Krautrock · Genres
Home › Genres › Krautrock

What is krautrock?

Krautrock, originally also known as kosmische Musik (German for "cosmic music"), is a broad label used to describe an experimental rock scene that developed in West Germany in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The scene contributed to the development of regional electronic music styles sometimes referred to as the Düsseldorf and Berlin schools.

About krautrock

Artists associated with it combined elements of psychedelic rock, avant-garde composition, electronic music, and other influences.

From Last.fm, where 11,090 listeners have tagged music as krautrock.

Artists to start with

  1. Dennis
  2. Can
  3. Faust
  4. NEU!
  5. Popol Vuh
  6. Agitation Free
  7. Eloy
  8. Cluster
  9. Amon Düül II
  10. Ashra

Albums to hear first

  • Neu! 75 by NEU!Neu! 75NEU!
  • NEU! by NEU!NEU!NEU!
  • Faust IV by FaustFaust IVFaust
  • Musik von Harmonia by HarmoniaMusik von HarmoniaHarmonia
  • Tago Mago by CanTago MagoCan
  • Malesch by Agitation FreeMaleschAgitation Free
  • NEU! 2 by NEU!NEU! 2NEU!
  • Yeti by Amon Düül IIYetiAmon Düül II

Krautrock songs

  1. Ful Stop by Radiohead
  2. Moonshake by Can
  3. Vitamin C by Can
  4. Hallogallo by NEU!
  5. Future Days by Can
  6. Paperhouse by Can
  7. ISI by NEU!
  8. Mushroom by Can
  9. Jennifer by Faust
  10. Seeland by NEU!

Krautrock on Risocast

  • Stream of Youth / Blank World by WrayStream of Youth / Blank WorldWray · 2020
  • In a Moment Divine by Freak Heat WavesIn a Moment DivineFreak Heat Waves
  • Developmental Process by Institute of NoiseDevelopmental ProcessInstitute of Noise · 2025
  • Aguirre II by Popol VuhAguirre IIPopol Vuh · 1975
  • Good Time by WrayGood TimeWray · 2020
  • Wishing by WrayWishingWray · 2020
  • Nothing Lasts Forever by Freak Heat WavesNothing Lasts ForeverFreak Heat Waves
  • Jogging by WrayJoggingWray · 2020
  • Through Lines by WrayThrough LinesWray · 2020

Neighbouring genres

In the rock & punk family. All genres

alternative rockrockcrust punkart rockart punkdeathrockindietronicaexperimental rockanarcho-punkglam rockgrungehard rock

Questions

What is krautrock?
Krautrock, originally also known as kosmische Musik (German for "cosmic music"), is a broad label used to describe an experimental rock scene that developed in West Germany in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The scene contributed to the development of regional electronic music styles sometimes referred to as the Düsseldorf and Berlin schools. Artists associated with it combined elements of psychedelic rock, avant-garde composition, electronic music, and other influences.
Who are the best-known krautrock artists?
By Last.fm listening: Dennis, Can, Faust, NEU!, Popol Vuh and Agitation Free.
What genres are similar to krautrock?
On Risocast it sits with alternative rock, rock, crust punk, art rock, art punk and deathrock.

Risocast is free. Install it once and it logs everything you play.

Download for WindowsFree · v4.0.9Open RisocastRight here · Spotify or Last.fm

Updated 6 October 2026

Risocast Help

A music log that fills itself in. It records the songs you play on your computer and your phone, turns them into your top songs, stats and a public profile, and finds people whose taste overlaps with yours.

Yes. The app and the website are free.

A song counts once half of it has played, or four minutes — whichever comes first. Songs of 30 seconds or less, and videos or podcasts over 20 minutes, never count.

On Windows, anything that shows up in Windows' media controls: Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music, Deezer, browsers, foobar2000, Windows Media Player and more (VLC, iTunes and MusicBee through their free media-controls plugin). On Android, any music app — it reads the same now-playing info your lock screen shows. You can also connect Spotify or import from Last.fm.

Yes. Plays are counted on your device and sent when you're back online, and the phone app opens without a connection.

It does the same core job — scrobbling, automatically — without plugins per player, and adds taste matching: see who listens like you and how much your taste overlaps.

Your profile and listening are public so people with similar taste can find you, unless you make your profile private (then only your buddies see it); your email never is. Nothing is sold and there are no ads; anonymous usage analytics (Microsoft Clarity, Google Analytics) show what to improve. See the privacy policy for the details.

More in Help, the guides and the privacy policy.

Welcome to Risocast
Risocast

Your music, logged. Your people, found.

A small player that sits in your tray, writes down every song you play, and shows you who listens like you.

243 songs logged today

Download for WindowsFree · v4.0.9Open RisocastRight here · Spotify or Last.fm

Android is coming to Google Play. Get notified

How logging works

On Windows, Risocast reads the system media controls, so any player counts: Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music, Deezer, browsers, foobar2000. No plugins.

On Android the app reads what any music app is playing (it's coming to Google Play). Anywhere else, connect Spotify or a Last.fm username.

When a song countsAfter half its length, or four minutes, whichever comes first.Tracks under 30 seconds are ignored.Offline plays are counted on the device and sent later.

More on automatic logging · Risocast vs Last.fm

Taste twins

See how much your taste overlaps with anyone's, and find the people who listen most like you. The match comes from what you both actually play, not a list of favourites.

Open People

How the match works

Weekly Disc and Taste Map

Every week becomes a disc of your top songs. Every record you play goes on a map, grouped by genre.

Weekly DiscTaste Map

Real ones, from the maker's own listening.

Download Risocast

Risocast is free for Windows 10 and 11. Android is coming to Google Play; on any other device, use the web app with Spotify or Last.fm.

Download for WindowsFree · v4.0.9Open RisocastRight here · Spotify or Last.fm
  • Version 4.0.9 · Windows 10 and 11 (64-bit) · about 100 MB
  • Updates itself: new versions download in the background and install on restart.
  • Every installer is published with its SHA-256 checksum on the releases page.

All platforms and questions

Features
Automatic loggingWeekly DiscTaste MapTaste matchProfiles and statsMusic windowsBPM, key and soundSong stripLikes that syncPlay in your appFindPeople and buddiesCompare tasteAnthemsGenre labelsAndroid appImport and connectWindows 98 look
18 object(s)Open as a list
Guides
Track music on WindowsLog YouTube MusicApple Music statsFind people like youPlayers that workLog VLCLog foobar2000Log MusicBeeiTunes on WindowsLog DeezerLog TidalLog SoundCloudAmazon MusicWindows Media PlayerSpotify historyTop songs of all timeWhat genre is it?Describe your tasteExport your dataComing from Last.fm
20 object(s)Open as a list
Compare
Risocast vs Last.fmLast.fm alternativesRisocast vs stats.fmWrapped any time
4 object(s)Open as a list
243 logged today