 September 2018 |newspaper=The Irish Times |access-date=21 April 2020 |archive-date=25 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225081148/https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/film/the-dude-abides-the-big-lebowski-20-years-on-1.3633263 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In January 2018, [[BBC Radio 4]] broadcast the 30-minute documentary ''Kraftwerk: Computer Love'', which examined "how Kraftwerk's classic album ''Computer World'' has changed people's lives."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05vt665 |title=Kraftwerk: Computer Love, Soul Music – BBC Radio 4 |date=24 January 2018 |publisher=BBC |access-date=29 January 2018 |archive-date=3 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180203204013/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05vt665 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In October 2019, Kraftwerk were nominated for induction into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] for 2020.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/thin-lizzy-nominated-for-rock-roll-hall-of-fame-2020-induction-1.4051360|title=Thin Lizzy nominated for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2020 induction|first=Glen|last=Murphy|newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]|access-date=6 November 2019}}</ref> On 12 May 2021, Kraftwerk were announced as an official inductee into the Hall, for the class of 2021.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.rockhall.com/class-2021-inductees|title=Class of 2021 Inductees|website=Rock & Roll Hall of Fame|access-date=12 May 2021|archive-date=12 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512125132/https://www.rockhall.com/class-2021-inductees|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Members ==
=== Current members ===

* [[Ralf Hütter]] – lead vocals, vocoder, synthesizers, keyboards <small>(1970–1971, 1971–present);</small> organ, drums and percussion, bass guitar, guitar <small>(1970–1971, 1971–1974)</small>
* Henning Schmitz – sound effects, live keyboards <small>(1991–present)<ref name="fb_about" /></small> 
* [[Falk Grieffenhagen]] – live video technician <small>(2013–2022);</small> electronic percussion <small>(2023–present)<ref name="fb_about" /></small>
* Georg Bongartz - live video technician <small>(2023–present)<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://ambrosia.com.br/musica/c6-fest-kraftwerk-faz-show-impecavel-para-plateia-reverente-no-rio|title=C6 Fest – Kraftwerk faz show impecável para plateia reverente no Rio|website=Ambrosia|access-date=21 May 2023|archive-date=19 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230519230745/https://ambrosia.com.br/musica/c6-fest-kraftwerk-faz-show-impecavel-para-plateia-reverente-no-rio/|url-status=live}}</ref></small>

=== Former members ===
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Florian Schneider]] – synthesizers, background vocals, vocoder, computer-generated vocals, acoustic and electronic flute, live saxophone, percussion, electric guitar, violin <small>(1970–2008; died 2020)</small>
* Andreas Hohmann – drums <small>(1970)</small>
* Thomas Lohmann – drums <small>(1970)</small>
* Hans-Günther "Charly" Weiss – drums <small>(1970)</small>
* Peter Schmidt – drums <small>(1970)</small>
* [[Klaus Dinger]] – drums <small>(1970, 1971; died 2008)</small>
* Eberhard Kranemann – bass guitar <small>(1970–1971)</small><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ksta.de/stadt-leverkusen/kraftwerk-ueber-leverkusen-in-den-musik-olymp,15189132,25984564.html |title=Kraftwerk: Über Leverkusen in den Musik-Olymp |website=Ksta.de |date=24 January 2014 |access-date=2 July 2014 |archive-date=14 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714221408/http://www.ksta.de/stadt-leverkusen/kraftwerk-ueber-leverkusen-in-den-musik-olymp,15189132,25984564.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Houschäng Nejadépour – electric guitar <small>(1970–1971)</small>
* [[Michael Rother]] – electric guitar <small>(1971)</small>
* Plato Kostic (a.k.a. Plato Riviera) – bass guitar <small>(1973)</small>
* [[Emil Schult]] – electric guitar, [[electric violin]] <small>(1973)</small>
* [[Wolfgang Flür]] – electronic percussion <small>(1973–1990)</small>
* [[Klaus Röder]] – electric guitar, electronic violin <small>(1974–1975)</small>
* [[Karl Bartos]] – electronic percussion, vocals, live vibraphone, live keyboards <small>(1975–1990)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.karlbartos.com/cv/karl.html |title=KARL BARTOS – Curriculum vitae Karl Bartos |publisher=Karl Bartos |year=2016 |access-date=30 March 2017 |archive-date=20 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220115208/http://www.karlbartos.com/cv/karl.html |url-status=live }}</ref></small>
* [[Fritz Hilpert]] – electronic percussion <small>(1990–2022)<ref name="fb_about">{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/KraftwerkOfficial/about/ |title=Kraftwerk – About _ Facebook |publisher=KraftwerkOfficial |year=2012 |access-date=28 April 2017 |archive-date=13 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210213061741/https://www.facebook.com/login/?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKraftwerk%2Fabout |url-status=live }}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=June 2019}}</small>
* [[Fernando Abrantes]] – electronic percussion, synthesizer <small>(1991)</small>
* Stefan Pfaffe – live video technician <small>(2008–2012)</small>
{{div col end}}

