AnnenMayKantereit are a successful German pop-rock band from Cologne. The three members started out as street musicians in 2011. But even without a label and professionally produced studio album, they managed to catapult themselves to the top of the German charts. Singer Henning May's voice is probably just as distinctive as the band's name. The latter is made up of the three surnames of the musicians. In their songs, the Cologne band deals with topics that concern many young people and those young at heart.
The beginnings of AnnenMayKantereit
The band founders Christopher Annen, Henning May and Severin Kantereit met at school. Although they play together at "Schiller musiziert" and are initially known as a school band as a result, otherwise AnnenMayKantereit prefer to hang around Cologne as street musicians instead of in the schoolyard.
The young musicians find their hometown an excellent stage: AnnenMayKantereit have no rehearsal room, so they go out on the streets to make music. While Christopher Annen plays acoustic guitar and Severin Kantereit cajón, Henning May with his deep, distinctive voice is the stylistic foundation of the band.
AnnenMayKantereit teach themselves everything self-taught and organise their first small street concerts. Actually, the band has no intention of earning money with their music. But especially on Cologne's Ehrenstraße, many people pass by, stop and listen eagerly. It soon turns out that the three street musicians are well received by the audience. Ever larger crowds gather to listen to the melodic folk-pop.
From insider tip to chart-topper
On their own, AnnenMayKantereit release their first album "AMK" in 2013. The songs are partly recorded on the street. Their single "Wohin du gehst", which like the other songs is first released on YouTube, also makes the band known nationwide. AnnenMayKantereit on tour? The boys are still dreaming of that at this point - but they won't have to wait much longer.
Two years later, AnnenMayKantereit release their EP "Wird schon irgendwie gehen". With it, the young band made it into the Top 40 of the German charts for the first time. The single "Oft gefragt" - a declaration of love to Henning May's father - became a YouTube hit and earned the band its first platinum award after selling 400,000 records.
From the street to the stage: big AnnenMayKantereit shows
Whoever buys tickets for AnnenMayKantereit can experience the powerful-voiced band live - and that is something completely different than hearing them on the radio or on record. In 2014, AnnenMayKantereit played several small festivals, including the Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg, where they won over more and more fans.
In the same year, AnnenMayKantereit were allowed to play as the opening act for Clueso and the Beatsteaks. From now on, it is impossible to imagine the country's festival stages without the band.
With their single "Oft gefragt" (Often asked), AnnenMayKantereit succeeds in making the leap into television: The band is invited to the ProSieben programme "Circus HalliGalli". Along the way, Henning May takes on a feature in "Hurra die Welt geht unter" with the Berlin hip-hoppers K.I.Z.
One award chases the next
In 2015 and 2016, AnnenMayKantereit record two new albums. After "Wird schon irgendwie gehen", "Alles nix Konkretes" is released, which is released by Universal after a label change. In Germany, the record reaches triple gold status thanks to over 300,000 copies sold. AnnenMayKantereit receive a gold record for the previously released single "Pocahontas". A little later, the musicians receive an Echo in the categories "Newcomer National" and "Band Pop National".
AnnenMayKantereit place in the Top 10 of the singles charts
With their album "Schlagschatten", the three musicians can build on their previous successes. With the single "5 Minuten", which is created with fellow musicians Kitschkrieg, CRO and Trettmann, AnnenMayKantereit reach the Top 10 of the German single charts.
The most successful albums by AnnenMayKantereit
Top 5 albums by AnnenMayKantereit in the German charts:
- 2016: "Alles Nix Konkretes"
- 2018: "Schlagschatten"
- 2020: "12"
