neue deutsche welle
what it is
Neue Deutsche Welle (New German Wave, often abbreviated NDW) is a genre of German music originally derived from punk rock and New Wave music that arose in the 1980s. The term "Neue Deutsche Welle" was first coined by journalist Alfred Hilsberg, whose article about the movement titled "Neue Deutsche Welle — Aus grauer Städte Mauern" ("New German Wave — From Grey Cities' Walls") was published in the German magazine Sounds in 1979. NDW music is known for its speed and energy as well as for the use of then-new instruments such as synthesizers.
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level 2 · the door
big names with a sharper edge
level 3 · one step out
cult favorites and indie darlings
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
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questions
What is neue deutsche welle?
Neue Deutsche Welle (New German Wave, often abbreviated NDW) is a genre of German music originally derived from punk rock and New Wave music that arose in the 1980s. The term "Neue Deutsche Welle" was first coined by journalist Alfred Hilsberg, whose article about the movement titled "Neue Deutsche Welle — Aus grauer Städte Mauern" ("New German Wave — From Grey Cities' Walls") was published in the German magazine Sounds in 1979. NDW music is known for its speed and energy as well as for the use of then-new instruments such as synthesizers.
What are good neue deutsche welle albums to start with?
Try Silberblick by Joachim Witt, Liaisons Dangereuses by Liaisons Dangereuses, Fehler im System by Peter Schilling, and Ihre grössten Erfolge by Extrabreit.
Who are some women making neue deutsche welle?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/neue-deutsche-welle/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making neue deutsche welle, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-20