Die Ärzte

Formed in Berlin in 1982, pioneering German punk band Die Ärzte’s early songs railed against authority, before they shifted to their now-signature style of lyrical satire. ∙ Their 1993 breakthrough track, “Schrei nach Liebe”—a condemnation of the Neo-Nazi-led Hoyerswerda Riots—was a hit again 22 years later when extremism resurfaced in Germany. ∙ Though “Männer sind Schweine” (“Men are Pigs”) is one of the best-selling singles in German history, the band stopped performing after it spawned sexist parodies. ∙ The 2001 music video for “Yoko Ono,” from Runter mit den Spendierhosen, Unsichtbarer!, landed in Guinness World Records for its scant 47-second run time. ∙ They were named Best German Act at the 2003 MTV Europe Music Awards and have received multiple Bravo Otto, Comet, and ECHO honors at home. ∙ Drummer Bela B has released four solo albums, written a novel, narrated more than a dozen audio books, and launched a successful acting career, including a cameo in Inglorious Basterds. ∙ Each of frontman Farin Urlaub’s seven solo albums has landed in the German Top 10, with three of them going all the way to No. 1.