Quick facts
The origin: Munich, 1999
In early 1999, Florian Senfter was alone in Munich — making music all day in a storage room near the central station, with an 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 near Munich central station and I am making music all day long, sleeping on the couch and surviving on Döner Kebap."
— Florian Senfter
The track was recorded with little more than an MPC 2000 and a tape deck. Zombie Nation had started as a duo — Florian Senfter (Splank) and Emanuel Günther (Mooner). Mooner was more of a conceptual influence than a musical one, coming from a performance art background. He is credited on several tracks on the debut album Leichenschmaus, including Kernkraft 400, but left before the album came out in 1999.
Florian Senfter with Technics 1210 and Akai MPC 2000 at the desk where Kernkraft 400 was recorded, Munich Hackerbrücke 1999
"The song name shows clearly that we never imagined that the song would become a huge success. If you plan something like that then you better choose a name that people can pronounce! I remember vaguely there were some other impossible names on that list — Velcrosquat and Krankenhaus. So in the end we were just having fun with it."
— Florian Senfter
"Kernkraft in German means atomic energy — which may be a play on the force that is contained in this recorded piece of music. But by itself it's a bit bland, so we spiced it up with a nonsensical number — which creates a mystery that truly can't be solved."
— Florian Senfter
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-inch vinyl pressing aimed at DJs and record shops.
From underground 12" to UK #2
The DJ Gius remix — the version most people know
Soon after the 1999 release on Gigolo Records, the Italian label Spectra licensed the track and submitted a remix for approval — a version by DJ Gius (Cristiano Giusberti) that had already gained traction locally.
"When I heard it first I couldn't identify with it because it seemed much more polished and palatable. At the same time I felt immediately that this version is going to be unstoppable, if I like it or not. It was a crucial moment and I know exactly where I heard it first: someone from a local magazine played it to me on a boombox at the entrance of a small underground party that took place every week in the cavern of a buried stream in Munich's Glockenbach quarter."
— Florian Senfter
The DJ Gius remix was issued as a single in October 1999. This version peaked at #22 in Germany, became a top-10 hit in Flanders and the Netherlands, and reached #2 on the UK Singles Chart in September 2000, where it stayed for two weeks. It received a platinum certification from the BPI for sales and streams exceeding 600,000 units. In the US, it peaked at #99 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The Dave Clarke remix
The UK release was handled by Data Records and included a remix by Dave Clarke. DJ Hell had suggested Clarke as a remixer — and for Florian, this was a full-circle moment.
"I always liked Dave Clarke's direct sound. In fact, when I heard 'Red 2' it changed my life — that song was what inspired me to start making music. So it makes perfect sense."
— Florian Senfter
The UK Data Records release featuring the Dave Clarke remix, 2000
Chart positions
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (OCC) | #2 |
| UK Dance (OCC) | #1 |
| Ireland (IRMA) | #2 |
| Germany (GfK) | #22 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) | #5 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) | #10 |
| Greece (IFPI) | #1 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | #99 |
| Canada Dance/Urban (RPM) | #1 |
Top of the Pops — BBC, 2000
The chart success led to an appearance on the BBC's Top of the Pops — Florian's first contact with the commercial music business.
"Oh man — what a trip Top of the Pops was. It was my first contact with the reality of the music business. The Ministry of Sound label rep I was dealing with really felt like he had made the song himself. He was pushing the idea that I do a 'pretend-DJ set' with hands in the air and some dancers. No chance."
"I remember this conversation:
Him: 'You have to do it, you have a contract.'
Me: 'Maybe I have a contract, but not with you.'
Him: 'You do it my way or we'll have to cancel your appearance on Top of the Pops.'
Me: 'Well then cancel it.'""I was ready to walk away. In the end they had to go along with it because they needed this to sell records. So I got a couple of friends on board and we traveled to London. The basic choreography: 'let me play guitar on a mannequin-leg and we do some head-banging and in the end we destroy everything.' The TV producers shat their pants and were skeptical if they would even air the performance. Then afterwards they all said how awesome and legendary it was. Welcome to the music business."
"By the way: apparently it is not appropriate to lick a mannequin leg on UK television. When you look at the whole clip you'll see some shots of odd green oil lamp bubbles. That's what they replaced the censored scenes with."
