Dorfrocker

A German trio whose music combines modern pop and rock with elements of German folk as they sing of beer drinking, women, and good times, Die Dorfrocker were formed in 2005 by three brothers from Lower Franconia — Tobias Thomann on vocals and guitar, Philip Thomann on lead guitar, and Mark Thomann on accordion. The brothers started by writing songs together, and submitted demo tapes to several European record companies. Ariola Records liked the material, and Die Dorfrocker signed with the label; their debut album, Party, Mädels...Geile Zeit!, appeared in the spring of 2007, and they soon made their television debut on the popular variety series Feste der Volksmusik. Die Dorfrocker next landed the opening spot on the farewell tour by the popular group Schürzenjäger, and in 2008 they competed in the Grand Prix der Volksmusik, where they finished fourth. While Die Dorfrocker worked hard to promote their second album, 2008's Jetzt Geht’s Tichtig Ab, it wasn't until the release of their third full-length, 2010's Remmi Demmi, that the group began making an impression on the charts, boosted by the success of the single "Vogelbeerbaum" b/w "Schwarz-Rot-Gold," the first of several songs that would be promoted with a video that earned extensive play on YouTube. Remmi Demmi did well enough that in 2011 Ariola released a greatest-hits collection, Alm-Alarm: Das Beste der Dorfrocker, that included their best-known songs along with dance mixes of several tunes and four new numbers, including "Auf der Alm," which was chosen as the theme song of the television series Die Alm. The year 2012 saw the release of the album Roll den Roten Teppich Aus, which spawned another hit single, "Dorfkind," while another cut from the album, "Tiefkühlpizza (Ingeborg Marie)," also scaled the singles charts in 2013. In 2014, Die Dorfrocker moved from Ariola to Sony Entertainment, and their first album for the label, Dorfkind und Stolz Drauf!, was their biggest chart success to date, rising to number 12 shortly after its release.