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{{short description|1978 studio album by Kraftwerk}}
{{POV-check|Controversy Section|date=March 2008}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox Album| <!-- Please see documentation at WP:ALBUMS before reusing this template. -->
{{Infobox album
| Name = The Man-Machine
| Cover = Kraftwerk The Man Machine album cover.jpg
| name = The Man-Machine
| cover = Kraftwerk - The Man-Machine.png
| Type = studio
| type = studio
| Artist = [[Kraftwerk]]
| Released = [[May]] [[1978]]
| artist = [[Kraftwerk]]
| released = {{start date|1978|4|28|df=yes}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bpi.co.uk/award/7133-1009-2|title=BPI}}</ref>
| Recorded = 1977-1978
| recorded = 1977–1978
| Genre = [[Synthpop]] |
| studio = [[Kling Klang Studio|Kling Klang]] ([[Düsseldorf]])
| Length = 36:18
| genre = {{hlist|[[Electronic music|Electronic]]|[[synth-pop]]|[[New wave music|new&nbsp;wave]]<ref>{{cite book |title=International Review of the Aesthetics and Sociology of Music |date=2003 |publisher=Institute of Musicology, Zagreb Academy of Music. |page=170 |edition=34 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uNM4AQAAIAAJ |access-date=3 October 2022}}</ref>|[[electropop]]<ref>{{cite book |last1=Piazza |first1=James |title=The Ghost of Madame Curie: Writings from Innerspace Labs |date=29 June 2022 |publisher=James Piazza |page=744 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8_J3EAAAQBAJ&dq=kraftwerk+the+man+machine+electropop&pg=PA744 |access-date=3 October 2022 |language=en}}</ref>}}
| Label =[[Kling Klang Studio|Kling Klang]]<br>[[EMI]]|
| length = {{duration|m=36|s=10}}
| Producer = [[Ralf Hütter]], [[Florian Schneider]]
| Reviews =
| label =
*[[Kling Klang Studio|Kling Klang]]
* [[All Music Guide]] {{rating-5|4.5}} [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=Awiamqj4yojda link]
*[[EMI Electrola]]
* ''[[Q magazine|Q]]'' {{rating-5|4}} [http://www.q4music.com/nav?page=q4music.review.redirect&fixture_review=125902&resource=125902&fixture_artist=145614 March 1995]
| producer =
* [[Robert Christgau]] (B+) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?id=762&name=Kraftwerk link]
*[[Ralf Hütter]]
*''[[Rolling Stone]]'' (mixed) [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/kraftwerk/albums/album/121388/review/6209709/the_manmachine link]
*[[Florian Schneider]]
| Last album = ''[[Trans-Europe Express (album)|Trans-Europe Express]]''<br />(1977)
| prev_title = [[Trans-Europe Express (album)|Trans-Europe Express]]
| This album = '''''The Man-Machine'''''<br />(1978)
| prev_year = 1977
| Next album = ''[[Computer World]]''<br />(1981)
| next_title = [[Computer World]]
| Misc = {{Singles
| next_year = 1981
| Name = The Man-Machine
| Type = studio
| misc = {{Extra album cover
| header = 2009 Edition
| single 1 = [[Das Model]]" b/w "[[Neonlicht]]
| type = studio
| single 1 date = 1978, Kling Klang 006-45109 (Ger)
| cover = The Man Machine 2009.jpg
| single 2 = [[Die Roboter]]" b/w "[[Spacelab]]
| border =
| single 2 date = 1978, Kling Klang 1C-006-32 941 (Ger)
| alt =
| single 3 = [[The Robots]]" b/w "Spacelab
| caption = 2009 remastered edition cover
| single 3 date = 1978, Capitol CL 15981 (UK)
}}
| single 4 = [[The Model]]" b/w "[[Computer Love (Kraftwerk)|Computer Love]]
{{Singles
| single 4 date = Nov 1981, EMI5207 (UK)
| name = The Man-Machine
| type = studio
| single1 = [[The Robots]]
| single1date = 12 May 1978
| single2 = [[Das Model|The Model]]" / "Neon Lights
| single2date = 22 September 1978
}}
}}
}}
}}


'''''The Man-Machine''''' ({{langx|de|link=no|'''Die Mensch-Maschine'''}}) is the seventh studio album by German [[electronic music]] band [[Kraftwerk]]. It was released on 28 April 1978 by [[Kling Klang Studio|Kling Klang]] in Germany and by [[Capitol Records]] elsewhere. A further refinement of their mechanical style, the album saw the group incorporate more danceable rhythms. The album has a satirical bent to it. It is thought to address a wide-range of themes from the [[Cold War]], Germany's fascination with manufacturing, and humankind's increasingly symbiotic relationship with machines.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wiser |first=Danny |date=2020-07-31 |title=GERMANY: The Man-Machine - Kraftwerk |url=https://www.200worldalbums.com/post/germany-the-man-machine-kraftwerk |access-date=2023-10-25 |website=200worldalbums.com |language=en}}</ref> It includes the singles "[[Das Model|The Model]]" and "[[The Robots]]".
'''''The Man-Machine''''' is a 1978 album by [[Kraftwerk]]. It was released in [[German language|German]] as '''''Die Mensch-Maschine'''''. It contains the song "[[The Model]]" which was a #1 single in the [[United Kingdom|UK]] in 1982.