— Florian Senfter
Zombie Nation at BBC Top of the Pops, 2000
The official music video
"Things went fast in early 2000. Kernkraft 400 was licensed to labels in different countries. A video had to be made. I was presented with a script and I thought this could be nice. It was important for me that it would be unique and not a video as they were common at the time for electronic music — which would roughly follow the script 'DJ dude and a girl ride a cool car through the desert.' So in that sense it checked the boxes. But I was not involved in the script — basically went to Cologne and played along with what was happening. I didn't expect this video would be around, as well as the song, 25 years later."
— Florian Senfter
The video was directed by Hendrik Hölzemann, Grischa Schmitz, and Dominique Schuchman — film students at the Filmakademie Ludwigsburg working under the name Panic Pictures. The concept: a nuclear-powered infomercial featuring a Kernkraft 400™ branded microwave, tanning bed, and other products with escalating side effects.
"One thing I remember is the makeup artist on set saying to me: 'Hey, I don't know if you are becoming famous from this or not, but going forward promise me you'll pluck your unibrow.' — promise kept."
— Florian Senfter
The original lo-fi video
Before the official video, there was an earlier, rougher version.
"This is the very first video we made for the original version of the song with a budget of 500 Deutschmarks, cut on ancient software. It's a true treasure — unfortunately this is the only copy there is, and it's not exactly HD."
— Florian Senfter
The concept was Mooner's: a super-important "Kernkraft brain" salvaged from a body, its transport interrupted by zombies with machine guns. The video was filmed in the industrial area around the studio, using small electronic-triggered explosives for gunshot wounds.
The stadium anthem
Over two decades, Kernkraft 400 evolved from an underground techno 12-inch into one of the most recognizable sounds in world sports. The "oh-oh-oh-oh" crowd chant version — released as the Sports Chant Stadium Remix — is now played in NFL stadiums, college arenas, hockey rinks, and football grounds on every continent. Sports Illustrated ranked it #8 on their list of "Top 10 Stadium Anthems."
How the chant version happened
The Sports Chant version wasn't something Florian commissioned. It originated in Italy — an informal adaptation that spread organically.
"When it came to the sublicense for US territory, the label Radikal Records informed us that radio stations were picking up the song and particularly what was informally called the 'chant version.' It apparently originated in Italy and somehow made it to the US. So we had the choice to either include it in the release or do the release without it and maybe lose control over the version that appeared to gain traction. I have to say I didn't like that version but thought 'hey, if it's in the US I don't need to hear it because I am not in the US' — doesn't make a lot of sense but that was the idea at the time."
— Florian Senfter
"A lot of it was just being thrust into this as a kind of DIY person. Often I found myself a bit overwhelmed by all these labels and interests, that didn't necessarily align with my vision at the time. But anyway — you can't control everything!"
— Florian Senfter
"Once you hear a whole stadium sing it you know that this is in another dimension. It's funny to think back to the very basic studio where it all came together, and the time in my life that it happened."
— Florian Senfter
Kernkraft 400 first received US radio airplay on Energy 92.7 & 5 in Chicago in 2001. Its popularity across all age groups led to its introduction at Chicago Rush arena football games at Allstate Arena, where it was played during timeouts and commercial breaks.
American Football — NFL
| Team | Usage |
|---|---|
| Philadelphia Eagles | Signature crowd anthem, played at every home game |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | Stadium anthem |
| Indianapolis Colts | Stadium anthem |
| Chicago Rush (Arena Football) | First US sports usage (2001) — timeouts and breaks at Allstate Arena |
College Football & Athletics
| Team | Usage |
|---|---|
| Penn State Nittany Lions | Fans chant "We Are Penn State" during breaks (since fall 2005) |
| UCF Knights | "The Bounce House" — fans jump chanting "U-C-F Knights," caused structural concerns; stadium inspected and cleared (since ~2007) |
| Ohio State Buckeyes | Stadium anthem |
| Wake Forest Demon Deacons | Introduced by coach Skip Prosser for basketball, 2004/05 season |
| Vanderbilt Commodores | Stadium anthem |
Ice Hockey — NHL & Minor Leagues
| Team | Usage |
