The Man Machine

not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue

Fun, danceable, and with a sound that feels a decades ahead of its time

Very influential but the other Krautrockers were more so. Kraftwerk led us young kids to them.

Kraftwerk are such a key seminal group. Their work in the 70s laid so much groundwork for so much music. No just the synth pop of the 80s but hip-hop, dance music and all music that now just had the understanding that electronic devices can make art. This album is much more pop oriented and allowed the accessibilty to synth pop. But earlier records are much more powerful now

Outstanding album. My favorite from Kraftwerk.

Kraftwerk were pioneers of electronic music, a genre that I absolutely love. This album is supberb, blending the repetitive nature of the genre with grander, atmospheric melodies that captivate the listener.

On paper this one should sound super dated. But it doesn’t; it sounds super good. I wasn’t a huge fan of Trans Europe Express which I got a few days before this one, but The Man Machine was awesome! Pretty cool

Not one of my favourites, but still very good.

They are kind of addictive, I enjoyed this more than I thought

Good shit. Listened to it before but you can hear how much it influenced all the 80s stuff.

Incredible sound. Somehow, almost 50 years after its release, it still sounds like it's from the future. My one complaint is that some of the songs are a bit long.

This has to be like the origins of EDM and Nightcore

SIE EST EIN MODEL UND SIE SIEHT GUT AUS

This album was fun, and a great example of Kraftwerk’s wacky synth music strengths. It’s clearly influential as I can think of several bands that reference tracks on it directly or indirectly. Was it repetitive? Sure. Kind of silly? Yes. Did I enjoy it? Yes! I’m glad it’s short at 36 minutes as longer may have been overkill. As an aside - I love LCD Soundsystem, so this album was fun for me. LCD’s “Get Innocuous” is basically “The Robots.” According to the interwebs it’s not a sample, just heavily influenced.

Superb !

There is something so fascinating about Kraftwerk. As a band, they’re pretty inscrutable. Who are those guys? The music production is clearly ahead of its time. The songs themselves are at once innovative and simple. Es lebe Kraftwerk.

I think it probably fades so far into the background that it only really deserves a 3. But nostalgia and just how catchy The Model is means I'm happy to give it a 4.

I'm familiar with Kraftwerk in the general sense, as in I knew about their influence and their innovation, and even enjoy some of their most well-known tracks like Autobahn and We Are The Robots, but I never gave them a full album listen. I expected it to be pretty dry and repetitive... and it is... but honestly I liked it better than I expected. A lot of the B sides and lesser known work is frankly much more enjoyable and melodically interesting beyond just the technical aspects. Fun album!

Some of these tracks have become really corny over the decades, but this album represents necessary work to bring electronics out of labs and musique concrete studios and into pop music. The cool songs are very cool, and the longevity by way of sampling is testament to what these guys accomplished.

ta bueno

This album is incredibly ahead of its time. The synth use combined with the great artistic choice of panning go incredibly throughout the whole record. A lot of the songs go on for way too long however, and even though the length of the album isn't that long, I quickly felt pretty bored of the looping keys. Great ideas, but I just wish they were executed more fully. As the songs drone on, they begin to feel empty. Nevertheless, this record is super groovy, and if you're looking for something to dance a bit to and enjoy the futuristic sounds that the 70s somehow achieved, this is a wonderful listen for the most part.

Pas aussi bien que Trans Europe Express mais quand même ils sortent du lot sur l'électro de l'époque

Ok I get it. I see why Kraftwerk is such a big deal. To have music that sounds like Daft Punk in 1978 is kind of unbelievable. Talk about sounds that people had never heard before, not to mention it’s really good. I can see how this would have inspired countless electronic musicians that came after it.

Nice, Trans Europe Express was one of the first new-albums-I-liked from this project. This is similar, although about robots instead of trains. The compelling thing about robots is, they don't have any agency (bad) but they also don't feel any pain (good), so whatever robot metaphors you get are very mixed in valence. It's Kraft-werking for me. Something interesting about this album is that it was released in both English (the language of the masses, I guess) and German (because they're (West) German). Not so unusual - I know a lot of Latin Pop Stars (TM) like Shakira and Enrique also had English/Spanish versions, and t.A.T.u. of course did Russian/English. But in those cases, I prefered the non-English version because it is the original! (Going the opposite direction happens less often - Avril Lavigne's 'Girlfriend' (which had releases in 8 different languages) completely turned me around on Avril Lavigne!) So even though this is listed as The Man Machine and not Die Mensch-Maschine, I listened to both versions just in case the German one was better. (The upside of a Friday album.) Conclusion: it was a little better, but they're actually... extremely similar! Highlights: 'Spacelab', 'Neon Lights', 'Das Modell', 'Neonlicht'

I really like the synth they used in this album. I will definitely listen again, but there were some times where it was just a little too repetitive that I’m not quite sure I can give it a 5, but it is very close in my opinion.

I was outside doing yard work so I listened to it twice. Didn't feel the need to change it to something else. Would listen to it again.

Honestly... It surprised me. (5/1001) at the first song, i'm sorry but i couldn't help but think like "wth is this yoinky sploinky ass song?", but after continuing with the album anyways, i realized that this was WAAAY too ahead of it's time even I thought this was something you would hear in a club somewhere in teh Futurama universe, but to think that this was made in '78... i don't know how people would've reacted at hearing this album around that time, really not only that, but i can clearly see how this might've influenced HEAVILY in the electronic music industry, though the only names I can name are Daft Punk, Aphex Twin... and damn, even Kanye in 808s & Heartbreak it isn't something i'd listen to every day, but it really has been a trippy experience, in a good way of course.

Un álbum muy interesante teniendo en cuenta el momento en el que fue hecho. Lo disfruté a pesar de que puede llegar a ser difícil de escuchar. Me parece interesante como empieza con una canción que se llama the Robots y termina con the Man Machine

The robots en la electrónica = el génesis en la biblia. Me gusta mucho, cuando salió seguramente fue una bomba para el mundo 4.1

3.8 Cada canción se pone mejor

No había tenido la oportunidad de escuchar a los pioneros de a musica electrónica y fue interesante hacer un viaje en el tiempo

Good but some songs are not really my taste.

Step off, Daft Punk. Kraftwerk are the real robots! 4

That this came out in 1978 (a year before I was born) is something. Listen to it with ears from that era. People had to be confused, interested, apalled or so many other things and that’s what great albums do. Extremely influential to what would come in the 80s.

I liked this one. The first one on the track The Robots sounded very silly which made me immediately want to share this album with Grace. Later on in the track there were more sad beats that were mixed with happy beats I think this was able to work because the songs where actually very simple and had few lyrics. I did some research on this album and found that it was created to be the composer’s ideal music which was without emotion or message. I did not like this because I think that this is the opposite of what music is supposed to be but I also find it ironic because I was easily able to pick out emotions in his music.

pretend its a 4.5 rating lol. very impressive how did they do this

Damn. I actually really liked this. I need to listen to more.

The music feels very modern with its synth style. You have to get used to the German accent though.

