Today brought the awful news that Kraftwerk co-founder Florian Schneider passed away at age 73 after a battle with cancer. Schneider’s influence spans far and wide, and tributes have been pouring in to him from fellow musicians and other members of the music community. Here are tributes from Jean Michel Jarre, Orbital, Duran Duran, Stephen Mallinder (Cabaret Voltaire), Geoff Barrow (Portishead, Beak>), filmmakers Edgar Wright and the Safdie Brothers, Cosey Fanni Tutti (Throbbing Gristle, Chris & Cosey), Future Islands, Thomas Dolby, Midge Ure (Visage, Ultravox), Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Matty Healy (The 1975), Gary Kemp (Spandau Ballet, Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets), Lloyd Cole, Edwyn Collins (Orange Juice), Kid Congo Powers (The Cramps, The Gun Club, The Bad Seeds), Stuart Braithwaite (Mogwai), HEALTH, Geoff Rickly (Thursday), Saint Etienne, Joe Seiders (The New Pornographers), Kelly Lee Owens, Nina Kraviz, Junior Boys, JD Samson (Le Tigre, MEN), JG Thirlwell (Foetus), Robin Rimbaud (Scanner), Cadence Weapon, Mr. Twin Sister, Becka Diamond, Mark Farina, Zoe Keating, Nigel Godrich, Holly Herndon, Pictureplane, Martyn Ware (The Human League, Heaven 17), American Football, El-P, and more…
Another of my great heroes gone https://t.co/3ElmWlRKZR
— Thomas Dolby (@ThomasDolby) May 6, 2020
My dear Florian
Your Autobahn will never end..
Le Tour de France ne sera plus jamais le même..#FlorianSchneider #kraftwerk #Autobahn pic.twitter.com/07Oks7PV2j— Jean-Michel Jarre (@jeanmicheljarre) May 6, 2020
🔘 SO SAD TO HEAR ABOUT FLORIAN | KRAFTWERK WERE OUR BIGGEST INFLUENCE | ELECTRONIC MUSICS BIGGEST INFLUENCE, EVEN ONE OF ROCKS BIGGEST INFLUENCE | WHAT A HERO 🔘 pic.twitter.com/Ro83iKnSDv
— Orbital (@orbitalband) May 6, 2020
The world has lost a real pioneer
RIP Florian from Kraftwerk
Thank you for everything electronic & spiritual – on the stairs in my mums listening to autobahn . It changed me for the better . Danke Florian & may you rest peacefully forever & EVA .
A heart broken orb x😢 pic.twitter.com/sCw74scfjj— The Orb (@Orbinfo) May 6, 2020
Florian Schneider will forever be an inspiration to the world of electronic music. His artistry has been influential to creatives for the last 50 years. Today, we thank and honor him for helping to guide and shape our community through sound, imagination, and innovation. pic.twitter.com/wrq4nB4icz
— Moog Synthesizers (@moogmusicinc) May 6, 2020
We are absolutely gutted to hear about the passing of @kraftwerk Co-founder, Florian Schneider, due to cancer. He was 73 years old. Florian, while being a part of Kraftwerk, helped shape electronic music & its influence on many genres from synthpop to rock. pic.twitter.com/tSrmnOgMQl
— KORG US (@KorgUSA) May 6, 2020
Ffs…
They Changed music forever.
RIP. Florian Schneider.
— 🏴☠️ Geoff Barrow 🏴☠️ (@jetfury) May 6, 2020
Way ahead of his time. 🙏https://t.co/sbfeVEpSeZ
— midge ure💙 (@midgeure1) May 6, 2020
We are absolutely devastated to learn that one of our heroes Florian Schneider has passed away. pic.twitter.com/Y2dnYfxkj8
— Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (@OfficialOMD) May 6, 2020
such a sad day but what a legacy… RIP Florian: https://t.co/eNSPt15qLd
— Stephen Mallinder (@StephenMal) May 6, 2020
https://twitter.com/Truman_Black/status/1258107627474649088
Such an important influence upon so much of the music we know, from Bowie, to electronica, much of the 80s and beyond into modern techno and rap, Florian Schneider was forging a new Metropolis of music for us all to live in. RIP #FlorianSchneider #Kraftwerk pic.twitter.com/y2nXuAY66e
— Gary Kemp (@garyjkemp) May 6, 2020
From Duran Duran’s Nick Rhodes:
“I just heard the very sad news that Florian Schneider, the co-founder of one of my favourite bands, Kraftwerk, has died.
When I first heard their song Autobahn, I was struck by how radically different it sounded from everything else on the radio. It became a surprise hit in the UK and sparked my lifelong admiration for their innovation and creativity.
Kraftwerk’s influence on contemporary music is deeply woven into the fabric of our pop culture. Their albums Trans-Europe Express and The Man Machine will forever remain classics of the genre they invented.
Thanks for the music, dark humour and inspiration. Long live Kraftwerk!