=== Timeline ===
{{#tag:timeline|
ImageSize  = width:900 height:auto barincrement:18
PlotArea = left:120 bottom:90 top:5 right:10
Alignbars = justify
DateFormat  = dd/mm/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/1970 till:{{#time:d/m/Y}}
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:4
ScaleMajor = increment:5 start:1970
ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1970

Colors =
 id:Vocals     value:red         legend:Vocals
 id:Bvocals    value:pink        legend:Backing_vocals
 id:Flute      value:tan2        legend:Flute
 id:Guitar     value:green       legend:Guitar
 id:Keyboards  value:purple      legend:Keyboards
 id:Bass       value:blue        legend:Bass
 id:Violin     value:drabgreen   legend:Violin
 id:Drums      value:orange      legend:Drums
 id:Perc       value:claret      legend:Electronic_percussion
 id:Video      value:powderblue  legend:Video_technician
 id:Studio     value:black       legend:Studio_album
 id:Other      value:gray(0.7)   legend:Other_release
 id:bars       value:gray(0.95)

BackgroundColors = bars:bars

BarData =
  bar:Florian text:Florian Schneider †
  bar:Ralf text:Ralf Hütter
  bar:Thomas text:Thomas Lohmann
  bar:Andreas text:Andreas Hohmann
  bar:Klaus text:Klaus Dinger †
  bar:Peter text:Peter Schmidt
  bar:Charly text:Charly Weiss
  bar:Houschäng text:Houschäng Nejadépour
  bar:Michael text:Michael Rother
  bar:Emil text:Emil Schult
  bar:Klaus2 text:Klaus Röder
  bar:Eberhard text:Eberhard Kranemann
  bar:Plato text:Plato Kostic
  bar:Wolfgang text:Wolfgang Flür
  bar:Fritz text:Fritz Hilpert
  bar:Karl2 text:Karl Bartos
  bar:Fernando text:Fernando Abrantes
  bar:Henning text:Henning Schmitz
  bar:Stefan text:Stefan Pfaffe
  bar:Falk text:Falk Grieffenhagen
  bar:Georg text:Georg Bongartz
  