I really like this. You can tell that this was super influential in electronic music. I did think it got quite repetitive but I think this genre has been rinsed making it feel repetitive. So it’s not Kraft work more the influence they had, which I guess is impressive in itself

Always enjoyed Kraftwerk, this one I know some of them but not the record as a whole. Always pleasantly surprised at the level emotion there, that isn't always apparent to begin with.

Fun and silly

So hard. Doesn’t sound like 78. Rare music that I believe will sound relevant forever. No wonder it’s so influential.

I really like this album. It paved the way for future electronic albums and still holds up nearly 50 years later. 8/10

Visionär, tolles Album.

This isn't man vs machine, this is man and machine working together seamlessly. Oh and it's awesome. Favorite track: The Model

Classic is often over used, but this is a Classic Album among the few classics of all time.

Great album, Kraftwerk does Kraftwerky things that they know how to do so well.

I have come to a deeper appreciation of Kraftwerk over recent years through my daughter. The deal with them has always been on their embrace of technology, but she grew up in an age where that's the norm. She finds a relatble anxiety and warmth in them that I get as well. That said, this is probably my least favorite of their records. Still good, but a little too on the nose. Not sure why so many people have covered "The Model" when they have better songs. Computer World is the Kraftwerk album you need.

This isn't overtly annoying like I find most electronic music to be, its actually good background music.

Pinta q flipas Representacion musical de como la sociedad hubiese avanzado si no existiese el genshin impact

Can't help what your preferences are, this definitely aligns with me. Old school synth pop dance music with admittedly not a lot of variation through out but never wore out its welcome on my end. Heavy theme of robotics and industrial noises which probably inspired a lot that was to come in the 90's and 2000's with Daft Punk as a big one. Will not have any issue going back to this album and happy to know the bands name now.

so so so good

This is a fascinating album that definitely belongs on this list. Even though synth and electro is not my regular cup of tea, the arrangements and sounds on this album show true genius and everyone should definitely expose themselves to Kraftwerk before they leave this earth. I can honestly say I was pleasantly surprised and entertained. Almost an auditory acid trip.

Excellent. Primitive given that it came only a few years before the synthpop movement, but pristine and lush in its own way

I know nothing about these guys, I have no expectations for how this will sound, I have no idea what i'm about to get into 1. The Robots - I like the production, it's fun and cool. This feels like something that would be in Phineas and Ferb. A little bit too long overall 2. Spacelab - Oh, I really like the intro of this one. I wish there was more to it lyrically, but I do love the sound of this one. 3. Metropolis - This one sounds really cool too. 4. The Model - I like the sound, but lyrically meh it's fine. 5. Neon Lights - Oh, this is really pretty! Even tho it's repetitive, something I typically don't vibe with, I actually really like this one. 6. The Man Machine - This one is also cool, but not my favorite Hmmm how to rate this one? I actually vibed with this pretty well, but I don't think it's something I'd throw on often at all. I love the sounds/production, lyrically it mostly felt lacking to me, but it's cool seeing early Electronica. Idk why I've vibed with this more than other Electronic albums on this list so far? I think, I gonna give this like a 3.75/5 or 4/5. It was pretty fun and interesting. It felt very spacey in a way I enjoyed.

Listening to this album made me feel smarter.

It creates a special atmosphere, hipnotizing. Iove the calm tempo. I love when an album tells a story, and this one does that. They managed to create a characteristic sound through a sort of repetition that never gets old, and you can feel the creativity put into each song. Some highlights for me are Spacelab, Neon Lights, and The Man Machine. Also, I noticed some similarities to Daft Punk and Japan.

YEAHHHHHHH CULTURAL BANGER i obvs like the german version better

I channeled my inner robot and grooved on this album. this is basically the 1970s progenitor of Daft Punk, and I'm here for it

I dig it. Maybe not a regular in my rotation, but it's impossible to deny Kraftwerk's influence on electronic and hop music. 3.5/5 rounded to 4.

Spent the entire day going back and forth on whether or not this was a 3 or a 4. I definitely love it, and would absolutely go back to it, but comparing it to the other Electronica albums I've rated so far, I think a 3 is fine for this. I'm sure that when it came out, it must have sounded like the future. It actually reminds me a lot of some bands I listen to today. This is yet another fundamental Electronica that I'm sure was directly influenced by virtually everything that came after it. To that degree, it's also extremely easy to listen to. I didn't think I was going to manage to have just this on for the whole day, as it's pretty short for an Electronica album. Usually they're like an hour long, but this one is only 6 songs, and 36 minutes long. Of course this is freaking German as well. The funniest part about this album is that even with the voice modulators, you can frame 1 instantly tell the singer is German. It gets a pass for being basic, but I don't know whether to let that dictate my rating of the album or not. Yes, it's repetitive, yes it's samey, but it's never boring and for coming out in 1978 it's pretty incredible. Then again, look at some of the other albums that came out that year. I don't know, I do love this, but I think it's a 3. A very, very high 3. Like a 3.95/5, but I don't round up. I've been very consistent with that. Favorite song on this one is the intro, "The Robots". Sounded vaguely familiar to me, regardless of whether or not I've heard it before. It's just such a good start, and tells you exactly what to expect from this album. I would not skip a single song on this album and also loved the biggest hit "The Model" as well. Hilariously enough, as of a few years ago, Kraftwerk is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, so they're actually more important of a band than most people will realize. For just a bunch of German goobers making beep boop sounds, it's phenomenally impressive it still sounds so damn good today. This is the 1st of 3 Kraftwerk albums I have rolled for this project, as well as the last chronologically, so I'm very interested to hear what they sounded like before this. Considering how much higher this is rated than the other 2, if this is them at their best, I kind of want to give it a 4, and expect what came before it to be a 3. Otherwise all 3 albums are likely to get a 3 from me. Even after talking myself through it and writing this review, I still don't know if this is really a 3 or a 4. Good job with this one though. It's simple and repetitive by today's standards but it still absolutely slaps, and I love it for that. Fine, it's a 4. I've decided.

Wow. Unexpected nostalgia hit. I was never that in to Kraftwerk, but I absolutely know The Robots and The Model. I remember the friend who played them for me. I remember my mind getting blown. Still can't believe this album is from 1978.

The spotify link goes to the english version. I suggest going on Spotify and look for "Die Mensch∙Maschine" for the german version.

I can enjoy and appreciate Kraftwerk but I can't quite love them - I've even seen them live at Manchester's cycle... thing. This is brilliant though, and more human than other Kraftwerk albums. Spacelab is something I've come back to a few times for the lovely motifs.

Whenever I put kraftwerk on I assume it's gonna just sound really dated and somehow it never does. The synth sounds they recorded sound glorious and they have a real charm to them. "The robots" felt a little on the nose, but beyond that this is a great collection of tracks, it's not too long (which I imagine might get a bit tedious). Great stuff.

The year is 2126 and this is your robotic personal assistant's favorite album. The Man Machine really comes off as something that should be from far out into the future, except it was released in 1978. That's pretty mind-boggling to me. Not sure what other groups were making music like this in the late 70's, but this had to be considered pretty ground-breaking at the time.

