The purpose of this section is to allow you to identify Kraftwerk's
singles on hearing them. Click underneath the single's
picture to download it, listen and enjoy. You should also read
the information beside each single. Be aware of
release dates, how many times tracks were
released, and the albums they were from.
Then try the quiz!
Kohoutek-Kometenmelodie 1 (4.08)/Kohoutek-Kometenmelodie 2 (Edit) (4.29) 1973
The very first Kraftwerk single release, 'Kohoutek - Kometenmelodie', was issued in Germany in 1973, well before the 'Autobahn' album. This single was named after a comet discovered by a Czech astronomer, but it seems the single had the same fate as the comet: it didn't ignite when passing Earth... The songs on this single are quite different to 'Kometenmelodie 1/2' on the 'Autobahn' album, like rough demo versions.
Autobahn (Edit) (3.06)/Kometenmelodie 1 (6.20) 1975
'Autobahn' was the first commercially successful single release for Kraftwerk. Taken from the 'Autobahn' album, it was a radio hit in the USA and was subsequently released in many countries. With the album version running 22.30 minutes, the track had to be shortened to make single fitting for airplay. According to the Pascal Bussy book, 'Man, Machine and Music', the editing for the US single release was done by Phonogram, not by Kraftwerk and clocks in at 3.27. This American Single Edit was also used in Germany, Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa. In the USA, two promo singles were pressed in addition to the regular release: VE-DJ 8 with mono and stereo versions of the 3.27 minute edit and VE-DJ 9 with a unique longer edit (5.46) on side B. None of them had a picture sleeve. The same basic 'Autobahn painting' design, a work of Emil Schult, was used for the single worldwide. The title graphics and hues differed, though. In England, a different 3.05 minute edit was made for the single release - but no picture sleeve here.
Mitternacht (3.40)/Morgenspaziergang (4.00)/Kometenmelodie 1 (6.20) 1975
In Germany, a three-track 7" EP was pressed by Philips for the Bertelsmann book club, probably to cash in on the success of the 'Autobahn single and album. The tracks featured on this single are 'Mitternacht', 'Morgenspaziergang' and 'Kometenmelodie 1'. This EP has a unique sleeve design, using only a part of the 'Autobahn' album sleeve.
Comet Melody 2 (Edit) (2.49)/Kristallo (6.19) 1975
After the success of 'Autobahn' as a single, 'Kometenmelodie 2' was released as a single in some countries without any chart success. A 3.05 minute edit was used as the A-side in Germany, Canada, France and the USA. A shorter 2.49 minute edit was used in England and on a French re-release in 1976. This English 7" does not have a picture sleeve, but it has 'Kristallo' from the Ralf&Florian album as the B-side. The French reissue uses the 3.05 minute version of 'Autobahn' as the flipside. In 1981, Phonogram re-used the material of the first four Kraftwerk albums for one last compilation LP, 'Elektro Kinetik'. To promote this album, the 2.49 minute edit of 'Kometenmelodie 2' was again released as a single, the B-side was a unique edit of 'Vom Himmel hoch' (2.51 minutes, taken from the first album) now.
Radioactivity (Edit) (3.18)/Antenna (Edit) (3.05) 1976
Radioaktivität / Radioactivity was the only single release taken from the 'Radioaktivität / Radioactivity album. Though being released with English and German titles, the singles always used the same mixed- language vocal (as on the album).There are in fact also only two single edits - one at 3.19, used on every single except the Italian release - a unique 4.00 edit can be found here. Most of the international releases also used the same picture sleeve design, reproducing the album cover with amended titles. Possibly the rarest issue with picture sleeve has been released on the Disco Vox label in Turkey, shown on the right.