PlotData=
  width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)
 bar:Ralf      from:start      till:31/01/1971 color:keyboards
 bar:Ralf      from:01/01/1973 till:end        color:vocals width:3
 bar:Ralf      from:31/08/1971 till:end        color:keyboards
 bar:Florian   from:start      till:01/01/1974 color:flute
 bar:Florian   from:start      till:01/01/1973 color:violin width:3
 bar:Florian   from:01/01/1973 till:01/01/1974 color:violin width:7
 bar:Florian   from:01/01/1974 till:21/11/2008 color:keyboards
 bar:Florian   from:01/01/1973 till:21/11/2008 color:bvocals width:3
 bar:Florian   from:21/04/2020 till:21/04/2020 color:skyblue text:†
 bar:Andreas   from:01/05/1970 till:01/11/1970 color:drums
 bar:Houschäng from:01/12/1970 till:01/03/1971 color:guitar
 bar:Plato     from:21/06/1973 till:23/09/1973 color:bass
 bar:Thomas    from:01/04/1970 till:01/05/1970 color:drums
 bar:Charly    from:26/12/1970 till:26/12/1970 color:drums
 bar:Eberhard  from:01/12/1970 till:01/03/1971 color:bass
 bar:Klaus     from:01/11/1970 till:31/12/1970 color:drums
 bar:Klaus     from:01/03/1971 till:31/08/1971 color:drums
 bar:Klaus     from:21/08/2008 till:21/08/2008 color:skyblue text:†
 bar:Peter     from:01/12/1970 till:31/12/1970 color:drums
 bar:Michael   from:01/01/1971 till:31/08/1971 color:guitar
 bar:Emil      from:01/08/1973 till:31/12/1973 color:guitar
 bar:Emil      from:01/08/1973 till:31/12/1973 color:violin width:3
 bar:Wolfgang  from:01/11/1973 till:07/02/1990 color:perc
 bar:Klaus2    from:01/04/1974 till:28/02/1975 color:guitar
 bar:Klaus2    from:01/04/1974 till:28/02/1975 color:violin  width:3
 bar:Karl2     from:01/03/1975 till:01/08/1990 color:perc
 bar:Karl2     from:01/01/1978 till:10/11/1986 color:keyboards width:3
 bar:Karl2     from:28/02/1987 till:01/08/1990 color:keyboards width:3
 bar:Karl2     from:10/11/1986 till:28/02/1987 color:vocals width:3
 bar:Karl2     from:10/11/1986 till:28/02/1987 color:keyboards width:7
 bar:Fernando  from:22/12/1990 till:20/07/1991 color:keyboards width:3
 bar:Fernando  from:22/12/1990 till:20/07/1991 color:perc
 bar:Stefan    from:01/01/2008 till:25/08/2012 color:video
 bar:Fritz     from:07/02/1990 till:02/09/2022 color:perc
 bar:Henning   from:18/10/1991 till:end        color:keyboards width:3
 bar:Henning   from:18/10/1991 till:end        color:perc
 bar:Falk      from:11/01/2013 till:18/05/2023 color:video
 bar:Falk      from:18/05/2023 till:end        color:perc
 bar:Georg     from:18/05/2023 till:end        color:video

LineData =
 layer:back
  color:Other
    at:06/06/2005 #>Minimum Maximum<#
    at:26/05/2017 #>3D The Catalog<#
    at:21/12/2020 #>Remixes<#
  color:Studio
    at:01/11/1970 #>Kraftwerk<#
    at:01/01/1972 #>Kraftwerk 2<#
    at:01/10/1973 #>Ralf and Florian<#
    at:01/11/1974 #>Autobahn<#
    at:01/10/1975 #>Radio-Activity<#
    at:01/05/1977 #>Trans-Europe Express<#
    at:01/05/1978 #>The Man-Machine<#
    at:01/05/1981 #>Computer World<#
    at:01/12/1986 #>Electric Café<#
    at:25/06/1991 #>The Mix<#
    at:04/08/2003 #>Tour de France Soundtracks<#
}}

