Kernkraft 400

The Origin Story

In early 1999, Florian Senfter was alone in Munich. The crew he used to organise warehouse parties with had left on a bus to Portugal. He set up in a storage room near Munich's central station, next to the train tracks — sleeping on the couch, surviving on Döner Kebap, and making music all day long with little more than an Akai MPC 2000 and a tape deck.

"A couple of weeks earlier the crew I used to organise warehouse parties with had left on a bus to Portugal. So I am sitting in our storage room next to the train tracks and I am making music all day long, sleeping on the couch and surviving on Döner Kebap."

— Florian Senfter

Release History

Original Release (1999) — Gigolo Records

The track was first released as part of the Kernkraft 400 EP on International Deejay Gigolo Records (Gigolo 019), the Munich-based label run by DJ Hell. It was a strictly underground release — a 12" vinyl pressing aimed at DJs and record shops. Within months it had spread through the European club circuit.

The UK release was handled by Data Records and included a remix by Dave Clarke. DJ Hell had suggested Clarke as a remixer, and Senfter agreed — Clarke's 1993 track Red 2 — Wisdom to the Wise was the first techno record he had fallen in love with at an afterhour. That connection led to the remix, which helped break the track in the UK.

International Licensing

The track was licensed to multiple labels across territories: Polydor in Germany, Radikal Records in the USA, Drehscheibe and Spectra in other markets. Each release brought new listeners, radio play and, eventually, chart success.

Chart Success

Kernkraft 400 reached number 2 on the UK Singles Chart, a remarkable achievement for an entirely instrumental electronic track. It was certified Silver in the UK for sales exceeding 200,000 copies.

"It reads: 'to recognize sales in the United Kingdom of more than 200,000 copies of the Single Kernkraft 400.' The song made it to #2 in the UK charts which is amazing in many ways, especially because it's an instrumental track."

— Florian Senfter

Sports Stadium Anthem

Over the following two decades, Kernkraft 400 became one of the most-played tracks in sports venues worldwide. The "oh-oh-oh-oh" crowd chant variant — adapted as the Sports Chant Stadium Anthem — is now a fixture at NFL games, college football, ice hockey, basketball arenas and football stadiums around the globe.

Notable Uses

• Philadelphia Eagles / NFL — signature crowd anthem, heard at every home game
• Ohio State Buckeyes — played during college football games at Ohio Stadium
• German National Football Team (DFB) — adopted as the official goal anthem
• International football & hockey — played in stadiums across North America, Europe and beyond

Videos

Top of the Pops — BBC UK (2000)

The Top of the Pops appearance in 2000 was Senfter's first contact with the commercial music business. A label rep pushed hard for a "pretend DJ set with hands in the air and some dancers." Senfter refused and was ready to walk away entirely — ultimately performing on his own terms.

Listen — Official Versions

Official Remix Licences