Although the album was initially unsuccessful on the [[UK Albums Chart]], it reached a new peak position of number nine in February 1982,<ref name="UK chart"/> becoming the band's second highest-peaking album in the United Kingdom after ''[[Autobahn (album)|Autobahn]]'' (1974).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/23701/kraftwerk/ |title=Kraftwerk |format=select "Albums" tab |publisher=Official Charts Company |accessdate=1 June 2018}}</ref>
This was the first Kraftwerk album to see Karl Bartos co-credited with song-writing along with Hütter & Schneider. [[Emil Schult]] co-wrote the lyrics for "The Model".


== Artwork ==
Musically, it builds on ''[[Trans-Europe Express (album)|Trans-Europe Express]]''. The initial recording had been made at Kraftwerk's own [[Kling Klang]] studio, but further work was done at nearby Studio Rudas, where Detroit sound engineer Leanard Jackson of [[Whitfield Records]], who had worked on [[Rose Royce]]'s second album the previous year, was hired to work on the final sound-mix.
The artwork for the cover was produced by Karl Klefisch,<ref>{{cite web |title=Kraftwerk stoppt Schau zu eigenen Ehren |url=https://www.wz.de/nrw/duesseldorf/kraftwerk-stoppt-schau-zu-eigenen-ehren_aid-25531537 |website=Westdeutsche Zeitung |access-date=3 October 2022 |language=de |date=17 April 2018}}</ref> based on the work of the Russian [[suprematist]] [[El Lissitzky]] – the words "Inspired by El Lissitzky" are noted on the cover.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Smolko |first1=Tim |last2=Smolko |first2=Joanna |title=Atomic Tunes: The Cold War in American and British Popular Music |date=11 May 2021 |publisher=Indiana University Press |isbn=978-0-253-05617-7 |page=253 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JHsmEAAAQBAJ&dq=kraftwerk+the+man+machine+new+wave&pg=PA253 |access-date=3 October 2022 |language=en}}</ref> The back cover image is an adaptation of a graphic from Lissitzky's book for children ''About Two Squares: A Suprematist Tale of Two Squares in Six Constructions''.<ref>{{cite web |title=El Lissitzky. Suprematic tale about two squares |url=http://en.uartlib.org/books/el-lissitzky-suprematic-tale-two-squares/ |website=Ukrainian Art Library |access-date=3 October 2022}}</ref>


== Release ==
The album was voted #96 on [[Q magazine|''Q magazine's'']] List of 100 Greatest Albums and #92 on [[Pitchfork Media|''Pitchfork Media's'']] Top 100 Albums of the 1970s.
''The Man-Machine'' was released in April 1978.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Schütte |first1=Uwe |title=Kraftwerk: Future Music from Germany |date=27 February 2020 |publisher=Penguin UK |isbn=978-0-241-32055-6 |page=72 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NSamDwAAQBAJ&dq=May+1978+the+man+machine+kraftwerk&pg=PT72 |access-date=2 October 2022 |language=en}}</ref> ''The Man-Machine'' was certified gold by the [[British Phonographic Industry]] (BPI) on 15&nbsp;February 1982<ref name="BPI"/> In October 2009, a [[Remaster#Music|remastered]] edition of the album was released on CD, Vinyl and digital formats by [[Mute Records]], and [[Astralwerks]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Kraftwerk begin MoMA run TONIGHT, new limited edition boxset now available |url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/kraftwerk-begin/ |access-date=3 October 2022 |work=BrooklynVegan |date=10 April 2012 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="irishtimes" />