=== Lineups ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|-
!scope="col"|Period
!scope="col"|Members
!scope="col"|Releases
|-
!scope="col"|1970
|
*'''[[Florian Schneider]]''' – synthesizers, vocoder, computer-generated vocals, acoustic and electronic flute, live saxophone, percussion, electric guitar, violin
*'''[[Ralf Hütter]]''' – vocoder, synthesizers, keyboards
|-
!scope="col"|1970
|
*Florian Schneider – synthesizers, vocoder, computer-generated vocals, acoustic and electronic flute, live saxophone, percussion, electric guitar, violin
*Ralf Hütter – vocoder, synthesizers, keyboards
*'''Thomas Lohmann – drums'''
|-
!scope="col"|1970
|
*Florian Schneider – synthesizers, vocoder, computer-generated vocals, acoustic and electronic flute, live saxophone, percussion, electric guitar, violin
*Ralf Hütter – vocoder, synthesizers, keyboards
*'''Andreas Hohmann – drums'''
|
*''[[Kraftwerk (album)|Kraftwerk]]'' (1970)
|-
!scope="col"|1970
|
*Florian Schneider – synthesizers, vocoder, computer-generated vocals, acoustic and electronic flute, live saxophone, percussion, electric guitar, violin
*Ralf Hütter – vocoder, synthesizers, keyboards
*'''Hans-Günther "Charly" Weiss – drums'''
*'''[[Klaus Dinger]] – drums'''
|
*''[[Kraftwerk (album)|Kraftwerk]]'' (1970)
|-
!scope="col"|1970
|
*Florian Schneider – synthesizers, vocoder, computer-generated vocals, acoustic and electronic flute, live saxophone, percussion, electric guitar, violin
*Ralf Hütter – vocoder, synthesizers, keyboards
*Klaus Dinger – drums
*'''Peter Schmidt – drums'''
*'''Houschäng Nejadépour – guitar'''
*'''Eberhard Kranemann – bass'''
|-
!scope="col"|1971
|
*Florian Schneider – synthesizers, vocoder, computer-generated vocals, acoustic and electronic flute, live saxophone, percussion, electric guitar, violin
*Ralf Hütter – vocoder, synthesizers, keyboards
*Houschäng Nejadépour – guitar
*Eberhard Kranemann – bass
*'''[[Michael Rother]]''' - guitar
|-
!scope="col"|1971
|
*Florian Schneider – synthesizers, vocoder, computer-generated vocals, acoustic and electronic flute, live saxophone, percussion, electric guitar, violin
*Michael Rother – guitar
*'''Klaus Dinger''' – drums
|-
!scope="col"|1971
|
*Florian Schneider – synthesizers, vocoder, computer-generated vocals, acoustic and electronic flute, live saxophone, percussion, electric guitar, violin
*Michael Rother – guitar
*Klaus Dinger – drums
*'''Ralf Hütter – vocoder, synthesizers, keyboards'''
|-
!scope="col"|1971–1973
|
*Florian Schneider – synthesizers, vocoder, computer-generated vocals, acoustic and electronic flute, live saxophone, percussion, electric guitar, violin
*Ralf Hütter – vocoder, synthesizers, keyboards
|
*''[[Kraftwerk 2]]'' (1972)
*''[[Ralf and Florian]]'' (1973)
|-
!scope="col"|1973
|
*Florian Schneider – synthesizers, background vocals, vocoder, computer-generated vocals, acoustic and electronic flute, live saxophone, percussion
*Ralf Hütter – lead vocals, vocoder, synthesizers, keyboards
*'''[[Emil Schult]] – electric guitar, electronic violin'''
|-
!scope="col"|1973
|
*Florian Schneider – synthesizers, background vocals, vocoder, computer-generated vocals, acoustic and electronic flute, live saxophone, percussion
*Ralf Hütter – lead vocals, vocoder, synthesizers, keyboards
*Emil Schult – electric guitar, electronic violin
*'''Plato Kostic – bass guitar'''
|-
!scope="col"|1973
|
*Florian Schneider – synthesizers, background vocals, vocoder, computer-generated vocals, acoustic and electronic flute, live saxophone, percussion