|---|---|
| Boston Bruins | Most prominent NHL usage |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | Stadium anthem |
| New Jersey Devils | Stadium anthem |
| Atlanta Thrashers | Stadium anthem (team now defunct) |
| Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) | Stadium anthem |
| Cleveland Monsters (AHL) | Stadium anthem |
Baseball
| Team | Usage |
|---|---|
| Atlanta Braves | Stadium anthem |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | Stadium anthem |
| Seattle Mariners | Played after big hits or during rallies at T-Mobile Park |
| Yasuaki Yamasaki (DeNA BayStars, Japan) | Relief pitcher entrance theme, known as "Yasuaki Jump" (ヤスアキJUMP) |
Basketball — NBA
| Team | Usage |
|---|---|
| Oklahoma City Thunder | Stadium anthem |
| LA Clippers | Steve Ballmer personally selects it for 4th quarter energy |
Soccer / Football
| Team | Usage |
|---|---|
| German National Team (DFB) | Official goal anthem (since September 2019) |
| Celtic (Scotland) | Stadium anthem |
| A.C. Milan (Italy) | Stadium anthem |
| PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands) | Stadium anthem |
| Real Valladolid (Spain) | Stadium anthem |
| Southampton (England) | Stadium anthem |
| Tranmere Rovers (England) | Stadium anthem |
| Gillingham (England) | Stadium anthem |
| Gent (Belgium) | Stadium anthem |
| Beitar Jerusalem (Israel) | Stadium anthem |
| Atlanta United (MLS) | Stadium anthem |
| Wales national team | Semi-official fan anthem during Euro 2016 qualifying — originated when Welsh fans danced to it over the PA after the 0-0 draw vs Belgium in Brussels; played before the return fixture at Cardiff City Stadium, June 2015 |
Other Sports
| Team / Context | Usage |
|---|---|
| Geelong Cats (AFL, Australia) | Stadium anthem |
| Leigh Leopards (Rugby League, England) | Stadium anthem |
| The Viral Connection (Pro Wrestling) | Entrance theme for Danny Boy Johnson & Omega Luke |
Stadium plays
In film, TV & video games
Kernkraft 400 has appeared in over 25 video games and multiple film and television productions.
Film & TV
| Title | Year | Version used |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | 2002 | Kernkraft 400 |
| Shaun of the Dead (Edgar Wright) | 2004 | Kernkraft 400 |
| What the #$*! Do We (K)now!? | 2004 | Kernkraft 400 (the Chant Re-Mix) |
| The Sopranos (1 episode) | 2007 | Kernkraft 400 |
| Focus (Will Smith) | 2015 | Sport Chant Stadium Remix |
| Elemental (Pixar) | 2023 | Live Remix (credited as Sport Chant Stadium Remix) — airball stadium scene |
"Over the years there were quite a few important licenses. Elemental probably being the biggest. I run my own publishing company under UKW Records & Publishing LLC, which is administered by Sony ATV. The film is nice — and most importantly it got me some credibility with my young kid and her friends."
— Florian Senfter
EA Sports video games
Kernkraft 400 is a fixture in EA Sports titles, appearing across three major franchises spanning over two decades.
| Franchise | Appearances |
|---|---|
| Madden NFL | 2002, 2007, 11 (2010), 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 25 (2024), 26 (2025) |
| NCAA / College Football | NCAA 14, NCAA 15, NCAA 16, College Football 25 (2024), College Football 26 (2025) |
| NHL | NHL 2001, NHL 13, NHL 14, NHL 15, NHL 16 |
Other video games
| Title | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| FIFA 03 | 2002 | DJ Gius Mix (Radio Edit) |
| Dance Dance Revolution series | Various | Rhythm gameplay |
| Rocket League | — | Purchasable player anthem |
Versions & remixes
Official versions
| Version | Notes |
|---|---|
| Kernkraft 400 (Original 1999 Mix) | The original underground version |
| Kernkraft 400 (DJ Gius Mix) | The famous one — the version most people know |
| Kernkraft 400 (Sport Chant Stadium Remix) | The crowd chant version played in stadiums worldwide |
| Kernkraft 400 (Dave Clarke Remix) | Included on the Data Records UK release |
Licensed samples & interpolations
| Artist | Track | Year |
|---|---|---|
| The Game ft. Lil Wayne | Red Nation | 2011 |
| Three 6 Mafia | I Got | 2008 |
| Topic & A7S | Kernkraft 400 (A Better Day) | 2022 |
"The song that introduced them to electronic music"
"Over the years I heard from many people that Kernkraft 400 was the song that introduced them to electronic music, or that it motivated them to start making music. It's amazing to know that something I did influenced others in some way. I wasn't aware of this interview with young Tim Berg aka Avicii until recently. Unfortunately we had never had a chance to meet. May he rest in peace."
— Florian Senfter
Listen & buy
Artwork
Part of the album Leichenschmaus (1999, Gigolo Records) — Full discography →