==Critical reception==
Outside of Germany, the album was released by [[Capitol Records]].
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web |last=Huey |first=Steve |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-man-machine-mw0000650384 |title=The Man-Machine – Kraftwerk |website=[[AllMusic]] |accessdate=29 March 2014}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies|Christgau's Record Guide]]''
| rev2score = B+<ref>{{cite book |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau |chapter=K |chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=K&bk=70 |accessdate=28 February 2019 |via=robertchristgau.com |title=Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies |title-link=Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies |publisher=[[Ticknor and Fields]] |year=1981 |isbn=0-89919-026-X}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[The Guardian]]''
| rev3score = {{Rating|4|4}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Sweeting |first=Adam |author-link=Adam Sweeting |title=CDs of the week: Kraftwerk reissues |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |location=London |issn=0261-3077 |date=14 April 1995}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[The Irish Times]]''
| rev4score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="irishtimes">{{cite news |last=Clayton-Lea |first=Tony |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/album-reviews/reissue-1.763924 |title=Kraftwerk: Autobahn (1974), Radio-Activity (1975), Trans Europe Express (1977), The Man-Machine (1978) (Mute/EMI) |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |location=Dublin |issn=0791-5144 |date=30 October 2009 |accessdate=18 March 2017}}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]]''
| rev5score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Snow |first=Mat |author-link=Mat Snow |title=Gut Vibrations |magazine=[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]] |location=London |issn=1351-0193 |issue=192 |date=November 2009 |page=110}}</ref>
| rev6 = ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]''
| rev6score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Kraftwerk: The Man-Machine |magazine=[[Q (magazine)|Q]] |location=London |issn=0955-4955 |year=2009 |page=116 |quote=As evidenced by the mesmeric groove of 'Spacelab,' their influence on the more electronic end of disco was feeding back into their own art&nbsp;...}}</ref>
| rev7 = ''[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]''
| rev7score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite book |last1=Coleman |first1=Mark |last2=Randall |first2=Mac |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor1-link=Nathan Brackett |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |editor2-link=Christian Hoard |chapter=Kraftwerk |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]] |edition=4th |year=2004 |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/468 468–69]}}</ref>
| rev8 = ''[[Select (magazine)|Select]]''
| rev8score = 5/5<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Harrison |first=Andrew |title=Kraftwerk: Radio Activity / Man Machine / Computer World / The Mix |magazine=[[Select (magazine)|Select]] |location=London |issn=0959-8367 |issue=60 |date=June 1995}}</ref>
| rev9 = ''[[Spin Alternative Record Guide]]''
| rev9score = 8/10<ref>{{cite book |last=Reynolds |first=Simon |author-link=Simon Reynolds |editor1-last=Weisbard |editor1-first=Eric |editor1-link=Eric Weisbard |editor2-last=Marks |editor2-first=Craig |chapter=Kraftwerk |title=Spin Alternative Record Guide |title-link=Spin Alternative Record Guide |publisher=[[Vintage Books]] |year=1995 |isbn=0-679-75574-8 |pages=215–16}}</ref>
| rev10 = ''[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]''
| rev10score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="uncut">{{cite magazine |last=Cavanagh |first=David |author-link=David Cavanagh |url=http://www.uncut.co.uk/kraftwerk/uncut-reviews-kraftwerk-reissues-review |title=Uncut reviews: Kraftwerk – Reissues |magazine=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]] |location=London |issn=1368-0722 |date=16 October 2009 |accessdate=1 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205031308/http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/kraftwerk/reviews/13709 |archive-date=5 December 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}


Reviewing the album in 1978, Andy Gill of ''[[NME]]'' stated that "''The Man-Machine'' stands as one of the pinnacles of {{Not a typo|70's}} [[rock music]]", adding that "the sparsity of the lyrics leaves the emphasis squarely on those robot rhythms, chilling tones and exquisite melodies".<ref name="NME">{{cite magazine |last=Gill |first=Andy |title=Mind Machine Music |magazine=[[NME]] |issn=0028-6362 |date=29 April 1978}}</ref> ''[[The Village Voice|Village Voice]]'' critic [[Robert Christgau]] also reviewed the album that year, saying: "Only a curmudgeon could reject a group that synthesizes the innovations of ''[[Environments (album series)|Environments]]'' and [[Alvin and the Chipmunks|David Seville & the Chipmunks]], not to mention that it's better make-out music."<ref>{{cite news |last=Christgau |first=Robert |url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv9-78.php |title=Christgau's Consumer Guide |newspaper=[[The Village Voice]] |location=New York |issn=0042-6180 |date=4 September 1978 |accessdate=29 April 2013 |via=robertchristgau.com}}</ref> Mitchell Schneider from ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' found that the "chilling restraint and relentless sameness" of the lyrics and music are tempered by Kraftwerk's sense of humour and "sheer audacity", which makes for a listening experience that is "strangely pleasant in an otherworldly way".<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Schneider |first=Mitchell |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/the-man-machine-96960/ |title=The Man-Machine |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |issn=0035-791X |date=18 May 1978 |accessdate=19 October 2020}}</ref>
==Controversy==
This album, and Karl Klefisch's cover design in particular (which featured photography by Günther Fröhling), led some critics to accuse the band of experimenting with [[fascism|fascist]] or totalitarian imagery. The use of red and various Russian phrases, with a design based on the work of [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] artist [[El Lissitzky]], actually suggests an attempt to reference a broader spectrum of pre-[[World War II|war]] [[socialism|Socialist]] and [[Constructivism (art)|Constructivist]] art. Nonetheless, Kraftwerk's choice certainly struck some sour chords in cold-war Europe.