*Ralf Hütter – lead vocals, vocoder, synthesizers, keyboards
*Emil Schult – electric guitar, electronic violin
|-
!scope="col"|1973
|
*Florian Schneider – synthesizers, background vocals, vocoder, computer-generated vocals, acoustic and electronic flute, live saxophone, percussion
*Ralf Hütter – lead vocals, vocoder, synthesizers, keyboards
*Emil Schult – electric guitar, electronic violin
*'''[[Wolfgang Flür]] – electronic percussion'''
|-
!scope="col"|1974
|
*Florian Schneider – synthesizers, background vocals, vocoder, computer-generated vocals, acoustic and electronic flute, live saxophone, percussion
*Ralf Hütter – lead vocals, vocoder, synthesizers, keyboards
*'''[[Wolfgang Flür]] – electronic percussion'''
|-
!scope="col"|1974–1975
|
*Florian Schneider – synthesizers, background vocals, vocoder, computer-generated vocals, acoustic and electronic flute, live saxophone, percussion
*Ralf Hütter – lead vocals, vocoder, synthesizers, keyboards
*Wolfgang Flür – electronic percussion
*'''[[Klaus Röder]] – electric guitar, electronic violin'''
|
*''[[Autobahn (album)|Autobahn]]'' (1974)
|-
!scope="col"|1975–1990
|
*Florian Schneider – synthesizers, background vocals, vocoder, computer-generated vocals, acoustic and electronic flute, live saxophone, percussion
*Ralf Hütter – lead vocals, vocoder, synthesizers, keyboards
*Wolfgang Flür – electronic percussion
*'''[[Karl Bartos]] – electronic percussion, vocals, live vibraphone, live keyboards'''
|
*''[[Radio-Activity]]'' (1975)
*''[[Trans-Europe Express (album)|Trans-Europe Express]]'' (1977)
*''[[The Man-Machine]]'' (1978)
*''[[Computer World]]'' (1981)
*''[[Electric Café]]'' (1986)
|-
!scope="col"|1990
|
*Florian Schneider – synthesizers, background vocals, vocoder, computer-generated vocals, acoustic and electronic flute, live saxophone, percussion
*Ralf Hütter – lead vocals, vocoder, synthesizers, keyboards
*Karl Bartos – electronic percussion, vocals, live vibraphone, live keyboards
*'''[[Fritz Hilpert]] – electronic percussion'''
|
*''[[The Mix (Kraftwerk album)|The Mix]]'' (1991)
|-
!scope="col"|1990–1991
|
*Florian Schneider – synthesizers, background vocals, vocoder, computer-generated vocals, acoustic and electronic flute, live saxophone, percussion
*Ralf Hütter – lead vocals, vocoder, synthesizers, keyboards
*Fritz Hilpert – electronic percussion
*'''[[Fernando Abrantes]] – electronic percussion, synthesizer'''
|-
!scope="col"|1991–2008
|
*Florian Schneider – synthesizers, background vocals, vocoder, computer-generated vocals, acoustic and electronic flute, live saxophone, percussion
*Ralf Hütter – lead vocals, vocoder, synthesizers, keyboards
*Fritz Hilpert – electronic percussion
*'''Henning Schmitz – sound effects, live keyboards'''
|
*''[[Tour de France Soundtracks]]'' (2003)
|-
!scope="col"|2008–2013
|
*Ralf Hütter – lead vocals, vocoder, synthesizers, keyboards
*Fritz Hilpert – electronic percussion
*Henning Schmitz – sound effects, live keyboards
*'''Stefan Pfaffe – live video technician'''
|-
!scope="col"|2013–2023
|
*Ralf Hütter – lead vocals, vocoder, synthesizers, keyboards
*Fritz Hilpert – electronic percussion
*Henning Schmitz – sound effects, live keyboards
*'''[[Falk Grieffenhagen]] – live video technician'''
|-
!scope="col"|2023–present
|
*Ralf Hütter – lead vocals, vocoder, synthesizers, keyboards
*Henning Schmitz – sound effects, live keyboards
*Falk Grieffenhagen – electronic percussion
*'''Georg Bongartz – live video technician'''
|}

