Krautrock

Krautrock (originally known as ', German for ) is a broad genre of experimental rock and music scene that developed in West Germany in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It is also sometimes referred to as the Düsseldorf or Berlin school of electronic music' for two significant centres into which the genre was born — the latter being frequently used both as a synonym and as a meronym. Artists blend elements of psychedelic rock, avant-garde composition, and electronic music, among other eclectic sources. Common elements included hypnotic rhythms, extended improvisation, musique concrète techniques, and early synthesizers, while the music generally moved away from the rhythm & blues roots and song structure found in traditional Anglo-American rock music. Prominent groups associated with the krautrock label included Neu!, Can, Faust, Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk, Cluster, Ash Ra Tempel, Popol Vuh, Amon Düül II and Harmonia.

The term "krautrock" was popularised by British music journalists as a pejorative umbrella-label for the diverse German scene, and although many such artists disliked the term, it subsequently fell into standard usage. Some German and English-language authors remain critical of it. The movement was partly born out of the radical student protests of 1968, as German youth rebelled against their country's legacy in World War II and sought a popular music distinct from traditional German music and American pop. The style is sometimes conflated with the more electronic kosmische Musik style that developed in tandem with more rock-influenced acts. The period contributed to the development of ambient music and techno, and influenced subsequent genres such as post-punk, new-age music, and post-rock.