Kraftwerk is great for a lot of reasons and are probably one of the hidden architects of modern music. I like some of their earlier stuff as opposed to their full blown electric sound, but it's all catchy. The idea of growing up in postwar Germany is a bit of a trip. Your parents and all of their friends were probably Nazis and nobody really seemed interesting in unpacking that. Instead, you and some of your boys get together with some other bands, create a whole scene, and make some of the most mind blowing albums for the next 10 years or so. German ingenuity channeled for good and not evil!

I can throw The Man Machine on basically whenever and always have a good time. One of the most revolutionary bands of the era, no small task.

Im a robot

Without this we don’t have daft punk. Without daft punk we don’t have the rumor that Kanye West would stop watching porn in the studio while they were making the song Stronger.

Iconic sound.

Second Kraftwerk album this week? What interesting timing, almost as if robots and computers got involved (yes, lame German style joke, you must laugh!). This is a very clean and crisp album for an early electronic album and there's no doubt that they are amazing synthesizer players, and it is better than the last one you tried to convince me that it needs to be on this list (it doesn't). But ya, this is 3.5 or 4 star material as an average listening goes. It's just so German.

Es Masterpiece und e Masterpiece band! scho es bizli veraltet aber so wegwiisend für elektronischi Musig dasi mindestens 4 Robodance geh mun

Banger

Kinda cool how modern it sounds when it was all hand made by a person. Like.... they were WAY ahead of their time. Very cool album, higher score for impact. Plus it's short and sweet

Wie sind deutsche Roboter

Good stuff! ★★★★

I thought going in it would probably be a 3. I know they influenced a ton but I was surprised how well the album flowed. Bumped it up to a 4

The robots The man machine Neon lights

Another band from the list that I have a sort of outsized impression of their importance in music history, but haven't actually sat and listened to much. Really enjoyed this and see so many seeds of the modern synth-pop/synthwave that I love. Honestly way more poppy and melodic than I expected, with a few individual synth lines I recognized. Kraftwerk's whole aesthetic was just cool as well, the album cover, the way they dressed, the sort of futuristic vibes they were able to conjure - I think of them as krautrock but this is honestly pretty far removed from that sound. The remastered version just sounds good from a production standpoint as well. I think the bookend tracks of the album are the best, but surprisingly I hadn't heard "The Model" despite being the "hit" on this album. Overall really enjoyed this one.

Not a fun listen the whole way through but its undoubtedly iconic

I’m a big fan of Kraftwerk, Autobahn is an incredible album. This was interesting but not as good, but I would 100% revisit!

Like being in a video game. Good ambient music to get some work done to.

3/6/26. First time diving into Kraftwerk. Lucky to have a couple listens over the weekend and it's hard to deny the influence this music has had on later artists, notably Daft Punk for me. Very cool soundscapes driven by synths and couldn't pick up on the lyrics as much.

4/5. One of those albums that jusy sounds like the future. Listening to it I can hear how it influenced so many groups that I love from Daft Punk to LCD Soundsystem to Stereolab and so on. It fuses together krautrock and synthesizers to create an album that is just hypnotizing, I felt like I was in a groovy trance the whole way through. Also “Metropolis”, “the model” and “neon lights” is an especially great three track run.

Sounds surprisingly modern. But it didn’t stick with me in any big way. It was enjoyable! 7/10 Quite Likeable

7 / 10 - Sehr cleane Synth Sounds - poppig und tanzbar - künstliche/robotische Musik, die dennoch sehr menschlich wirkt Favs: - The Robots - Metropolis

Such a fun album

i would give it a 3.5

Gotta respect my elders, who graciously allowed my robot duo to take their gimmick

Vanguardia de la electrónica. Hoy lo escuchás y se siente pedorro, pero MIL NUEVE SETENTA Y OCHO. Una locura. Y venían de discos anteriores ya. Salía el punk, salía el post punk y los Kraftwerk en esta. 8/10

While not being specifically my taste their very clear influence on electronic music cannot be understated. Kraftwerk and specifically this album being cited as major inspiration and influence for New Order, Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails and countless others speaks volumes.

alien ahh beats

Listened to this one on a plane, felt fitting or maybe I'm just stupid idk. Either way as far as early electronic stuff goes not too shabby. 4/5

A pretty ground-breaking band with real cultural significance, Kraftwerk were early pioneers of the electronic music that is now commonplace. I explored their discography years ago and I think The Man-Machine would rank as their best work. Now a classic, I can only imagine how futuristic and forward looking this album must have sounded to new ears in 1978. All that being said, it is now a pretty simplistic and naïve application of synthesised electronic music and modern electronic artists simply have far more sounds and layers in their arsenal. This album isn't something that would be in my regular rotation but it's a great museum piece from the first band to show that electronic music could make it in the mainstream. It's a 3* on personal taste, pushed over the line by its cultural influence.

A great album

Landmark stuff. Couple of weaker songs in the first half, but ‘The Model’ is exquisite.

Another one which is about 9/10. I'm being more brutal from now on. Great album, but how can it be 5 stars when there are a couple of Kraftwerk albums which are definitely better?

Almost impossible to review tbh

Neon Lights is a real vibe.

What a great electronic album that sounds like it could have been made today. I imagine these songs are sampled.

One of those sort of Ur bands that start stuff. Love all early electronic stuff.

A classic. I gave it 4 because I thought it fades a bit in the second half. I’ll listen again and perhaps that will grow on me.

Not a big stand out to me but I enjoyed it

I have listened to this three times in a row. I know it is restarting, yet I won’t stop it. What a great album. I guess I need to start listening to Kraftwerk. Probably should listen to Autobaun next.

The Robots The Model Neon Lights The Man Machine

I think we lose sight of how revolutionary this is because we live in the future it imagined. The sounds that are part of every day life were not when this was recorded and what we also lose sight of is how soulful this is, and whilst it’s not as good as autobahn having had the privilege of hearing many of these songs live it’s still a hugely impressive piece of work

Simple but really enjoyable, charming and while I dont give points for this. Impressive for its time.

I had been pretty lukewarm on their debut album, but by this point they've really come into their own. The vibes are immaculate, I've listened to this a few times today and it's the kind you listen to the whole way through rather than pick songs from.

Felt like I was listening to a new Tron soundtrack, it's amazing. Can't believe this came out in the 70's, they were so far ahead of the game.

Pretty awesome to get to listen to an album and see the massive influence it had decades later

Fair

8/10 Favorite: The Model

This is a really fun album. The Robots is genuinely one of the most feel good songs ever. 8/10

Very good, very nice. Felt a bit repetitive in some places but that's ok, I enjoyed it overall. Beep boop.

