This is a really short list, but the truth is these were the only albums in German that piqued my interest this year, and since I love them all I thought they deserve a mention.
#3 Sarah Connor - Muttersprache
Released May 22, 2015
This album was one of the biggest surprises of the year. Not only was it Sarah Connor's first album in 5 years, it was also her first ever album in German, and no one thought it would be as successful as it turned out to be (reaching both Gold and Platinum certifications in Germany within 4 weeks of its release).
Personally I used to be a big fan of Sarah growing up but then it got quiet around her and I discovered other types of music. I didn't even know about her comeback initially because I wasn't in Germany at the time. But thanks to the internet, I discovered the lead single
Wie schön du bist, which just hit me incredibly hard at a time where I really needed to her something exactly like the message of this song, and that made me check the album.
I think it's an amazing and very emotional album, it really made me feel things when I listened to it and all the songs sound very authentic and honest. Sarah's voice is not perfect, but it's both powerful and vulnerable and she knows how to use it to complete a song. I also quite like the lyrics, they're open and direct which is a reflection of Sarah's personality and they deal with relatable topics such as growing up, love/break ups, starting over in life etc., which just shows how much of herself she put into these songs.
Amazing album from an amazing artist and I'm excited to see this live next year as I'll go to her concert in April.
Songs: Wie schön du bist, Anorak, Augen Auf
#2 Bilderbuch - SCHICK SCHOCK
Released February 27, 2015
Contrary to Sarah's album, this is an album that I was actually anticipating - you might remember Bilderbuch from my Best Of last year, where their song
OM made it into my favourite German songs list. I'm still flashed by this song today, and luckily the album was able to fulfill the high hopes I had for it after such an amazing lead single.
What could be off-putting (and it also surprised me initially) is that the album doesn't consistently stick to one style; instead, there are lots of different influences and genres you will hear: there's rock and pop, of course, but also funk, avant garde, soul, maybe even punk. And the best thing is that the band is completely comfortable and confident with all these various sounds, so this album is basically a demonstration of their musical skills at the highest level.
But it's not just the music that is a bit different, it's also their attitude, which is especially noticeable in the vocals - slightly arrogant, mischievous, out of the box or you could just say straight up crazy. I love that about them, because it truly makes them unique and behind all the 'madness' you can still tell that they have an artistic vision, so it's not just being crazy for the sake of being crazy.
Very creative album which shows that this band has a promising future ahead of them and that they are definitely an enrichment to the German-speaking music scene.
Songs: Maschin, OM, Feinste Seide
#1 Gloria - Geister
Released August 7, 2015
I was actually a bit nervous before I listened to this album because the members of this band are a bit of a funny constellation and I just couldn't imagine what their music would sound like. Klaas, the singer, is a popular German comedian/entertainer/TV host; it's difficult to picture him being serious, let alone singing serious songs. Mark, the instrumentalist, used to play in the rock band
Wir sind Helden, one of my favourite German bands in the early 00s. I have no idea how they decided to start a band together, but it turned out they work surprisingly well together.
Similarly to Sarah's album, listening to this makes me feel a lot of things and also think about a lot of things, as most of the lyrics are about questioning your life, trying to find the meaning of life, ending things and starting things, etc etc. What's interesting is that it's never obvious though, there are parts that make sense but sometimes it feels like it's just random words, so you have to think about them and how they could maybe apply to your situation or experience. I like that because it brings the music to life even more.
It's a pretty quiet album, which helps create this thoughtful, reflective mood, and Klaas's soft vocals - which sometimes seem more spoken than sung - go along with this perfectly. When you listen to the songs it feels like a friend telling you a story in a song, or giving you advice; it's all very intimate and genuine and that's why this album touched a place deep down inside of me and I have so much love for it.
A beautiful album which stands out thanks to its emotional value rather than musical extravaganza, but it works and leaves a lasting impression on the listener.
Songs: Geister, Neu Beginnen, Ohne Träume
They definitely slayed. This new music is a bit different, more mature and personal but I would love to hear what you think.
She was very successful with her debut album in Hungary. The music video of From Sarah with Love was shot in Budapest. 
. I still can't believe that it's her most successful album since Green Eyed Soul. 
So yeah, I don't know if I'm here for her now.
Movies will be next.
) I think I like the former more than the latter. It was very calming, peaceful, serene and all other positive adjectives that I could think of now tbh. 
Yeah compared to Bounce, this one's really different and mature. I still like it though. 
