Sounds of Hamburg

In the beginning, there was Bert Kaempfert, the inventor of Easy Listening. But soon it became louder and more tumultuous – the Sixties truly kicked off with the beat in the Kiez, from the Rattles to the Rivets. This was followed by the colorful Seventies, the scene around Onkel Pö and Udo Lindenberg. Then came the punks, from Abwärts to Slime, followed by the New Wave artists like Xmal Deutschland and Palais Schaumburg. And further on, from the smooth Jeremy Days to the hip-hop of Fettes Brot and the Absoluten Beginner. At all times, the various styles of pop from Great Britain and the USA found a resonance in Hamburg studios, rehearsal basements, and bedrooms. Equally exciting were the contributions from musicians in the Hanseatic city: Tomorrow’s Gift during the Krautrock era or bands like Blumfeld, Die Sterne, and Tocotronic, who sparked an entire movement with the Hamburger Schule. Not to forget the chamber pop of JaKönigJa and the tireless Goldene Zitronen, the big band Die Meute, and the rapper Haiyti. Sounds of Hamburg traverses six decades of music history, showcasing the most important records of each year and telling their stories.