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kenethlevine View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: German charts
    Posted: July 05 2017 at 21:21
Found this website that lets you type in a band and see their chart singles and albums in Germany

https://www.offiziellecharts.de/suche

I composed a very detailed message which was swallowed by the bot finder, so I will be brief

Prog bands that had bigger success in the German charts than in UK or NA:  SAGA, BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST (many high charting albums), MIKE OLDFIELD (same, but also many high charting singles), RUNRIG (Scottish folk rock group with some prog influences).

Prog bands with less success in Germany than UK or NA:  MOODY BLUES, KING CRIMSON, YES (other than 90125).   GENESIS didn't get any high charting album or single till ATTWT, and then they became huge.   TANGERINE DREAM Dream only had 2 chart albums, the biggest by far being "White Eagle" which only reached #35.  RENAISSANCE did not chart at all in Germany.  STRAWBS only had a lower echelon single ("Part of the Union").  Gentle Giant had only 1 brief appearance in the album charts.  Camel had 3 chart albums but all told spent only 5 weeks in the charts.  HAWKWIND had a #6 hit with "Silver Machine" and that was it.  KANSAS nada.

TULL, FLOYD, ELP and MARILLION seemed to have been more or less as huge in Germany as elsewhere

ELOY had a half dozen or so chart albums, the biggest being "Silent Cries" followed by "Colours" and "Time to Turn".  The current German prog folk group FAUN has had 3 top 10 albums


Anyway, interesting stuff



Edited by kenethlevine - July 05 2017 at 21:58
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 06 2017 at 01:56
Runrig are absolutely huge in Germany, Denmark and Scotland. But not England - their insistence on singing some songs in Gaelic seems to deter English fans who want everyone to sing in English, but seems to make little difference to those whose first language isn't English. If you go to one of their big outdoor gigs, German and Danish fans are everywhere with their flags. They also tour both countries regularly and are fixtures at many big festivals. Runrig are not prog, but have significant progressive elements in many songs.

BJH were a very significant cult band in Britain in the 70s, but few albums actually charted. However, Gone to Earth was in the German charts for years (literally) and led to significant back sales of earlier albums in Germany, leading to a huge fan base. Several albums subsequently charted highly. They also played the free 1980 Concert for the People on the steps of the Reichstag, attracting around 200000 people, not counting the East Germans on the other side of the Berlin Wall. They were far bigger in Germany than in their home country.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 06 2017 at 03:14
Randomly...I thought to myself this morning - before seeing this thread - 'Whatever happened to Runrig?' Spooky... I saw them in the late 80's at the Reading festival (England) Can't say they made an enormous impression on me, but I was struck by the 'enthusiasm' of the large crowd who'd shown up especially to see them. A genuine 'cult band'
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 06 2017 at 06:37
Nice piece of info, thank you. I will check it out for sure.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 06 2017 at 06:45
Interest that Tangerine Dream has so little success in their home country and also that White Eagle was the biggest considering that it is probably their weakest release from 1980-1985 (this is my favourite period of them).
The stats on Eloy make sense as those albums were their best (imo).
 
I was already aware that BJH were massive in Germany compared to anywhere else but didn't know that about SAGA.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 06 2017 at 07:14
Originally posted by Hercules Hercules wrote:

Runrig are absolutely huge in Germany, Denmark and Scotland. But not England - their insistence on singing some songs in Gaelic seems to deter English fans who want everyone to sing in English, but seems to make little difference to those whose first language isn't English. If you go to one of their big outdoor gigs, German and Danish fans are everywhere with their flags. They also tour both countries regularly and are fixtures at many big festivals. Runrig are not prog, but have significant progressive elements in many songs.

BJH were a very significant cult band in Britain in the 70s, but few albums actually charted. However, Gone to Earth was in the German charts for years (literally) and led to significant back sales of earlier albums in Germany, leading to a huge fan base. Several albums subsequently charted highly. They also played the free 1980 Concert for the People on the steps of the Reichstag, attracting around 200000 people, not counting the East Germans on the other side of the Berlin Wall. They were far bigger in Germany than in their home country.