A groundbreaking album, more important for when it was released than how it sounds today

8/10 The first thing that stood out to me about this record was how much of a fluid groove they managed to build, despite the metronomic and sequenced nature of so many of the sounds. Somehow, while creating machine music, they gave their robots a soul. It’s the layering a blending of different elements that really gives this album life. While there are some elements that could be a little on the repetitive side, they play so much with sequence length across different synth lines that it rarely becomes too static or dull to the ear. The synth sounds that they use add a decent amount of depth to the production and there are some absolutely gorgeous warm, creamy patches in play here that bathe you in a satisfying wash of sound. The composition is also great, with them building some really interesting harmonic beds, while also delivering some memorable and catchy melodic hooks. The drift into pop music territory in places, and into atmospheric ambience in others, which is a great skill for an album that manages to maintain such a coherent voice. It’s also ridiculously far ahead of its time. It’s a 48 year old album that sounds like it could have been released today, and there are clear examples of production and composition that would inspire artists and whole genres in the decades that followed. The one track that didn’t quite connect with me was Neon Lights, which felt a bit too basic, thin and underdeveloped, which was a shame, especially as it covers a quarter of the record. That’s the only thing keeping this from a 9/10, to be honest, as otherwise, this was a really fantastic listening experience that I’ll definitely adding to the regular rotation. The Robots - The sound design here is so good. Some of the synth patches and tones are great; crisp, clear and punchy. It’s a buttery smooth sound that manages to impart a really solid groove despite being so metronomic. There are some really great combinations of melodic and harmonic sequences and tonal modulations that make it feel really alive while never drifting from the robotic theme. It feels incredibly ahead of its time too. Spacelab - The juxtaposition of the urgent beat and arpeggiated synth against the drifting, dreamy lead is excellent. The filter-swept Moog tone is so beefy. There’s some interesting use of layering and the way they pull and push different elements in and out of the mix adds a rolling, adapting feel to the composition. It perhaps gets a tiny bit lost with some of the flutey synth patches that flow around each other, but it’s a minor point. Metropolis - This feels like driving through a neon-lit city at night. Again, the persistence of the beat and arpeggiated synth give this so much drive, but they’re really careful to use sounds with a slower attack against that to not make it overwhelming. They use a range of frequencies at different points to develop tonal differences over the course of the track, which is an interesting approach. Although there’s obviously a lot of sequencing work going on, they manage to use extended sequences to ensure that the track as whole never gets locked in too much of a short loop, even if some components do. It’s really clever stuff, especially with the limited technology they were working with. The Model - This is the closest we’ve come to a traditional song really. Some of the synth lines are so hooky, which is great and it’s definitely a pop song, even if it is a bit of a weird one! I’m not generally a massive fan of having a prominent instrumental part that plays the same line as the lead vocal, but at least it gets a break to do that nice arpeggiated pattern when the vocal isn’t present. As with The Robots, there’s a great groove to this, despite the metronomic nature of it. And, as with the rest of the album, the synth patches are so well matched and create a really warm tonality. Neon Lights - There’s some more nice sound design on here, but it does become a little plodding. Unlike some of the earlier tracks, there’s not as much depth in the synth layering to make this feel as fluid and broad. It all just feels a little bit too rhythmically static and repetitive, which is a shame. It’s not really bad, it’s just a little on the dull side and a bit meandering, lacking in the scope of the rest of the album. It does throw in some developments across its almost 9 minute runtime, but they’re so stretched out and even when it does develop, it feels a bit thin by comparison to the other tracks. And it’s too long. The Man-Machine - And we’re back on it again now. That atmosphere and layering brings so much more depth and there’s a pulsing groove to the rhythmic elements that creates a superb depth to the sound. You can hear how much influence Kraftwerk would have on so many electronically focused types of music that would follow, from house to hip-hop, just from this one track. It’s pretty wild for an album created in West Germany in 1978. The sound design and atmosphere to this is solid and engaging, even if the music depth isn’t quite as pleasing as the first four tracks.

I thought it was going to be a drag, but it was actually good. It's perhaps a 3.5 but I'm feeling generous and it's short enough to add it to the replay list.

Pretty amazing synth work for late 70s.

I've known about Kraftwerk for a long time (I think I remember JB - John Buchanan - who led a band at Notre Dame when we were there, and later played with the Soul Searchers and Chuck Brown in DC, saying, maybe in the later 80s, that Kraftwerk were cool) but, for whatever reason, haven't paid them a lot of attention, or been particularly drawn to them. I think they probably had an influence on many kinds of music, like, House, techno, and hip-hop. I do own 1 Kraftwerk CD (Trans-Euro Express), but am not familiar with this one. I did recognize "Neon Lights," though, because it was covered by a Georgia alternative band from the 80s that I like, Love Tractor (I think it was a minor hit for them). I would probably rate this one about the same as The Cars album (and, I'm guessing, a lot of the 1001 albums, lol), as a solid B+, which I guess will translate to 4 stars.

Electronic music is one of my worst rated genres in this project, but this isn't the same boring and soulless dance beats repeated ad nauseum. Kraftwerk are the godfathers of all electronic music and somehow they managed to infuse so much warmth and emotion into their music. I also have to respect the skill it would have taken to orchestrate, perform, and record this music using the tools available to them at the time.

I love them so much.

This is exactly the sort of weird early techno synth-pop that I want the Germans to be making. The fact that half the lyrics are just repeating the title of the song over and over again would not work in most genres, but on this record it’s perfect. I can’t overstate how much I enjoy the bizarreness of this album. It’s just fun. At 36 minutes long it certainly doesn’t overstay its welcome either. I’m not sure I have anything else to say about this one, but that’s not a bad thing. 4*

When I think krautrock I think Kraftwerk, and when I think Kraftwerk I am having a good time. This isn’t my favorite album of theirs, but it’s still a really good one. It’s loopy ride of boops and blips that makes you feel like you’re stuck inside one of those computers the size of an oven with a black and green screen… but maybe you don’t want to go home.

Me ha encantado el álbum. La única pega que le encuentro es que la letra es sosa y el ritmo repetitivo.

That was bloody great. Never really gone in on Kraftwerk before, but I really enjoyed this album. Would definitely return and am keen to explore more.

Dope

Enjoyed the first half more but still a great album. Ahead of its time.

This one surprised me!

Flows well, a great classic.

The rolling ‘r’ in ‘robots’ on the first track was almost enough to make me press stop and hurl it out of the window but once that track was out of the way, I could relax and enjoy the rest of the album. Growing up in the 80s, I’ve always had a soft spot for electronic music, especially the synth pop of the early 80s. Kraftwerk’s influence is extraordinary and they still sound incredibly fresh today. This isn’t music I will sit down and listen to intently, but, without wishing to label it as ‘background music’, it’s good company.

Modern music is just all bloop bloop bleep bleep

It’s hard to believe this came out in 1978. So much of this feels like a precursor to the 80’s New Wave sound. I guess that’s because it was. SpaceLab immediately shoots up to be one of my favorite tracks. It doesn’t all work but most of it does. 4 out of 5.

Ураа, что-то кроме рока, так ещё и электроника. Передается все отмосфера. ДА ЛАДНО ЕЩЕ И ЕЛЕКТРОННЫЙ ГОЛОС. Тревожное ощущение, мировой калабс, антиутопия. Ужасает, но мне это нравится, хорошая музыка 4 из 5 не прям вааау, но очень добротно. Однозначно ознакомлюсь с другими альбомами группы

I liked this more than I expected.