==Discography==
{{Main|Kraftwerk discography}}
;Studio albums
* ''[[Kraftwerk (album)|Kraftwerk]]'' (1970)
* ''[[Kraftwerk 2]]'' (1972)
* ''[[Ralf und Florian]]'' (1973)
* ''[[Autobahn (album)|Autobahn]]'' (1974)
* ''[[Radio-Aktivität]]'' (1975)
* ''[[Trans-Europe Express (album)|Trans Europa Express]]'' (1977)
* ''[[Die Mensch-Maschine]]'' (1978)
* ''[[Computerwelt]]'' (1981)
* ''[[Electric Café]]'' (1986)
* ''[[The Mix (Kraftwerk album)|The Mix]]'' (1991)
* ''[[Tour de France Soundtracks]]'' (2003)

== Videography ==
* ''[[Minimum-Maximum (video)|Minimum-Maximum]]'' (2005)
* ''3-D The Catalogue'' (2017)
* ''3-D Der Katalog'' (2017)

== Awards and achievements ==
=== Grammy Awards ===
{{awards table}}
|-
| [[24th Annual Grammy Awards|1982]]
| "[[Computer World]]"
| [[Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance|Best Rock Instrumental Performance]]
| {{Nominated}}
|-
| [[48th Annual Grammy Awards|2006]]
| ''[[Minimum-Maximum]]''
| [[Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album|Best Dance/Electronic Album]]
| {{Nominated}}
|-
| [[56th Annual Grammy Awards|2014]]
| Kraftwerk
| [[Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award|Lifetime Achievement Award]]
| {{Won}}
|-
| [[57th Annual Grammy Awards|2015]]
| ''[[Autobahn (album)|Autobahn]]''
| [[Grammy Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]]
| {{Won}}
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[60th Annual Grammy Awards|2018]]
| rowspan="2"| ''[[3-D The Catalogue]]''
| [[Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album|Best Dance/Electronic Album]]
| {{Won}}
|-
| [[Grammy Award for Best Surround Sound Album|Best Surround Sound Album]]
| {{Nominated}}
|}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Germany|Music}}
* [[Grammy Award recipients for Best Dance/Electronic Album]]
* [[List of ambient music artists]]
* [[List of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Sources ==
* {{cite book |last=Bussy |first=Pascal |title=Kraftwerk—Man, Machine & Music |publisher=SAF Publishing |year=1993 |isbn=978-0-946719-70-9}}
* {{cite book |last=Flür |first=Wolfgang |author-link=Wolfgang Flür |title="Kraftwerk": I Was A Robot |publisher=Sanctuary Publishing |year=2001 |isbn=978-1-86074-417-4}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Citation |last=Barr |first=Tim |title=Kraftwerk: from Düsseldorf to the future (with love) |date=1998 |publisher=Ebury Press |isbn=9780091864903}}.
* {{Citation |first1=Vanni |last1=Neri |first2=Giorgio  |last2=Campani |title=A Short Introduction to Kraftwerk |year=2000 |publisher=Nuovi Equilibri |isbn=9788872265734}}.
* {{Citation |first=Albert |last=Koch |title=Kraftwerk  |year=2002 |publisher=Hannibal |isbn=9783854452133}}.
* {{Citation |author=Kraftwerk |title=Minimum-Maximum |year=2005}}. (88-page book included in the ''[[Minimum-Maximum]] Notebook'' set)
* {{Citation |first1=Sean  |last1=Albiez |first2=David  |last2=Pattie |title=Kraftwerk: Music Non-Stop |year=2010 |isbn= 9781441189677}}.
* {{Citation |first=David  |last=Buckley |title=Kraftwerk: Publikation |year=2012 |isbn= 9781468312225}}.
* {{Citation |first=Toby |last=Mott |author-link=Toby Mott |title=Kraftwerk: 45 RPM |year=2012 |publisher=Vinyl Factory |isbn= 9780957391406}}.
* {{Citation |website=The Guardian |title=Kraftwerk sue makers of Kraftwerk charging devices |date=2015-03-10 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/mar/10/kraftwerk-sue-makers-of-kraftwerk-charging-devices}}.

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website|kraftwerk.com}}
* {{YouTube|user = KraftwerktheOfficial|Kraftwerk}}
* {{imdb name|1436137}}
* {{discogs artist|Kraftwerk}}
* [https://soundcloud.com/kraftwerkofficial Kraftwerk: Free Listening] at [[SoundCloud]]
* [http://www.kraftwerk.hu/antenna ANTENNA] – The International Kraftwerk Mailing List (since 2003 September)
* [http://kraftwerkfaq.hu/ Kraftwerk FAQ] – The Kraftwerk FAQ: Frequently asked questions and answers
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060815204024/http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/documentaries/060807_kraftwerk.shtml BBC Radio 1 Kraftwerk documentary]– 2006 Kraftwerk documentary with [[Alex Kapranos]]
* [http://www.argiers.com/jmps/jmps.html Kraftwerk Vinyl Site for collectors]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20151117233701/http://www.allkraftwerk.com/ AllKraftwerk]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20161010134311/http://hem.fyristorg.com/kraftwerk/ Mats's Kraftwerk Page] with lots of images and information, since 1997{{clarify|date=March 2020}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCQEzgtWv-E Good evening Kraftwerk, good evening Stuttgart!] by the [[European Space Agency]]

{{s-start}}
{{s-ach}}
{{succession box
 | title = [[Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award]]
 | with = [[The Beatles]], [[Clifton Chenier]], [[The Isley Brothers]], [[Kris Kristofferson]], [[Armando Manzanero]]
 | years = 2014
 | before = [[Glenn Gould]], [[Charlie Haden]], [[Lightnin' Hopkins]], [[Carole King]], [[Patti Page]], [[Ravi Shankar]], [[The Temptations]]
 | after = [[The Bee Gees]], [[Pierre Boulez]], [[Buddy Guy]], [[George Harrison]], [[Flaco Jiménez]], [[The Louvin Brothers]], [[Wayne Shorter]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Kraftwerk|state=expanded}}
{{2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame}}
{{Klaus Dinger|state=collapsed}}
{{Electronic music}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Kraftwerk| ]]
[[Category:1969 establishments in West Germany]]
[[Category:1970 establishments in West Germany]]
[[Category:Art pop groups]]
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[[Category:German electronic rock musical groups]]
[[Category:EMI Records artists]]
[[Category:German electronic music groups]]
[[Category:German musical quartets]]
[[Category:German synthpop groups]]
[[Category:Grammy Award winners for dance and electronic music]]
[[Category:Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners]]
[[Category:Krautrock musical groups]]
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