Did you know these famous bands are from Germany and Austria?

Remember the song 'Wind of Change'? Germans consider The Scorpions their most important and successful rock band. Its' sales are estimated at over 100 million albums worldwide, with 10.5 million in the US alone. In addition, the band has played more than 5,000 live concerts in more than eighty countries.

Modern Talking, the German pop duo of Thomas Anders and Dieter Bohlen, has an unmistakable 80s sound. 'Brother Louie' and 'You're my Heart, You're my Soul' are among their most recognizable tunes. When it comes to record sales, Modern Talking is the second most successful group from Germany after The Scorpions, with over 120 million albums sold.

"Scooter! Back in the House…" Anyone who went clubbing in the 90s must recognize this line. The German techno and EDM band with frontman HP Baxxter has been internationally successful since 1993 and sold 30 million records worldwide.

Rammstein's songs are mostly in German, and yet the metal band is popular all over the world. Having sold more than 50 million albums and received two Grammy nominations, you can say that this is a very successful German rock band.

Did you know this man was German? His version of 'Mambo No. 5' from the Cuban-Mexican artist Dámaso Pérez Prado was a worldwide hit in 1999. The catchy song reached the top five in many European countries and the United States.

Nena became world famous in 1983 with the song '99 Luftballons' by Neue Deutsche Welle. Later that year, the band re-recorded the song in English with the title '99 Red Balloons.' The song reached number one on the UK charts and number two in the United States.

This German new wave band was popular in the 80s thanks to songs like 'Forever Young,' 'Big in Japan' and 'Sounds Like a Melody.' All three were on their 1984 debut album 'Forever Young.'

In 2007, this band sold approximately 1.5 million records. With their 2010 album 'World behind my Wall,' the band subsequently achieved gold status in several countries. It has a large fanbase worldwide.

Kraftwerk is considered a pioneer in electronic music. They started out in the experimental music scene of West Germany in the 1970s before specializing completely in synthesizers, vocoders, and drum machines. With songs like 'Autobahn' they managed to penetrate the British and American charts, among many others.

This band is currently enjoying great international success with their folktronic sound and songs like 'Stolen Dance.' You may have seen them at a festival, such as Coachella or Glastonbury, in 2015. Their album 'Sadnecessary' (2013) won multiple platinum and double-platinum awards worldwide.

The unique singer Falco from Austria is known for 'Jeanny' in 1985. He also managed to be the only artist with a German-language song to reach the top of the American Billboard charts. Which single was it? 'Rock Me, Amadeus,' of course.

This German Eurodance band has had hits in the UK, the US, and many other countries with titles such as 'Mr. Vain' and 'Inside Out.'

Founded by Michael Cretu, the electronic and new age music project Enigma sold more than 70 million albums worldwide. It received more than 100 gold and platinum records and has also been nominated three times for a Grammy. A well-known song from Enigma is 'Return to Innocence' (1993).

Sandra was very popular in the 80s and early 90s. She scored a number of hits produced by her then-husband and musical partner Michael Cretu. You may remember these: '(I'll Never Be) Maria Magdalena' and 'In the Heat of the Night' in 1985, or 'Everlasting Love' in 1987.

The song 'Live is Life' was number one in several countries in 1985. Opus (from Austria) subsequently sang the song in concerts on both sides of the Atlantic. In fact, the version of the song you often hear on the radio is a live one, sung together with a mass of fans.

In 2014, the Austrian Conchita Wurst won the Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'Rise Like a Phoenix.' She earned the fourth-highest number of points in the history of the competition. Afterward, the song was on the British charts for weeks.

Helloween is one of the most successful metal bands in Germany. They are also known as 'the fathers of power metal'. Helloween has sold more than ten million albums worldwide and received fourteen gold and six platinum records.

Zoe Wees started her career with 'The Voice Kids.' Her debut single 'Control' reached the charts in several countries. In the summer of 2022, she's touring the US, visiting Lollapalooza in Chicago and Mercury Lounge in New York, among others.