I listened to the remastered version, so not sure if this is relevant to the original, but I love the sounds in the album, everything is very crisp, in its place, not overloaded with layers. It was for me, as someone familiar with how symths work, purse sonic enjoyment. What didn't fully land for me is the musicality: Most songs were kind of banal and basic from a musical perspective, with a few outliers (the robot, the model, the man machine). I also thought the vocals (in the English version at least) were kind of too on the nose and not well mixed with the rest of the instrumentation. Overall, I enjoyed my first Kraftwerk experience, but it's not music I'd be putting on regularly: It's more of a sound experience than a music experience.

Eh, expected more from the godfathers of electronic. Then again, likely mindblowing at the time it came out, so that has to be respected.

Siis elektronisen musiikin pioneereja. En tiiä millon tätä kuuntelisin, mutta yksikin kuuntelu oli todella jees.

сначала не зашел альбом, да и вообще стиль музыки этой группы, потом вслушался - и нашел в этом что-то уникальное; в отличие от хип-хопа, ритм песен здесь постепенно развивается, не самые лучшие, но порой интересные тексты

They made music like robots, now the robots have caught up.

YEEEEEEESSSSS

Skal høres på tysk, natürlich. Enestående.

I can tell that this must have been revolutionary in its day but electronic music and the technology behind it have come so far that I just don't think this holds up as well anymore. At the same time, it is still very cold, distant, and metallic, and it conveys its message very well. I wish I was around to hear this album when it came out.

I see why LCD was excited about Kaftwerk. This was a fun album

If Autobahn was Kraftwerk finding their sound and Trans-Europe Express was them perfecting it, then The Man-Machine is them synthesising (no pun intended) it down into a manageable pop format. This album probably features Kraftwerk’s most recognisable and catchy songs, The Model and The Robots, which both remain as fantastic and pioneering as ever. Much of the rest of the album, like Spacelab and Metropolis, focuses more on texture than melody and the more rhythmic focus of previous albums like TEE. An essential album from Kraftwerk and also in understanding the evolution of electronic music.

Great album, found a few influences of different bands I really like!

would love to see this used in a movie. The Model was my favorite on the album.

Far and away the best of the 3 Kraftwerk albums fed to us. I wonder if I would have given it a 5 had it not been for the negative expectations from the lackluster prior 2?

Cool, experimental, and so weird it's fun. New-wave before new-wave. Reminds me of 70's sci-fi movies. Fun album, only 6 songs total. "Neon Lights" is a really beautiful listen.

что-то на машинном, много разных непонятных звуков, чистое начало электро и синтезированных звуков, прелесть даже голос обработан под синтезированный "я твой слуга, я твой работник" dvd игры, приставки, уносит в транс neon lights

I felt like I was in a late 70s/early 80s technothriller/sci-fi movie, but in a good way.

I know the band, respect their legacy and the path they carved along with their influence but not sure we needed a 2nd album from them on the T1001. Listener counts are solid with "The Robots" clocking in at over 18M and "The Model" at over 75M. It obviously has a following. I feel like they created the soundscape from which other bands, like Devo or Depeche Mode, polished and made more listener friendly and radio ready. Their groundbreaking use of layered keyboards is so influential. "Robots" is a bit corny for me, but "Spacelab" is a really pretty song (minus the unnecessary robot chorus). "The Model" must have been a blueprint for a ton of songs that followed (early INXS, Human League, Planet P, The Fixx, etc). "Neon Lights" is just so familiar, like I've known it for years. The influence they have can be heard for decades after the release of this album. I can't knock a single song, they're all enjoyable and quality tracks. After listening to it in its entirety I understand why it's on this list. 4 stars, mostly for the influence I hear, rounding up from 3.5.

I didn’t think I’d like this as much as I did. In fact, I liked the plain beep-boop songs even more than the songs with lyrics. Okayyyy.

For me, this is where Kraftwerk were coming down from the peak they had reached with Trans Europe Express. It's still very, very good, but the extra use of vocals and pop sensibilities prevent me from judging it as a five star album. Model is a love/ hate thing for me. I vaguely remember this being a thing (I was under ten when this was a hit), but I also remember detesting it at the time. Even now it grates a little, although I feel I've grown to appreciate it more than I did at the time. There's still plenty of angular, robotic, atmospheric electronic music, preceding Gary Numan and other artists who took the baton and ran with it into full synth-pop music. Four stars.

BRO WHAT IS THIS YOINKY SHPLOINKY SOUND HELL YEAHHHHH

Despite not being the biggest fan of electronic music, especially as of late, I find The Man-Machine, as well as a handful of other Kraftwerk albums very enjoyable. Kraftwerk's classic 70's synth-y sound definitely may not be for all, but I greatly enjoy it and its simplicity. The one aspect that really just doesn't click with me is the robot theming of "The Robots". While I find it fascinating that they went all-out in going with the whole robot theme, I just don't really care for this track, despite it being decently popular. However, I really enjoy "Neon Lights" and its relaxing, optimistic sound akin to some of their tracks off of their previous album, Trans-Europe Express. Favorite Song: "Neon Lights"

Els papis de Daft Punk. Contenta perquè no sabia per on començar amb ells. Muak

Influential, and certainly innovative. What could now be done in seconds by actual machines probably was quite complex and mind blowing for men to create robotic sounds in the 70s. Which means it’s likely lost some of its wow factor in 2026. There are more than decent tunes and melody behind the bleeps and such. And don’t think it would work so well without the German accent, and didn’t loose anything from the native language version. But it isn’t just a historical novelty, think it holds up and though came into this expecting to give damning praise I actually enjoyed a lot more than expected. Das model is an excellent electronica pop song, neon lights is exquisite. 4 Star

Excellent, lays the groundwork for everything that follows in electronic music

i hate to admit this but unfortunately it's a great album to code to.

og daft punk

Pozytywnie się zaskoczyłem. Ładne syntezatory, jest Vibe, ale nie wiem czy elementy wokalu były potrzebne. 8,5/10

Really cool instrumental songs,some cheeseball vocal songs. Need to listen again, album gets indistinct but is surely hugely influential. Dudes discovering genuinely new sounds and making music with them.

I really enjoyed this, I know of Kraftwerk but hadn't sat and listened to an album. Fun fact - I didn't know 'The Model' was a Kraftwerk song, I only knew the Big Black version.

We've come a long way since this. obviously the german version of the album is better

Best album I've listened to so far from this experiment. Very impressed with the engineering and production of the album from 1978. Incredible sound. I felt like I was a machine floating in space the entire time. Good stuff. Big big fan of synths.

Niiiiiiiiice Kraftwerk. I’ve listened to Autobahn and Trans Europe Express, but not this. This album uses a lot of ascending and descending melodies—a little too blatant at times in terms of sort of seeing the scaffolding behind the songs, but the melodies never become stale, and it really does work perfectly with their synth-pop sound. That scaffolding is also something I see in just about every book I read and movie I watch, so it’s probably a personal thing. I really enjoy the synths here. Even fifty years later, they sound futuristic and one-of-a-kind. The aesthetic of this band still feels incredibly unique and relevant as well. While this is much better than Autobahn, I will say that I enjoyed Trans-Europe Express more—thematically and musically. The cultural context of TEE, with the conflicts and hopes of Europe that are incorporated into it, are incredibly compelling, and its running symbolism of a train is very well-done. Overall, TEE just comes off as more cohesive and culturally in-tune. And being culturally in-tune is something essential to Kraftwerk’s concepts and aesthetics. At times, Man Machine can seem a bit like it’s just re-using many of TEE’s components in a lesser way, but it still holds up quite well and is a fantastic album. It leans into even more of a pop sound, which was incredibly new at the time and ended up being highly influential. It also has songs like The Model that offer a lyrical narrative unlike anything I’ve heard from Kraftwerk. The songwriting is also excellent, and there are tons of layers here. I feel as if I’ll need several more listens to truly notice everything going on.