Tony Clayton wrote in ''[[The Irish Times]]'' which "they constitute the resilient framework of electro-pop and electronica we hear today. And if there are more simple, warm and beautiful pieces of electronic music out there than 'Ohm Sweet Ohm', 'Neon Lights', 'Europe Endless' and [[Autobahn (song)|the title track]] of ''[[Autobahn (album)|Autobahn]]'', then this geezer has yet to hear them."<ref name="irishtimes" /> ''[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]'' critic [[David Cavanagh]] called "The Model" a "wry pop satire" and wrote that "the sparse lyrics lend themselves to considerable interpretation".<ref name="uncut"/>
Communist imagery of the inter-war period of the twentieth century used limited production techniques (hampered by limited supply of inks and primitive printing processes) and so they ended up with a distinct, orange/red, black and white colour scheme with sharp lines and blocky shapes. This technique gave a cold, brash and brassy look to the work. Combined with the [[agitprop]] messages of socialistic eastern bloc countries, the imagery had power to it. Accordingly, some viewed Kraftwerk's choice of art as incendiary; but to a German writing music it evoked exactly the cold/hard/machine-like monotony that their very music conjures. In this regard, there was nothing totalitarian in it to Kraftwerk – it was merely a post-modern reference to imagery that supported the music's modernist aesthetic.


In a retrospective review for [[AllMusic]], Steve Huey wrote that the album is "less [[minimal music|minimalistic]] in its arrangements and more complex and danceable in its underlying rhythms" than the group's previous works, and noted its "tremendous impact" on subsequent [[synth-pop]] artists. He also described it as "closer to the sound and style that would define early [[new wave music|new wave]] [[electropop|electro-pop]]", and noted its "feel of a divided [[concept album]]", with some songs (such as the title track and "[[The Robots]]") exploring "the [[science fiction]]-esque links between humans and technology", and others (such as "Neon Lights" and "Metropolis") celebrating "the glamour of [[urbanization]]".<ref name="allmusic"/> ''NME'' ranked ''The Man-Machine'' as the 57th [[NME's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|greatest album of all time]] in 2013, citing it as Kraftwerk's "definitive" album and the catalyst for the synth-pop "revolution" that followed its release.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.nme.com/photos/the-500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-100-1-1426116 |title=The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time: 100–1 |magazine=NME |location=London |issn=0028-6362 |date=25 October 2013 |accessdate=19 October 2020}}</ref> ''[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]'' ranked it the 11th best album of 1978.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The 30 Best Albums of 1978 |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/best-albums/the-best-albums-of-1978/#11-kraftwerk-the-man-machine |magazine=[[pastemagazine.com|Paste]] |access-date=21 July 2022 |language=en |date=23 February 2018}}</ref>
The artwork for ''The Man Machine'' was reused by music producer [[Richard X]] for one of his [[Girls on Top]] records, replacing the faces of Kraftwerk members with the face of [[Whitney Houston]]. The song "Dancing with Numbers" is a [[mash-up]] between Kraftwerk's "[[Numbers]]" and Houston's "[[I Wanna Dance With Somebody]]", a movie Kraftwerk have spoken out against.


==Track listing==
==Track listing==
{{Track listing
{| width=100%
| headline = Side one
|- valign ="top"
| all_lyrics = [[Ralf Hütter]] except "The Model", lyrics by Hütter and [[Emil Schult]]
|width=50%|
===English release===
#"[[The Robots]]" <small>(Ralf Hütter, Florian Schneider, Karl Bartos)</small> – 6:11
#"Spacelab" <small>(Ralf Hütter, Karl Bartos)</small> – 5:51
#"Metropolis" <small>(Ralf Hütter, Florian Schneider, Karl Bartos)</small> – 5:59
#"[[The Model]]" <small>(Ralf Hütter, Karl Bartos, Emil Schult)</small> – 3:38
#"[[Neon Lights]]" <small>(Ralf Hütter, Florian Schneider, Karl Bartos)</small> – 9:03
#"The Man-Machine" <small>(Ralf Hütter, Florian Schneider, Karl Bartos)</small> – 5:28


| title1 = [[The Robots]]
[[Image:MM-F-vinyl.jpg|thumb|250px|left|First pressings of the French edition (the English recording) were on red vinyl.]]
| note1 = "Die Roboter"
| music1 = {{hlist|Hütter|[[Florian Schneider]]|[[Karl Bartos]]}}
| length1 = 6:10


| title2 = Spacelab
|width=50%|
| music2 = {{hlist|Hütter|Bartos}}
| length2 = 5:50


| title3 = Metropolis
===German release===
| music3 = {{hlist|Hütter|Schneider|Bartos}}
#"Die Roboter" – 6:11
| length3 = 6:01
#"Spacelab" – 5:51
}}
#"Metropolis" – 5:59
#"[[The Model|Das Modell]]" – 3:38
#"[[Neonlicht]]" – 9:03
#"Die Mensch-Maschine" – 5:28


