Neue Deutsche Welle (NDW), or “German New Wave,” was made extraordinarily popular in the 1970s and 1980s by the likes of Nena's "99 Luftballons" and Trio's "Da Da Da"—and then left as quickly as it came. Conventional wisdom among artists dictates that it’s better to burn out than fade away, but this doesn’t tell the full story of NDW—the reason for its rapid rise and fall, the historical context that necessitated the genre, and where the energy of the NDW movement went after its end.

The genre has international influences but still demonstrates a uniquely German desire to build a new, sanitized identity in the aftermath of World War II. Originally quite subversive and underground, NDW became exponentially more mainstream until it could no longer sustain itself creatively. And rather than disappearing, it helped give rise to the post-Cold War rave craze and is still an important touchstone in music history.

A fascinating and meticulously researched book surrounding the German New Wave movement ... As so often with 33 1/3 books, there is something both genuinely surprising and inspiring that emerges within its tightly wound narrative. This is particularly true of its latest genre entry, Neue Deutsche Welle. -- Craig Campbell * Louder Than War *
The small but comprehensive book is academically accurate, primarily intended for an English-speaking audience, but would also make sense for an under-40 readership in German translation, because a lot of fundamental information on the subject is dealt with very analytically and the view from a distance certainly helps here. * Ox Fanzine *

Claudia Lonkin is a historian of popular music and culture based in the United States. Her research focuses on global music trends in the 1970s and 1980s, examining congruences and points of contrast between scenes in Europe and the Americas. She has been published in the Journal of Popular Music Studies and Punk & Post-Punk.