I really didn't expect to enjoy it so much. The first song really threw me off. Otherwise, great album.

Ej, kul prvi komad ("The Robots"). Elektronika, ki dejansko zveni prijetno. Kak komad je bolj minimalističen z besedili, kak jih ima malo več, vsi pa so prijetni za uho. "Neon Lights" ti res z zvokom pričara luči. Ni to nekaj, k čemer se bom ful vračala, ni bla pa grozna izkušnja, sploh.

I'm not a huge of fan of electronic music, but I enjoyed this album. I would never guess this is from 1978. There is a timeless quality to this album. My favorite track was The Model, and I'm pretty sure I've heard this song before.

Album 6 Top 3 favorites off the album: Metropolis, Neon Lights, The Robots Kraftwerk has been recommended to me by friends before this, and I did give them a listen before now. I liked the song recommendation from then, and thoroughly enjoyed listening all the way through this album. It's excellent for late night public transportation vibes. This isn't something I'd normally seek out for myself. As far as electronic music goes, I'm gonna say this is my favorite type I've encountered! Maybe that will change! For now, I like how... bouncy the album is. That sounds like a juvenile description, but deal with it. It's bouncy. And smooth. It's all of the above. It's like contemporary art. There are doohickeys and whatchamacallits and gloopy sounds and growls, and it's all very exciting for me. Thank you. I particularly enjoyed Metropolis for the siren quality of some of the synths. Some of Neon Lights reminded me of Bob Hund. Does it make sense? Not even a little. Can I tell you what song or why? Maybe. Something off Omslag: Martin Kann. Possibly "Reinkarnerad exakt som förut." Might be owing to the tempo and pronunciation of "lights" and the like. Other than that, no similarity. But here we are. I liked this one a lot! I've been saying that a lot! I'll keep doing it!

What if German robots made music and were highly influential?

The songs on this album definitely get across the sound the band was trying to create - robotic, machine-like, mechanical vibe. I think the album has good flow and it's clearly meant to be listened to as an album and not individual songs, which I like.

Old school

This really is the sound of future nostalgia for me. You can hear the 80s midi synth sound coming into focus. Its full of rich full electronic sounds and could quite easily have been any number of late 80s or early 90s video game sound tracks.

A made-for-headphones, protoelectronic gem by masters of the genre. Still sounds like the future to me

What do we say about ourselves when we talk about what it means to be a robot? What values or characteristics are we saying are the most intrinsically human; once lost, irredeemable? What about ourselves must we sacrifice in order to make space for the excess of whatever it is that makes a robot a robot? Choice. It’s always been choice, I think. Decisions are agency (and it’s a privilege, I suppose, to have questions posed to us). Here, and as a species generally, we’re never far from the question of free will versus pre-determinism. Music might seem a strange place to be asking these questions, but since music is an original and creative human pursuit that must abide by myriad rules both internal (scales, keys, time signatures…) and external (authenticity, performance, culture…) it’s sort of perfect for taking on the higher order existential stuff. Nowhere does man and machine more mellifluously interface than within music. The Man Machine is an approach to that interface – a joyful, wildly innovative and ultimately comically scholarly one (only the nation that produced Heidegger could seriously undertake so rigorous an act of philosophising as on this record). Its many gifts would later empower an incalculable number of musicians – from synth pop to experimental noise. And it would thrill me, here on the threshold of the next leap in the great enmeshment of man and machine, inviting me back into the cave to wonder what about being human most matters. There’s no machine that can tell us that; I guess, at a certain point, it all comes down to choice.

7.0/10 Liked this a lot more than I expected!

Very chill/cozy. Sometimes you can hear the german pronounciation pretty well. Overall i liked listening to this.

I listened to the German version. I loved it! Favorites: Metropolis and Neonlicht.

So ahead of it's time, especially now that people are literally using AI to make music.

Very interesting sound to this album. The opening is a standout for me, as the synths used consistently through the song are very pronounced yet work very well and are very groovy. The album follows a similar sound and rhythm in all it's songs. However, the songs do drag for me, just dead space being filled at the end of the song with the same repetitive melody that was played through the song. Not necessarily an issue but for me I want to experience a new sound and a new single and that's what is struggle with on this. Overall though it it very good

Coming back to this one after initially feeling indifferent. This record has definitely grown on me. I have grown to love the barebones techno of it and the dystopian theme it presents. It can come off as slightly goofy with the repeated phrases and stereotypical electronic sounds, but this is the genesis of that sound. Kraftwerk cultivated a sound that is iconic and deserves respect. The album isn’t perfect, it could be longer and more fleshed out. Regardless, it’s an enjoyable piece of electronic music history with great ideas.

I love how this is both unapologetically nerdy AND has a song about sleeping with models. Kraftwerk were doing something right.

nice

Never really a huge fan of techno, electric music but this album is really fun. The grooves and melodies are really catchy. Though there are some parts on the album that overstay their welcome, this is still a really fun, enjoyable album.

Great album- loved this one! I’m definitely going to revisit this one- if had me dancing, but it was also mellow enough to just have in the background.

They didn't have me in the first half, but the last half banged. So would probably re-listen to certain songs out of the album.

Still sounds modern which is wild. Metropolis specifically sounds like the Fringe soundtrack to me (positive). It's the progenitor of a genre but still sounds like the genre itself.

Give credit where credit is due. I had no business loving this but I did.

Beep boop, this stuff actually slaps. It’s catchy, rhythmic, and weirdly danceable. This is robot music with a soul. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions - The Robots - Spacelab - The Model - Neon Lights

I wasn't ascending to heaven with this one but man, perfect timing for this album as I just got soundcore headphones. Pretty cool mixing and fun songs that I'll come back to in the future, even if they didn't do a ton for me right now

I resisted listening to this album because I thought it would be it would be hard-to-listen-to experimental electronic music, and the first minute of the first track (The Robots) only confirmed my suspicions. But by the time we’d got to the instantly recognisable The Model I was in synth-heaven. You can hear the future influences in the music - Vangelis’s Balderunner in Metropolis, Gary Newman’s synth, the 80s techno-pop. Some of the tracks didn’t grab me (Spacelab felt like a retro-futuristic disco hit, and Neon Lights was a bit too simplistic), but overall I loved it.

4* top

Kennst du daft punk?

Love the melodies. Love the synths. Love the German accent, even. Ahead of its time but still as good as ever. Faves: The Robots, Spacelab, The Model

Amazing how fresh this still sounds. I can hear so much influence on the electronic music styles I've listened to for decades now. Weirdly enough, the title track is the only one that didn't do much for me. A little too repetitive without much variation. Otherwise, great album.

