In 1974 Kraftwerk scored an unlikely hit with the song Autobahn. The style and presentation of the eponymous album would determine the work of the German group in the coming years. The revolutionary thing about Kraftwerk is that the group explicitly chose not to opt for conventional pop instrumentation. Their electronic sound, made up of only synthesizers and drum machines, was revolutionary in the
… mid-1970s. The structure of their songs was pure pop. Composers Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider were big fans of The Beach Boys. Trans Europe Express (1976) is a tribute to Europe and train travel. The title track decorated with train sounds and the percussive Metal On Metal are the highlight of the album. It earned the group fans from an unexpected quarter. In New York, black youths used Kraftwerk's rhythms to rap over and invented hip-hop. (PdK)more