Thanks for the info!  I knew both were bigger in Germany but did not realize the extent of it.  What I find curious is that none of the contemporaries of Runrig even made the charts there, like OYSTERBAND and MEN THEY COULDN'T HANG.  Of course, both of those sang in English, so the Gaelic may have been a factor.  
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 06 2017 at 07:35
Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

Interest that Tangerine Dream has so little success in their home country and also that White Eagle was the biggest considering that it is probably their weakest release from 1980-1985 (this is my favourite period of them).
The stats on Eloy make sense as those albums were their best (imo).
 
I was already aware that BJH were massive in Germany compared to anywhere else but didn't know that about SAGA.

Of course, charts don't tell the sales figures.  For instance, Tangerine Dream may have sold well but more slowly over time rather than everyone rushing out to buy their albums within a few weeks of release.  And, as Hercules said, German fans discovering BJH in the late 70s and 80s went back and bought the earlier albums, but this would have been spread out, and not enough to reach the charts.  But still, charts are a good general barometer.

Re Eloy, Ocean was the first to chart but the subsequent releases charted higher.  Again, people probably went back and bought Ocean more over the years to solidify its status as one of their biggest.  I really like Colours, but it isn't very highly regarded here.  Obviously a lot of the general public liked it

I was a bit surprised Jane did not make the charts at all, and also thought maybe Novalis would have as well, obviously not high up but at least there
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 06 2017 at 11:11
I'll take your word for it Ken. All I could find is the current chart featuring Ed Sheeran, Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus. Confused
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 06 2017 at 13:27
Steve, there is a search box (says Suchen) in the upper right.  Type in the artist and hit return. If the artist has charted you will see Single or Album in the upper middle.  You can toggle between singles and albums if they have had both.  Enjoy!

Edited by kenethlevine - July 06 2017 at 13:27
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 06 2017 at 14:18
Originally posted by kenethlevine kenethlevine wrote:

[QUOTE=Hercules]Runrig are absolutely huge in Germany, Denmark and Scotland. But not England - their insistence on singing some songs in Gaelic seems to deter English fans who want everyone to sing in English, but seems to make little difference to those whose first language isn't English. If you go to one of their big outdoor gigs, German and Danish fans are everywhere with their flags. They also tour both countries regularly and are fixtures at many big festivals. Runrig are not prog, but have significant progressive elements in many songs.

BJH were a very significant cult band in Britain in the 70s, but few albums actually charted. However, Gone to Earth was in the German charts for years (literally) and led to significant back sales of earlier albums in Germany, leading to a huge fan base. Several albums subsequently charted highly. They also played the free 1980 Concert for the People on the steps of the Reichstag, attracting around 200000 people, not counting the East Germans on the other side of the Berlin Wall. They were far bigger in Germany than in their home country.

Thanks for the info!  I knew both were bigger in Germany but did not realize the extent of it.  What I find curious is that none of the contemporaries of Runrig even made the charts there, like OYSTERBAND and MEN THEY COULDN'T HANG.  Of course, both of those sang in English, so the Gaelic may have been a factor.  
[/QUOTE

Wolfestone and New Celeste are another 2 Celtic rock bands who were much more successful on the continent than in the UK. On The Line by New Celeste is a monster album which is almost unknown in the UK: it tool me 35 years to find a copy!


Edited by Hercules - July 06 2017 at 14:19
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 06 2017 at 17:44
another surprise - Canadian singer/songwriter/harpist Loreena McLennitt has had 10 chart albums in Germany, with "The Book of Secrets reaching #7 and spending 34 weeks on the charts


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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 07 2017 at 09:54
Originally posted by kenethlevine kenethlevine wrote:

Steve, there is a search box (says Suchen) in the upper right.  Type in the artist and hit return. If the artist has charted you will see Single or Album in the upper middle.  You can toggle between singles and albums if they have had both.  Enjoy!
Thanks Ken. Enjoy I shall. Smile
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 08 2017 at 14:41
German music fans have / had a more eclectic taste than some other nationalities.  Maybe some of that is their native open-mindedness at not requiring others to speak/sing in their language.  I've been to the W.O.M. ("World Of Music", a music store in Munich's Fussgaengerzone - before it closed in 2004) a number of times and they carried the largest international selection of CD's I've ever seen in any country.  In keeping with the popularity of other celtic-language bands, I was able to find rare and new releases from one of my favorite bands, Clannad. Just ... sitting on the shelf, waiting for me to find and purchase them! Alan Stivell is another such artist whose CD's you could find there. Alas, no more, but those things are all availabe on-line now.


