Die Lollipops (The Lollipops) are one of Germany's most successful kiddie pop groups. The group was started in 2000 with two teenage girls singing well-known songs and classics with new kid-oriented lyrics and a Europop production (courtesy of Peter Hoffmann), as well as a handful of original songs. Several best-selling albums later, the group had sold more than 1.5 million records and DVDs, been awarded eight-time gold and one-time platinum, and won an Echo award in 2005. As a tie-in, four youth-oriented novels were published under the Lollipops name. The two vocalists are recast every few years; since its inception, seven different singers have been part of the group (the youngest, 11-year-old Maria, became a Lollipop in 2005). ~ Christian Genzel