Pioneers.

Great music, crap lyrics. Vor allem geil.

Moooooogie love it, early Daft Punk vibes.

Brilliant, trend setting album.

Great

Enjoyed!

Rating: 9/10 I really like synthy progressive electronic music and as the prototype this is still really fun and holds up against the modern stuff it influenced. I think the the concept and themes behind “The Man-Machine” with its artificial futurism sound is really cool. Basically the Blade Runner of music if that makes sense

I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again; it might have been the new sounds that made their name but it's the strength of the melodies that have given LPs like this their enduring quality. Kraftwerk may have pushed the boundaries of technology in music and smashed through any concepts of what electronic music could actually be, but the smartest thing they did was remember to write truly superb songs. Strong 4

Classic for a reason - oddly familiar given that I never listened to them when I was younger.

This was much more chill than I expected from the one Kraftwerk song I thought I knew. I like it!

Interesting that this is album #686 for me yet is only the first (for me, not chronologically) of three Kraftwerk albums in this collection. Regardless, it's nice to get the OG electronica band, and this seems like a great sample of their style. Funny too how similar their music was to industrial, just skewed towards the electronic noise end rather than found-object noise. And interesting that this is considered their most club/dance-friendly album; I suspect the other two albums may be even more industrial/art-noise adjacent. Somewhat unexpectedly, I enjoyed the entire album much more than I expected to, and found it strangely soothing or maybe just hypnotic); my favorites are "The robots", "Metropolis" and the title track, but there really isn't a bad track on this compact album. And kudos to them for laying the groundwork for literally generations of bands in the decades since.

Charming European electronic that lets instruments just breathe and have fun; honestly, a very enjoyable listen!

Mad this was released in the 70s

Easy, po jų koncerto viską buvau perklausius.

Best thing to come out of Germany since [redacted]

only love for my komputer guys

This seems ahead of its time, and I can hear the influence it had in bands like LCD Soundsystem and Daft Punk.

Great.

The godfathers of electronic music. The German version is better imo. 9/10 Favourite track: Das Model or Neonlicht

Not to be daft but these German punks are pretty good at electronic music

Cool

Vibes

Landmark electronic album. My inner synth geek and keyboard lover found this album phenomenal. I was familiar with Kraftwerk before (I'm the operator with my pocket calculator.......beep boop bop), and this album has made me respect the group even more. With that said, I don't think it's quite a 5/5 record, I do think there are improvements to be made and don't know if it quite matches up with other timeless indisputable greatest albums of all-time, but it's quite close to a 5/5.

These ARE the droids you’re looking for.

Enjoyable, easy listening.

Resulta refescante un poco de electrónica de , sorpresa!!, 1978. Se escucha con agrado.

Classic

OK! I was never really exposed to Kraftwerk other than incidentally. This album is freaking cool! So very ahead of its time. I can see how this influenced a great deal of the new-wave that came after. I like what one review stated, "surprisingly fresh and modern". 4-star for sure. And for an album I've only just heard today, this could potentially go higher when I spend some time with this!

I like the old style synth and the early techno.

I mean u gotta love kraftwerk. This album is poppier than TEE in a weird way? Love love love it regardless

Banging electronica

Great, one of their best

Bliss, I'd say their best

My favourite album by them. Some melodies.

Vraiment pas mal pour du techno. J'ai bien aimé Robots, et the Model, qui sont apparemment les singles. Par contre, ça peut pas être 5 étoiles parce que je comprends que c'est là que l'enfer du techno a commencé... En changeant les pneus hier, ça faisait bien, je me sentais moi-même comme une man-machine.

If you are reading this review to find some new insight on this album, unlucky lad. Basically is great, a classic, wonderful, inspirational, influential

Amazing album! Loved every track. The "robotic" atmosphere was cool but the album included some popular music vibes too and was easy to listen to. Best album I have listened so far. No mistakes.

Not their best album as far I'm concerned, but it contains their iconic tracks "The Robots" and "The Model".

In addition to the electronic innovations and boundary-pushing sound, it’s remarkably well-paced for its era.

Really groundbreaking synth work for the time, lyrically, not the most expansive. Who knows where we would be now without Kraftwerk!

Day 6: Best tracks: Metropolis, The Robots, Neon Lights, The Model No hard skips. But definitely prefer a few over others. Metropolis might be one of the first "synthwave / out run" tracks, and I love it. I was introduced to Trans-Europe Express and Computer World well before this album, but this is the one that I listen to more often now, 20 years later. 9/10.

Nie wiem, co się ze mną dzieje, że podoba mi się taka muzyka. Ale ma w sobie coś niezwykłego. Jak nie z tego świata. Ścieżka dźwiękowa do filmu sci-fi. I ja to kupuję. 7/10 a to u mnie, jak na elektronikę, dużo.

For a 1978, I found astonishing how good and futuristic it sounds. The work put on the synths is top notch, even for today's standards, I'll dare to say. Apart from the clear definition of the sounds, I loved how this album was able to mentally transport me to cyberpunk type of scenes. While listening to this, I was constantly thinking of the aesthetic and moments of certain cyberpunk animes such as 'Akira' or 'Neo Tokyo', with cities composed by super tall skyscrapers and artificial lights. I think the tracks that accomplished this feeling the best are 'Spacelab', 'Metropolis' and 'The Model'. The rest of the tracks, while still being quite good, I think they don't reach the same highs as the mentioned ones, specially 'The Man-Machine', which I think is the weakest one. The synth melodies are not as memorable and it has the most repetitive vocals. Nevertheless, a very unique experience. Really liked this one.

Ptn c'est trop ma came y'a une vibe synthwave cyberpunk j'ai tellement écouté ça en bossant. 1978 par contre ils sont tellement en avance !?!?

Great! Catchy melodies, funky electronic sounds. You can definitely hear their influence on acts like Daft Punk. Standouts: Metropolis The Model (a classic!) The Robots WE ARE THE ROBOTS.

extremely influential work in the realm of electronic music and synth-pop. Great listen, will return to this in the future.

Very interesting album. Lots of cool sounds and certainly different from what I usually listen to. Didn’t love everything, but would recommend it overall.

This album isn't to my personal taste, but the artistry and place in pop history are easy to see. The threads that became synth-pop and new wave are all here, and you can hear everything from Depeche Mode to Taylor Swift to Daft Punk all over this record.

beautiful and sweet and incredibly innovative

Surprisingly enjoyable since I don’t listen to much electronic music. Very good album.