{{Track listing
[[Image:MM-D-vinyl.jpg|thumb|250px|left|A more limited quantity of the German edition were also pressed on red vinyl.]]
| headline = Side two
| extra_column = Words
| total_length = 36:10


| title4 = [[Das Model|The Model]]
|}
| note4 = "Das Model"
| music4 = {{hlist|Hütter|Bartos}}
| length4 = 3:38


| title5 = Neon Lights
== Equipment ==
| note5 = "Neonlicht"
* 2 "Synthorama" 16-step custom analogue sequencers built by [http://www.elektropolis.de/index.htm Matten & Wiechers]
| music5 = {{hlist|Hütter|Schneider|Bartos}}
* Farfisa [[electric piano]]
| length5 = 9:03
* Custom-built electronic drum pads
* [[minimoog|Moog Minimoog]]
* [[micromoog|Moog Micromoog]]
* [[polymoog|Moog Polymoog]]
* [[Korg|Korg PS-3100]]
* [[ARP Odyssey]]
* [[Vako Orchestron]]


| title6 = The Man-Machine
==Credits==
| note6 = "Die Mensch-Maschine"
* [[Ralf Hütter]] – electronics, voice.
| music6 = {{hlist|Hütter|Bartos}}
* [[Florian Schneider]] – electronics, voice.
| length6 = 5:28
* [[Karl Bartos]] – electronic percussion.
}}
* [[Wolfgang Flür]] – electronic percussion.
* Leanard Jackson – sound engineer.
* Joschko Rudas – sound engineer.
* Karl Klefisch – graphic design.
* Günther Fröhling – photography.


==Personnel==
{|
Credits adapted from the liner notes of the 2009 remastered edition of ''The Man-Machine''.<ref>{{cite AV media notes |title=Die Mensch-Maschine |type=remastered CD liner notes |others=[[Kraftwerk]] |publisher=[[Kling Klang Studio|Kling Klang]] |year=2009 |id=50999 6 99589 2 2}}</ref>

===Kraftwerk===
* [[Ralf Hütter]] – album concept, artwork reconstruction (2009 remaster), [[album cover|cover]], electronics, keyboards, [[Orchestron]], production, Synthanorma Sequenzer, synthesiser, [[vocoder]], voice
* [[Florian Schneider]] – album concept, electronics, production, synthesiser, vocoder, [[Votrax]]
* [[Karl Bartos]] – electronic drums
* [[Wolfgang Flür]] – electronic drums

===Additional personnel===
* Günther Fröhling – photography
* Leanard Jackson – engineering
* Karl Klefisch – artwork
* Joschko Rudas – engineering
* Henning Schmitz – engineering assistance
* Johann Zambryski – artwork reconstruction (2009 remaster)

==Studios==
* Recorded at [[Kling Klang Studio]] in [[Düsseldorf]], Germany
* Mixed at Studio Rudas in Düsseldorf, Germany

==Charts==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

===Weekly charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|-
|-
! scope="col"| Chart (1978)
| [[Image:DMM-D-front.jpg|thumb|250px|left|The front cover of the German vinyl album.
! scope="col"| Peak<br/>position
]]
| <!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:DMM-D-back.jpg|thumb|250px|left|The back cover design, incorporating [[El Lissitzky|Lissitzky]]'s imagery.[http://www.ibiblio.org/eldritch/el/pix/pro13.jpg] ]] -->
<!-- FAIR USE of DMM-D-back.jpg: see image description page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:DMM-D-back.jpg for rationale -->
| <!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:DMM-D-inner.jpg|thumb|250px|left|The inner sleeve of the German vinyl album: Kraftwerk photographed at [[Kling Klang|Klingklang]] Studio.]] -->
|}
==Release details==
The originally released formats, including the first CD reissues are shown below. These may differ from currently available versions.
{| border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 85%; border: gray solid 1px; border-collapse: collapse; text-align: middle;"
| align=center | Country
| align=center | Date
| align=center | Label
| align=center | Format
| align=center | Catalog
| align=center | Lyrics
| align=center |
|-
|-
! scope="row"| Australian Albums ([[Kent Music Report]])<ref>{{cite book |last=Kent |first=David |author-link=David Kent (historian) |title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 |publisher=Australian Chart Book |location=St Ives, N.S.W. |edition=illustrated |year=1993 |isbn=0-646-11917-6 |page=170}}</ref>
| '''Germany'''
| 56
| May 1978
| [[EMI]]-Electrola
| [[vinyl record|Vinyl]]
| 1C 058-32843
| German
| Initially released pressed on red vinyl
|-
|-
{{album chart|Austria|15|artist=Kraftwerk|album=Die Mensch-Maschine|rowheader=true|accessdate=1 June 2018}}
|
| May 1978
| EMI-Electrola
| [[compact cassette|Cassette]]
| 1C 258-32843
| German
|
|-
|-
{{album chart|Netherlands|29|artist=Kraftwerk|album=The Man·Machine|rowheader=true|accessdate=1 June 2018}}
|
| March 1986
| EMI-Electrola
| [[compact disc|CD]]
| CDP 564 7 461312
| German
|
|-
|-
! scope="row"| French Albums ([[Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique|SNEP]])<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.infodisc.fr/Album_Liste_Selection2.php?Lettre=K |title=Le Détail des Albums de chaque Artiste |website=InfoDisc |language=fr |accessdate=1 June 2018}} ''Select'' "KRAFTWERK" ''from the drop-down menu and then press "OK"''.</ref>
| '''France'''
| 14
| May 1978
| [[Capitol Records]]
| vinyl record|Vinyl
| 2S 068-85444
| English
| Initially released pressed on red vinyl
|-
|-
{{album chart|Germany4|12|id=8613|artist=Kraftwerk|album=Die Mensch-Maschine|rowheader=true|accessdate=1 June 2018}}
|
| May 1978
| Capitol Records
| compact cassette|Cassette
| 2S 266-85444
| English
|
|-
|-
{{album chart|Sweden|24|artist=Kraftwerk|album=The Man·Machine|rowheader=true|accessdate=1 June 2018}}
|
| March 1988
| Capitol Records
| compact disc|CD
| 746 039-2
| English
|
|-
|-
{{album chart|Billboard200|130|artist=Kraftwerk|rowheader=true|accessdate=22 January 2017}}
| '''United Kingdom'''
|}
| May 1978