Radioactivity (Kevorkian Remix) (4.08)/Radioactivity (Orbit Remix) (3.49) October 1991
Following the release of 'The Mix' in 1991, Kraftwerk released a remixed version of 'Radioaktivität / Radioactivity. In contrast to the 1976 release, the song was available in distinctive German and English- language versions this time. Mixes available were: Kevorkian 7" Remix (4.08), Orbit 7" Remix, Kevorkian 12" Remix (7.26) and the Orbit 12" Remix (7.23). Of these, the 7" versions were available in German also, the long mixes were available only in English. 7", 12" and CD singles were issued in Germany and England, England also had a Cassette single.
Trans Europe Express (Edit) (3.44)/Europe Endless (Edit) (3.37) 1977
This was released in 1977, and was the first single to be taken from the album of the same name.
Showroom Dummies (Edit) (2.43)/Europe Endless (Edit) (3.37) 1977
'Showroom Dummies' is the Kraftwerk single release that never quite 'made it'. Released several times in the UK as well as in the US, Canada, Japan, Spain and France, 'Showroom Dummies' was no hit. The melody line for 'Showroom Dummies' was developed in improvisations in concerts, probably from as early as 1974 onwards. When 'Showroom Dummies' finally appeared on the 'Trans Europe Express' album in 1977, it was Kraftwerk's first multi-language song with a version in French as well as German and English. As 'Trans Europe Express' was chosen as the first single for the album, 'Showroom Dummies' was the obvious choice for a second single.As there was no standard edit version of the song, all countries used unique versions. In the UK, a 12" single of 'Showroom Dummies', backed with 'Europe Endless', was released as a limited edition in 1977. 1979 saw the release of another 12" single of 'Showroom Dummies' in the UK, this time a three - track single featuring the 1977 7" edit (2.43 minutes) on side A, 'Spacelab' and 'Europe Endless' on side B.
The Robots (Edit) (3.42)/Spacelab (Edit) (5.04) 1978
'The Robots' / 'Die Roboter' was the single preceeding the release of 'Man Machine / 'Die Mensch Maschine' in 1978. The single releases around the world were quite diverse, every local subsidiary of EMI/Capitol creating their own picture sleeve design - and their own edited single versions as well. The english-language single version most often used clocks in at 3.42, to be found on releases from Belgium, England, France, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands and Spain. The German-language 'Die Roboter' single edit is unique at 4.20. Kraftwerk used a remix of 'Die Roboter' / 'The Robots' in 1991 as a single for 'The Mix' album. The main medium for single releases was by now the CD single. Again, English and German-language versions were released, but the edits and mixes were, apart from the language used, the same all over the world. There was a short airplay 'Die Roboter' / 'The Robots' (3.43) and remixes named 'Robotnik' (7.41) and 'Robotronik' (4.51).
Neonlights (Edit) (3.28)/Trans Europe Express (Edit) (3.46)/The Model (3.38) 1978
This was the second single taken from the album "The Man Machine".
Pocket Calculator (Edit) (4.33)/Dentaku (Edit) (4.35) May 1981
The first single released to promote the 1981 album 'Computer World' was Pocket Calculator (May 1981). It wasn't the first time for Kraftwerk to release a single in different languages around the world, but not to such an extent. Four language versions were released: German, English, French and Japanese. There are two different shortened versions of the single: one cuts the album version at 4.35 (on all language versions alike), the other, used in the US only, runs to 3.55. 'Pocket Calculator' was also the first Kraftwerk single to use one basic sleeve design around the world.
Interesting releases from the UK include a 12" single, featuring 'Numbers' and the album version of 'Dentaku' in addition to the single cut of 'Pocket Calculator'. The cassette single reverses this order - short 'Dentaku' and long 'Pocket Calculator'.
Computer Love (Edit) (3.45)/The Model (3.38) July 1981
The second single from the "Computer World" album.
Released July 1981 in the UK.
The Model (3.38)/Computer Love (Edit) (3.45) Nov 1981
The Model was the second single taken from "The Man Machine".It reached number one in the UK in December 1981.It had an edit of "Computer Love" on the B-side, clocking in at 3.45.
