The Top 10 electronic & dance acts from Germany
Beginning with Kraftwerk in the 70s, Germany was at the forefront of electronic dance music. In the following decades, German techno, eurodance and dance acts brought millions to the dancefloor in clubs around the world.
Number 10: M.C. Sar & The Real McCoy
In the 1990s Europe and the US grooved to eurodance hits by M.C. Sar & The Real McCoy. The group is the brainchild of Berlin producer and rapper Olaf Jeglitza, alias O-Jay. "Another Night" was their greatest hit.
# 9: Paul van Dyk
Paul van Dyk was already a big-name DJ when he evolved into a fully-fledged electro artist producing tracks in his own right. The 44-year-old Berlin-based star remains a prolific professional, always working on new material while he continues to wow the crowds in the world's top clubs.
# 8: Culture Beat
Culture Beat is another leading light of eurodance. The project, masterminded by producer and DJ Torsten Fenslau, had its big breakthrough in 1993. The single "Mr. Vain" topped the charts in Germany, the UK, Australia and ten other countries, and became a club classic.
# 7: Sash!
Sash! is a project set up by former electrician Sascha Lappessen from near Düsseldorf. He shifted millions of singles and albums in the 1990s, above all in the UK. Lappessen remains in hot demand worldwide for his talents at the turntables.
# 6: ATB
Since the 1990s, André Tanneberger aka ATB has been jetting around the globe to get the international clubland crowd dancing. His blend of super-chilled house beats with dreamy guitar samples proved a magic recipe. The Saxony-born DJ has amassed some 26 gold and 15 platinum discs to date.
# 5: Cascada
With sales of 30 million units, Cascada are one of Germany's major exporters of dance music. Named after the Spanish word for "cascade," the Bonn-based outfit featuring singer Natalie Horler has had smash hits the world over. Their biggest single, "Evacuate the Dancefloor," topped the charts in the UK in 2009.
# 4: Enigma
Esoteric breakbeats meet Gregorian chants – a music marriage that has won over millions of fans around the world. Producer/creator Michael Cretu stormed the global charts with his very first single "Sadeness (Part I)." And the debut album it featured on, "MCMXC a.D." sold more than 30 million copies.
# 3: Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk played a pioneering role in the evolution of electronic music, also paving the way for the likes of techno and hip-hop. Their first completely electronic record came out in 1974. It went by the name of "Autobahn" – the rest is history.
# 2: Snap!
Snap! helped to unleash the eurodance wave. The Frankfurt-based project was founded by producer duo Luca Anzilotti and Michael Münzing. In the 1990s they enjoyed a string of smash hits. To date "The Power" has sold over 10 million copies alone.
# 1: Scooter
And it's Scooter who top our standings. No other German electronic/dance act has the international charts so high, so often. The trio hailing from the north of the country, fronted by H. P. Baxxter, are very much a global phenomenon – thanks to tracks like "Hyper Hyper" and "Jumping All Over the World".