| Capitol Records
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
| vinyl record|Vinyl
| E-ST 11728
| English
|
|-
|-
! scope="col"| Chart (1982)
|
! scope="col"| Peak<br/>position
| May 1978
| Capitol Records
| compact cassette|Cassette
| TC-E-ST 11728
| English
|
|-
|-
{{album chart|UK2|9|date=19820214|rowheader=true|accessdate=22 January 2017|refname="UK chart"}}
|
|}
| 1987

| Capitol Records
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
| compact disc|CD
| CDP 7 46039 2
| English
|
|-
|-
! scope="col"| Chart (2011)
| '''Argentina'''
! scope="col"| Peak<br/>position
| 1978
| Capitol Records
| vinyl record|Vinyl
| 108030
| English
|
|-
|-
{{album chart|Italy|94|artist=Kraftwerk|album=Die Mensch-Maschine|rowheader=true|accessdate=22 January 2017}}
|
| 1978
| Capitol Records
| compact cassette|Cassette
| ???
| English
|
|}
|}
{{col-2}}
<br>

===Year-end charts===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|-
! scope="col"| Chart (1978)
! scope="col"| Position
|-
! scope="row"| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/album-jahr/for-date-1978 |title=Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 1978 |language=de |publisher=GfK Entertainment |accessdate=1 June 2018}}</ref>
| 26
|}
{{col-end}}

==Certifications and sales==
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|artist=Kraftwerk|title=The Man-Machine|nocert=true|type=album|relyear=1978|salesamount=150,000|salesref=<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1978/Billboard%201978-12-16.pdf |title=EMI Electrola |magazine=Billboard |location=New York |issn=0006-2510 |volume=90 |issue=50 |date=16 December 1978 |accessdate=5 October 2020 |via=World Radio History |page=WG-12}}</ref>}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Kraftwerk|title=The Man-Machine|award=Gold|type=album|relyear=1978|certyear=1982|date=15 February 1982|refname="BPI"|id=7133-1009-2}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=yes}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book|title=A Brief History of Album Covers|first=Jason|last=Draper|publisher=Flame Tree Publishing|location=London|year=2008|pages=178–179|isbn=9781847862112|oclc=227198538}}

==External links==
* {{Discogs master|4010}}

{{Kraftwerk}}
{{Kraftwerk}}


{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Man-Machine, The}}
[[Category:Kraftwerk albums|Man Machine, The]]
[[Category:1978 albums|Man Machine, The]]


{{DEFAULTSORT:Man-Machine, The}}
[[ca:The Man Machine]]
[[fr:The Man Machine]]
[[Category:1978 albums]]
[[Category:Kraftwerk albums]]
[[nl:The Man-Machine]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Florian Schneider]]
[[ja:人間解体]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Ralf Hütter]]
[[no:The Man Machine]]
[[Category:Capitol Records albums]]
[[pl:Die Mensch Maschine]]
[[Category:1970s German-language albums]]
[[ru:Die Mensch-Maschine]]
[[Category:Synth-pop albums by German artists]]
[[fi:Die Mensch-Maschine]]
[[Category:Rock albums by German artists]]
[[sv:Die Mensch-Maschine]]
[[Category:New wave albums by German artists]]
[[Category:Electropop albums]]

