When Vienna, Austria’s Wanda burst onto the German-language music scene in 2014 it was seemingly out of nowhere. But before the end of that year, the band had a huge hit on their hands with their infectious single “Bologna.”

Today, the band has four albums under their belt — all of which went to the top of the charts in their home country in addition to most of the albums breaking into the top five in Germany.

The band has found a winning formula with catchy pop songs that make you want to sing along. So this month, let’s tune up our German skills and learn German with the music of Wanda!

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Do too many cooks spoil the broth? Or is it the more the merrier? For the Berlin-based reggae/hip hop dancehall band Seeed, the latter seems to be the preference. The group features ten musicians ranging from a horn section to a DJ and multiple vocalists. The resulting music is fun, brash, and involved. This is one music group you cannot accuse of being boring.

Seeed does mix their native German language with English and some Patois, but do not let that deter you. The band has more than enough music in German that listening to their music is definitely a language learning experience. So, without further ado, let’s learn German with the music of Seeed!

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We’ve all seen the talent shows on television where singers compete to be their country’s next big musical superstar. But even if you don’t end up winning the show, the exposure can be enough to propel your career. Max Giesinger is a great example of how losing can still be winning.

The smooth and soulful pop singer only finished fourth in the debut season of The Voice of Germany. But looking at his career trajectory you would have no idea. Giesinger’s songs have been on the music charts of the German-speaking world. And his success has kept him on those television competition shows: but not in quite the same way. Instead of being a competitor, Giesinger has coached the ambitious singers of the next generation on The Voice Kids.

Giesinger’s clear vocal style makes it ideal for ambitious German language learners who want to practice their language skills and sing along. So this month, let’s better get to know Max Giesinger!

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When your debut single is a big hit, it can be difficult to live up to expectations. There is a lot of pressure on your shoulders. But for Tim Bendzko, that simply has not been a problem. Since grabbing the attention of music fans in 2011 with the track “Nur noch kurz die Welt retten,” he has kept music fans eagerly listening. The German singer-songwriter has stayed true to himself while continually winning over fans with his memorable and likable pop-tinged tracks.

So this month, let’s get to know Tim Bendzko better and learn German with music!

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German hip hop groups and rappers like K.I.Z. and Cro are currently gracing the top of the German language music charts. However, it was bands like Die Fantastischen Vier that paved the way. But one should not talk about the group in the past tense. These guys haven’t hung up their microphones just yet. The four-member group has had big hits that are sure to catch your ear.

Fanta Vier, as they are affectionately called, is a winning combination for German learners. Their delivery is clearly articulated while the lyrics and music videos are often entertaining and very humorous. Let’s get to know Die Fantastischen Vier better with this month’s German music feature.

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German rapper Cro certainly isn’t the first musician to have a gimmick. His just happens to be a panda mask that covers the top half of his face, obscuring his identity. It features an upside-down cross drawn on the mask between the eyes.

Who is Cro, really? While you may ask that about any celebrity or public figure, it is especially relevant when learning about this music star. With no official private identity, we have only the information he provides in song as insight.

But while Cro might be considered a rapper, his music is positively poppy. Since the release of Raop, his debut full-length, in 2012, the young musician has been a star of the German music scene scooping up awards and topping the music charts.

Let’s get to know Cro for this month’s German Music feature!

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