Edited by CapnBearbossa - July 08 2017 at 14:45
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 08 2017 at 15:12
Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

Interest that Tangerine Dream has so little success in their home country and also that White Eagle was the biggest considering that it is probably their weakest release from 1980-1985 (this is my favourite period of them).
Wow, really? "Mojave Plan" is exquisite! One of the finest offerings (but there are so many) from that line-up. I think Hyperborea is the weakest of '80-85 (superb title track, the rest is fair).
 
Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

I was already aware that BJH were massive in Germany compared to anywhere else but didn't know that about SAGA.
 
Germany's one of the places that's helped Saga maintain a career! They're also (still) big in Puerto Rico, of all places.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 09 2017 at 18:18
Originally posted by CapnBearbossa CapnBearbossa wrote:

German music fans have / had a more eclectic taste than some other nationalities.  Maybe some of that is their native open-mindedness at not requiring others to speak/sing in their language.  I've been to the W.O.M. ("World Of Music", a music store in Munich's Fussgaengerzone - before it closed in 2004) a number of times and they carried the largest international selection of CD's I've ever seen in any country.  In keeping with the popularity of other celtic-language bands, I was able to find rare and new releases from one of my favorite bands, Clannad. Just ... sitting on the shelf, waiting for me to find and purchase them! Alan Stivell is another such artist whose CD's you could find there. Alas, no more, but those things are all availabe on-line now.

In chart terms, Clannad didn't do much in Germany, and Stivell didn't make them at all.  But your observation lends support to the idea that lots of sales happen off the charts.  A band not appearing on the chart means they didn't sell enough to reach the top 50 or 100 as the case may be, in any given week or month, but doesn't really tell us how well they did over time.   So interesting about the Celtic connection though.  Just checked and The Chieftains had 4 chart albums in Germany, 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 09 2017 at 18:20
not quite Celtic, though born in Ireland, Sally Oldfield had 4 chart albums and 4 chart singles in Germany.  Her album "Femme" from 1987,. which I haven't heard but seems well past her peak chronologically, was her highest charting and longest on the charts (#12, 28 weeks!).
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 12 2017 at 18:09
Great research, Ken! Also interesting to see/hear that FAUN has such a chart following--I LOVE their music and extoll almost all of their albums as near-masterpieces of Prog Folk (or Pagan Folk, if you want). Still, it makes sense with all of the love you've found auf Deutschland for Celtic and folk music sounds and traditions.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 12 2017 at 18:52
Originally posted by kenethlevine kenethlevine wrote:

In chart terms, Clannad didn't do much in Germany, and Stivell didn't make them at all.  But your observation lends support to the idea that lots of sales happen off the charts.  A band not appearing on the chart means they didn't sell enough to reach the top 50 or 100 as the case may be, in any given week or month, but doesn't really tell us how well they did over time.   So interesting about the Celtic connection though.  Just checked and The Chieftains had 4 chart albums in Germany, 


That's interesting! I know that albums can have potentially very diverse 'arcs' in terms of popularity - anywhere from spiking in the public interest for a few weeks a la Britney Spears, to remaining in the charts' nether regions for decades like Pink Floyd's "Dark Side Of The Moon". What it says about this Munich record store that they carried so much rare stuff, I don't really know.

Now Enya probably charted high in Germany (heck, where didn't she).  And I've seen figures that indicate she's outsold her siblings by a factor of more than 3-to-1.  In stores in the U.S.,  you don't really see Clannad, at least not these days. Enya's albums still appear quite often as new items, though I have to say, almost as often they appear in the used bin. Ouch


Edited by CapnBearbossa - July 12 2017 at 18:56
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 13 2017 at 02:18
Great find, KenClap

But it's too bad that the thing can't go further back than Jan 78... Unhappy

I'd love to see if classic early AD II albums climbed the charts or not. Clown
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 13 2017 at 15:34
Originally posted by Sean Trane Sean Trane wrote:

Great find, KenClap

But it's too bad that the thing can't go further back than Jan 78... Unhappy

I'd love to see if classic early AD II albums climbed the charts or not. Clown

hi Hugues
Definitely goes back before 1978.  Try Donovan  Embarrassed
Like the UK charts, it probably was not a top 100 back then but maybe a top 50, hence songs and albums may not have been on the charts as long or at all.  I'm sure AD II would have made the top 100  Ouch
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