Latest revision as of 18:06, 23 October 2024

The Man-Machine
Studio album by
Kraftwerk
Released28 April 1978 (1978-04-28)[1]
Recorded1977–1978
StudioKling Klang (Düsseldorf)
Genre
Length36:10
Label
Producer
Kraftwerk chronology
Trans-Europe Express
(1977) 		The Man-Machine
(1978) 		Computer World
(1981)
2009 Edition
2009 remastered edition cover
Singles from The Man-Machine
  1. "The Robots"
    Released: 12 May 1978
  2. "The Model" / "Neon Lights"
    Released: 22 September 1978

The Man-Machine (German: Die Mensch-Maschine) is the seventh studio album by German electronic music band Kraftwerk. It was released on 28 April 1978 by Kling Klang in Germany and by Capitol Records elsewhere. A further refinement of their mechanical style, the album saw the group incorporate more danceable rhythms. The album has a satirical bent to it. It is thought to address a wide-range of themes from the Cold War, Germany's fascination with manufacturing, and humankind's increasingly symbiotic relationship with machines.[4] It includes the singles "The Model" and "The Robots".

Although the album was initially unsuccessful on the UK Albums Chart, it reached a new peak position of number nine in February 1982,[5] becoming the band's second highest-peaking album in the United Kingdom after Autobahn (1974).[6]

Artwork

[edit]

The artwork for the cover was produced by Karl Klefisch,[7] based on the work of the Russian suprematist El Lissitzky – the words "Inspired by El Lissitzky" are noted on the cover.[8] The back cover image is an adaptation of a graphic from Lissitzky's book for children About Two Squares: A Suprematist Tale of Two Squares in Six Constructions.[9]

Release

[edit]

The Man-Machine was released in April 1978.[10] The Man-Machine was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) on 15 February 1982[11] In October 2009, a remastered edition of the album was released on CD, Vinyl and digital formats by Mute Records, and Astralwerks.[12][13]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[14]
Christgau's Record GuideB+[15]
The Guardian[16]
The Irish Times[13]
Mojo[17]
Q[18]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[19]
Select5/5[20]
Spin Alternative Record Guide8/10[21]
Uncut[22]

Reviewing the album in 1978, Andy Gill of NME stated that "The Man-Machine stands as one of the pinnacles of 70's rock music", adding that "the sparsity of the lyrics leaves the emphasis squarely on those robot rhythms, chilling tones and exquisite melodies".[23] Village Voice critic Robert Christgau also reviewed the album that year, saying: "Only a curmudgeon could reject a group that synthesizes the innovations of Environments and David Seville & the Chipmunks, not to mention that it's better make-out music."[24] Mitchell Schneider from Rolling Stone found that the "chilling restraint and relentless sameness" of the lyrics and music are tempered by Kraftwerk's sense of humour and "sheer audacity", which makes for a listening experience that is "strangely pleasant in an otherworldly way".[25]

Tony Clayton wrote in The Irish Times which "they constitute the resilient framework of electro-pop and electronica we hear today. And if there are more simple, warm and beautiful pieces of electronic music out there than 'Ohm Sweet Ohm', 'Neon Lights', 'Europe Endless' and the title track of Autobahn, then this geezer has yet to hear them."[13] Uncut critic David Cavanagh called "The Model" a "wry pop satire" and wrote that "the sparse lyrics lend themselves to considerable interpretation".[22]

In a retrospective review for AllMusic, Steve Huey wrote that the album is "less minimalistic in its arrangements and more complex and danceable in its underlying rhythms" than the group's previous works, and noted its "tremendous impact" on subsequent synth-pop artists. He also described it as "closer to the sound and style that would define early new wave electro-pop", and noted its "feel of a divided concept album", with some songs (such as the title track and "The Robots") exploring "the science fiction-esque links between humans and technology", and others (such as "Neon Lights" and "Metropolis") celebrating "the glamour of urbanization".[14] NME ranked The Man-Machine as the 57th greatest album of all time in 2013, citing it as Kraftwerk's "definitive" album and the catalyst for the synth-pop "revolution" that followed its release.[26] Paste ranked it the 11th best album of 1978.[27]

Track listing

[edit]

All lyrics are written by Ralf Hütter except "The Model", lyrics by Hütter and Emil Schult

Side one
No.TitleMusicLength
1."The Robots" ("Die Roboter")
6:10
2."Spacelab"
  • Hütter
  • Bartos
5:50
3."Metropolis"
  • Hütter
  • Schneider
  • Bartos
6:01
Side two
No.TitleMusicLength
4."The Model" ("Das Model")
  • Hütter
  • Bartos
3:38
5."Neon Lights" ("Neonlicht")
  • Hütter
  • Schneider
  • Bartos
9:03
6."The Man-Machine" ("Die Mensch-Maschine")
  • Hütter
  • Bartos
5:28
Total length:36:10

Personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from the liner notes of the 2009 remastered edition of The Man-Machine.[28]

Kraftwerk

[edit]

