Rammstein (German pronunciation: [ˈʁamʃtaɪn]) is a German Neue Deutsche Härte band formed in Berlin in 1994. Their six-man lineup—lead vocalist Till Lindemann, lead guitarist Richard Z. Kruspe, rhythm guitarist Paul Landers, bassist Oliver Riedel, drummer Christoph Schneider, and keyboardist Christian "Flake" Lorenz—has remained unchanged throughout their existence. Prior to their formation, some members were associated with acts such as Feeling B and First Arsch.
After winning a contest for amateur bands, Rammstein were able to record demos and send them to different record labels; they were eventually signed by Motor Music. Working with producer Jacob Hellner, they released their debut album Herzeleid in 1995. Though the album sold poorly, the band gained popularity through their live performances. Their rise led to the release of their second album, Sehnsucht, two years later. It debuted at No. 1 in Germany, resulted in a worldwide tour lasting nearly four years, and spawned the successful singles "Engel" and "Du hast" as well as the live album Live aus Berlin.
Following the expansive tour, Rammstein signed with major label Universal Music and released Mutter in 2001. Six singles were released from the album, all charting in multiple countries throughout Europe. The lead single, "Sonne", reached No. 2 in Germany. They released Reise, Reise in 2004 and had two more singles reach No. 2 in Germany; "Mein Teil" and "Amerika". The following year saw the release of their fifth album, Rosenrot, and a live release, Völkerball, one year after.
The band released their sixth album, Liebe ist für alle da, in 2009, with its lead single, "Pussy", becoming their first No. 1 hit in Germany, despite having a controversial music video. The band then entered a recording hiatus and toured for several years, releasing the Made in Germany greatest hits album as well as the Rammstein in Amerika and Rammstein: Paris live albums. Rammstein returned with new music in 2019 with the song "Deutschland", which became their second No. 1 hit in Germany. Their untitled seventh studio album was released in May 2019 and reached No. 1 in fourteen countries.
Rammstein were one of the first Neue Deutsche Härte bands; their Herzeleid album led the music press to coin that term. Their style of music has generally had a positive reception from music critics. Commercially, the band have been very successful, earning many No. 1 albums as well as gold and platinum certifications in countries around the world. Their grand live performances, which often feature pyrotechnics, have played a part in their popularity growth. Despite success, the band have been subject to some controversies. Their overall image has been subject to criticism, the uncensored music video for "Pussy" was interspersed with scenes of hardcore pornography, and the song "Ich tu dir weh" forced Liebe ist für alle da to be re-released in Germany with the song removed from the album due to its graphic lyrics about sex.