Showroom Dummies (Remix) (2.38)/The Model (3.38) 1982
After the success with the number one hit 'The Model' in the UK in December 1981, a remix of 'Showroom Dummies' was chosen as the follow - up single, reaching the Top Twenty. The remix consisted of a new 2.38 minutes edit with slight overdubs, backed with 'Numbers' on the 7" release. For the 12", 'Pocket Calculator' was added on side B.
Tour De France fr. (Edit) (3.05)/Tour De France instrumental (2.40) June 1983
Following the 'Computer World' tour, no new Kraftwerk material was released for 18 months. Then, in 1983, a new single was issued: 'Tour De France'. At first, this release seemed to be a regular single preceeding a new album, but it didn't turn out that way. 'Tour De France' was released in German as well as French language versions - but no English version was available. The German-language versions are available on pressings from Germany only. As 'Tour De France' has never been released on a Kraftwerk album, there is no 'album version' . The closest thing to a 'standard' edit is the 6.30 minute version - the 12" original version. 'Tour De France' has been released in three distinct issues up to now: the original version in the first half of 1983, a remix in late 1983 / early 1984 and the current CD single / 12" reissue, released in 1999. 12" pressings of the first issue use : French-language 6.30 minute version on side A, 3.05 minute French-language edit version and 2.40 minute '2ieme etape' version on side B. Matters get a bit more complicated with the late 1983 / early 1984 remix of 'Tour De France'. By then, the promised album 'Techno Pop' hadn't been released, but it hadn't been cancelled either. Remixes of the single were made. Kraftwerk did a remix themselves, clocking in at 6.44 minutes, recorded with German and French lyrics. Francois Kevorkian was commissioned to do a remix of 'Tour De France' also - resulting in a 6.47 version, of which only a French-language recording is known. These mixes were released around the world starting at the end of 1983. Then, 7" edits were made from both Franch-language remixes around the world, resulting in a myriad of edit versions: Sleeves of the remix releases are bit more varied, as the sleeves of the remixes had to be differentiated from the original issues. In Germany, the title 'Remix' was simply added on the sleeve, in England, a message was added on the sleeve to promote the fact that 'Tour De France' had been used in the 'Breakdance' movie. 1999 finally saw a proper Compact Disc release of 'Tour De France'. Just why it took so long or why in 1999 - Kraftwerk remained silent. But at least collectors were satisfied - although the single was re-released in Germany only. EMI issued a CD single (3.05 minute original version edit, 6.44 minute French language remix, 6.47 minute Kevorkian remix and a computer playable video of the original 3.05 minute edit), a 12" single with picture sleeve (6.44 minute French language remix and 6.47 minute Kevorkian remix). Interestingly, Kraftwerk chose to remove the heads of now-departed members Karl Bartos and Wolfgang Flür and replace them with 'anonymous' heads (maybe they are meant to depict Henning Schmitz and Fritz Hilpert, now regarded as members of Kraftwerk).
Musique non stop (Edit) (4.08)/Musique non stop (Edit) (3.19) October 1986
This was the first single to be released from the "Electric Cafe" album.The sound was slightly different from before, with advances in technology - sampled vocals were used, and sounds were more "metallic", due to the FM synthesiser being introduced.
The single, however, was a commercial flop.
The Telephone Call (Edit) (3.47)/Der Telefonanruf (Edit) (3.47) February 1987
The second single from the ill-fated "Electric Cafe" album, it failed to chart in the UK. The B-side was the German version of the track.
The 12" had a dub version called "Housephone"(4.54), and a remix lasting 8.10.
Expo 2000 (Radio Mix) (Video) (3.35) CD Single March 2000
This track was released in March 2000, after much speculation about a new album, the first in NINE years.This speculation was due to a world tour in 1998.
The track is an ambient affair with sampled vocals wafting in and out,a fairly low key affair. The CD included a 2001 mix, which was more upbeat and quirky, sounding not unlike the new French electronic disco pioneers Daft Punk.