Additional personnel

[edit]
  • Günther Fröhling – photography
  • Leanard Jackson – engineering
  • Karl Klefisch – artwork
  • Joschko Rudas – engineering
  • Henning Schmitz – engineering assistance
  • Johann Zambryski – artwork reconstruction (2009 remaster)

Studios

[edit]

Charts

[edit]

Certifications and sales

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Germany — 150,000[38]
United Kingdom (BPI)[11] Gold 100,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "BPI".
  2. ^ International Review of the Aesthetics and Sociology of Music (34 ed.). Institute of Musicology, Zagreb Academy of Music. 2003. p. 170. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  3. ^ Piazza, James (29 June 2022). The Ghost of Madame Curie: Writings from Innerspace Labs. James Piazza. p. 744. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  4. ^ Wiser, Danny (31 July 2020). "GERMANY: The Man-Machine - Kraftwerk". 200worldalbums.com. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  6. ^ "Kraftwerk" (select "Albums" tab). Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  7. ^ "Kraftwerk stoppt Schau zu eigenen Ehren". Westdeutsche Zeitung (in German). 17 April 2018. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  8. ^ Smolko, Tim; Smolko, Joanna (11 May 2021). Atomic Tunes: The Cold War in American and British Popular Music. Indiana University Press. p. 253. ISBN 978-0-253-05617-7. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  9. ^ "El Lissitzky. Suprematic tale about two squares". Ukrainian Art Library. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  10. ^ Schütte, Uwe (27 February 2020). Kraftwerk: Future Music from Germany. Penguin UK. p. 72. ISBN 978-0-241-32055-6. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  11. ^ a b "British album certifications – Kraftwerk – The Man-Machine". British Phonographic Industry. 15 February 1982.
  12. ^ "Kraftwerk begin MoMA run TONIGHT, new limited edition boxset now available". BrooklynVegan. 10 April 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  13. ^ a b c Clayton-Lea, Tony (30 October 2009). "Kraftwerk: Autobahn (1974), Radio-Activity (1975), Trans Europe Express (1977), The Man-Machine (1978) (Mute/EMI)". The Irish Times. Dublin. ISSN 0791-5144. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  14. ^ a b Huey, Steve. "The Man-Machine – Kraftwerk". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
  15. ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "K". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor and Fields. ISBN 0-89919-026-X. Retrieved 28 February 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  16. ^ Sweeting, Adam (14 April 1995). "CDs of the week: Kraftwerk reissues". The Guardian. London. ISSN 0261-3077.
  17. ^ Snow, Mat (November 2009). "Gut Vibrations". Mojo. No. 192. London. p. 110. ISSN 1351-0193.
  18. ^ "Kraftwerk: The Man-Machine". Q. London. 2009. p. 116. ISSN 0955-4955. As evidenced by the mesmeric groove of 'Spacelab,' their influence on the more electronic end of disco was feeding back into their own art ...
  19. ^ Coleman, Mark; Randall, Mac (2004). "Kraftwerk". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 468–69. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  20. ^ Harrison, Andrew (June 1995). "Kraftwerk: Radio Activity / Man Machine / Computer World / The Mix". Select. No. 60. London. ISSN 0959-8367.
  21. ^ Reynolds, Simon (1995). "Kraftwerk". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. pp. 215–16. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
  22. ^ a b Cavanagh, David (16 October 2009). "Uncut reviews: Kraftwerk – Reissues". Uncut. London. ISSN 1368-0722. Archived from the original on 5 December 2010. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  23. ^ Gill, Andy (29 April 1978). "Mind Machine Music". NME. ISSN 0028-6362.
  24. ^ Christgau, Robert (4 September 1978). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. New York. ISSN 0042-6180. Retrieved 29 April 2013 – via robertchristgau.com.
  25. ^ Schneider, Mitchell (18 May 1978). "The Man-Machine". Rolling Stone. ISSN 0035-791X. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  26. ^ "The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time: 100–1". NME. London. 25 October 2013. ISSN 0028-6362. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  27. ^ "The 30 Best Albums of 1978". Paste. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  28. ^ Die Mensch-Maschine (remastered CD liner notes). Kraftwerk. Kling Klang. 2009. 50999 6 99589 2 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  29. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 170. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  30. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Kraftwerk – Die Mensch-Maschine" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  31. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Kraftwerk – The Man·Machine" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  32. ^ "Le Détail des Albums de chaque Artiste". InfoDisc (in French). Retrieved 1 June 2018. Select "KRAFTWERK" from the drop-down menu and then press "OK".
  33. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Kraftwerk – Die Mensch-Maschine" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  34. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Kraftwerk – The Man·Machine". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  35. ^ "Kraftwerk Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  36. ^ "Italiancharts.com – Kraftwerk – Die Mensch-Maschine". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  37. ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 1978" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  38. ^ "EMI Electrola" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 90, no. 50. New York. 16 December 1978. p. WG-12. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 5 October 2020 – via World Radio History.

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
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