Sleek synthy and minimalist electronic album. Hadn’t listened to these much before. Enjoyed quite a lot

Track by track- 1. We are the robots! Apparently. Cool. 2. Spacelab- about a young spacelab and his attempts to fit in with the other spacelabs and earn their spacelab approval. 3. Metropolis- about a young metropolis sent to live with her adoring grandparents in their haunted castle, only to discover a scary metropolis secret. 4. The model- in which a model is looking good and stuff. 5. Neon-lights- this city’s made of light! 6. The Man-Machine- a tale as old as time; a man who is also a machine, and the lady machines who love him. FOUR STARS

I wish I could’ve heard this for the first time when it came out and changed the game. A great album and the sort of music you can put on near any time. 4.6/5.0 Best Song: The Model

I bet there was a salary raise in the orthodontic industry in the late 70’s because of the tremendous amount of jaws dropping to the floor following the release of this. still goes hard today, though, both in the club and over homework. don’t even get me started on influence. so many artists — from british twinks with slickbacks of the 80’s to black fascists of today — owe their existence and popularity to kraftwerk, it’s insane. hell yeah

30.10.25 #26 Favourite: The robots rate: 8/10

Tyfusoud bliep en bloepwerk met overmatig vocoder gebruik. In 1978 moet dit enorm dik zijn geweest, nu is pijnlijk oud, maar daardoor vind ik het als hipster ook wel weer vet juist. Ik ben blij dat ik hem een dagje heb uitgesteld want gister had ik hier geen zin in en vandaag glijdt het prima naar binnen. Het is een stuk makkelijker weg te luisteren dan dat Autobahn album, tegelijkertijd is dit mede daardoor misschien ook wel iets meer vergeetbaar. Ondanks dat het oud klinkt is het album nog steeds wel bezwerend en dat gaat er tijdens het werk altijd heel goed in. Ik nam hier op geen enkel moment aanstoot aan en voor ik het wist was het voorbij. Ik heb voor m'n gevoel weer een mooi stukje muziekhistorie meegepakt. Ik neigde eigenlijk naar 3 sterren, maar deze krijgt een bonuspuntje omdat het toch flink meeviel. En omdat ie net wat hoger moet scoren dan Autobahn.

Better than I thought it was going to be. I knew a few of the songs and I knew a few songs from the D&B demo's I've seen over the years.

Solid beats The echo makes it sound really full even though there's only usually 2 or 3 things happening at once. Simple but good Mostly same repeating rhythms

Very electronic. Big on vibes.

This album sounds EXACTLY like I would expect an album by a band called Kraftwerk to sound. It was the perfect accompaniment while I was setting up my classroom this morning. I am also struck by how modern it sounds. You could have told me this came out this year and I'd believe you. It also grew on me with subsequent listens.

Always enjoy Kraftwerk, although this isn’t as innovative or as interesting as Autobahn. Solid though and easy to listen to.

This was cool

I'm not a robot ✅️

Kraftwerk are at their most timeless when ambient with minimal lyrics. For that reason I slightly prefer Trans Europe Express. This is still strong though, and Neon Lights is a particular highlight. Crazy ahead of its time. 4/5

People will often point to how ahead of its time and cutting edge Kraftwerk are but it’s important not to pull focus from how robust and confident the songwriting across this record is. The Model and Neon Lights are my highlights because of the former’s punchy melodies and the latter’s gorgeous repeating hooks. At points it sounds like an embryonic form of one of my favourite albums - The Human League’s Dare! which came just three years later.

Interesting early electronic music. Suprised this came out in 1978, it's very different from the typical music of the Era. This was likely a very influential album for all the synth based new wave music of the 80s, and later electronic music.

01) The Robots - 10,0 02) Spacelab - 8,0 03) Metropolis - 7,5 04) The Model - 10,0 05) Neon Lights - 8,0 06) The Man-Machine - 8,0 TOTAL: 8,58 (86/100) Current ranking: 109/691

It's great and surprisingly interesting considering it's a 1978 album

very bloopy. very bloppy. a fun enough album but nothing here super enthuses me. i did like the retro synth sound and the production, but the songs here don't do a whole lot for me. it was still an enjoyable listen, but not something i think i would regularly come back to.

this is how you do beep boop music

7 Kommen sie bitte und listen to kraftwerk

Classic that stands the test of time , might age nicely in my work mellow edm vibes . Can def see it’s influences

I like it but I like other KW better

Otroligt inflytelserikt, och håller än idag!

Nämen asså det är en vibe ändå, svårt att bedöma så här långt senare men jävligt töntcoolt på nå vis.

WE ARE THE ROBOTS

Häftigt sound!

WE ARE THE ROBOTS BLIPP BLIPP

Droning sounds and dancing synths make this record sound like it's from the 80s synth pop movement - instead, this record is a precursor and an inspiration to the genre. It's catchy yet alien, and somehow kraftwerk finds a way to put it together in a pleasing way!

82% Best: Spacelab; Neon Lights; The Man Machine Must-Hear? Sure

If you're new to Kraftwerk, The Man-Machine is a good place to start. They definitely moved in a more pop direction with this album but still kept their futuristic and experimental style. I really like how the album has this underlying theme of how humans and machines interact with advancing technology, and it also creates this feeling of being emotionless. It’s interesting to think that this futuristic, mechanical world they created is now in the past, with everything becoming more digital.

Surprisingly better than I remember. I think the key is not giving myself permission to turn it off. Its obviously a key album to the digital my music I like, but I think it took more talent and I think there was more cultural relevance at least in America through switched on bach and the BBC composers that did the Dr who theme for mainlining digital music to the masses. This seems a bit dull and more by the books sequencing then actual music.

Way ahead of it's time, this album is very good.

Strongest 4 - this has so much personality and it is a really incredible piece of art. Must have sounded so forward-thinking at the time and so much followed from this in the 1980s. Would have preferred it finished slightly stronger but can't really complain.

Amazing album. Kraftwerk were on a major role! 6 tracks, all bangers. 4.5 rounded down Heard before? Yes Owned: Yes 15/1001, 15/57 (26%) Will I get? Already have

Started slow but absolutely finished strong in the second half. Title track is an instant classic and has been sampled in some classic hip-hop tracks

we are the rrrobots

Good Songs: The Robots, Spacelab, Metropolis, The Model, Neon Lights Mid Songs: The Man-Machine Bad Songs:

Bleep bloop

1970s daft punk, how the fuck they get ahead of soundscape

Cold, atmospheric, futuristic sound. Would be interesting to watch something like Metropolis with this album as a soundtrack

82/100. Classic synthpop album, might be my favorite Kraftwerk record. Very good and innovative.

had no clue what to expect but i dug this. especially the first song

This album was definitely ahead of its time... by about 6 years because every song sounded like a 1984 Commodore 64 game's soundtrack. In the best possible way.

Wait this is what Kraftwerk sounds like? I liked this and don't know why I was scared, maybe I was worried it would be too mechanical and not have any emotion. I see exactly how we get to Depeche Mode and Pet Shop Boys in about a decade. Really cool melodies and sounds on this, the electronic drums didn't even suck! 4/5

Follaron una placa base con un mullet en los end 70s

Obviously the origins of a genre

Robotunes, liked it.

The Model

Influential, German, trance-like, repetitive, atmospheric, ahead of it's time cyborg music. Not something I would listen to every day but I think it deserves a 4. Can't imagine what this would have sounded like in the 70s. Been listening to a lot of Joy Division and New Order lately, the influence is evident!

Me ha encantado, además de The Model que ya la tenía guardada he añadido Spacelab y Neon lights.

Pretty awesome, must’ve been cutting edge and influential at the time

I like electronic music, 80s New Wave, and synth pop. Thank you, Kraftwerk, for inspiring musicians to make music I love. You're not so bad yourself either! ⭐⭐⭐⭐