Nick Rhodes”
The very best electropop, ever. RIP Florian #kraftwerk https://t.co/bwICaKaN4u
— Lloyd Cole (@Lloyd_Cole) May 6, 2020
For Florian, from David. Now, both RIP. https://t.co/wQDDmuQHjt
— Lloyd Cole (@Lloyd_Cole) May 6, 2020
Kraftwerk ~Trans-Europe Express (1977) https://t.co/iUBf0brre1 I bought album , I was 17 year old in Glasgow!! Florian Schneler? He's God,Fact-Edwyn,
— Edwyn Collins (@EdwynCollins) May 6, 2020
To say he was massively influential and changed the very sound of music, is somehow still a understatement. RIP, Florian Schneider, founder member of Kraftwerk. https://t.co/YAeV9VMlER
— edgarwright (@edgarwright) May 6, 2020
RIP to visionary co-founder of Kraftwerk Florian Schneider pic.twitter.com/5YPJxEBXO6
— SAFDIE (@JOSH_BENNY) May 6, 2020
Terrible news 🤖 RIP Florian Schneider of KRAFTWERK ♥︎https://t.co/V5UDcMm9el
— ED BANGER RECORDS (@edbangerrecords) May 6, 2020
Damn. Without Kraftwerk there would be no Art Lord and the Self-Portraits, thus no Future Islands.
Kraftwerk was the crux of our musical friendship and beginnings. We wanted to be just like them. And so we were. RIP Florian, a true Lord of Art. https://t.co/zmPROZlIQJ— Future Islands (@futureislands) May 6, 2020
https://twitter.com/kidcongopowers/status/1258060532591943680
https://twitter.com/plasmatron/status/1258055134677958656
https://twitter.com/garbage/status/1258072522139951105
1947-2020 pic.twitter.com/Bx1r8OXT3B
— HEALTH (@_HEALTH_) May 6, 2020
Hard to imagine modern music without the influence of Kraftwerk. Impossible to quantify their contribution. ❤️🙏🏼 now spinning: autobahn. RIP, Florian. https://t.co/2yyPZrJ4Ro
— Geoffrey Rickly (@GeoffRickly) May 6, 2020
Without whom…. pic.twitter.com/HrcFGypbCf
— Saint Etienne (@bobpetesarah) May 6, 2020
Goodbye Florian Schneider pic.twitter.com/l49Dj1Jy1p
— Tim Burgess (@Tim_Burgess) May 6, 2020
https://twitter.com/JoeSeiders/status/1258061878208524288
#florian 💔
— Kelly Lee Owens (@kellyleeowens) May 6, 2020
🇪🇺 RIP FLORIAN🇩🇪 MANY MANY THANKS FOR EVERYTHING. https://t.co/3RZgs6oKFf
— Steve Mason (@SteveMasonKBT) May 6, 2020
what would electronic music be without Kraftwerk? R.I.P Florian Schneider-Esleben
— Nina Kraviz (@NinaKraviz) May 6, 2020
Today has not been a good day. Rest in Love Mr Schneider ❤️ pic.twitter.com/j8TsiQoA9o
— Clare Grogan (@claregrogan2) May 6, 2020
https://twitter.com/NiteJewel/status/1258079214533660674
It can't be true about Florian. He, along with Ralf, are the "lead out men" of popular music. Everyone else is just following a path.
— Junior Boys (@Juniorboys) May 6, 2020
https://twitter.com/jdsamson/status/1258048736577703940
Very sad to hear of the passing of Florian Schneider, co-founder of one of the greatest groups of all time, Kraftwerk. RIP https://t.co/cVfEZKrYW8
— JG Thirlwell (@jgthirlwell) May 6, 2020
RIP Florian Schneider. Thank you for the music. ❤️🙏
— Cosey Fanni Tutti (@coseyfannitutti) May 6, 2020
Farewell to the extraordinary Florian Schneider (1947-2020) of @kraftwerk – the man machine lives on through an astonishingly original back catalogue of inspirational music. pic.twitter.com/yWF5UGwq8c
— Robin Rimbaud – Scanner (@robinrimbaud) May 6, 2020
R.I.P. Florian Schneider. Outside of the Beatles, Kraftwerk is the most influential band ever. There's no "Planet Rock" without them. They influenced Bowie's Berlin trilogy. "Blue Monday" by New Order samples them. They're the root of contemporary electronic music
— Cadence Weapon (@cadenceweapon) May 6, 2020
RIP Florian https://t.co/pF1PZlWvBw
— Mr Twin Sister (@twinsistermusic) May 6, 2020
https://twitter.com/beckadiamond/status/1258048111508967430
Hearing some info that Florian Schneider has passed away. Very sad if true. Major influence. pic.twitter.com/V6BL9wVDyw
— Mark Farina (@djmarkfarina) May 6, 2020
https://twitter.com/zoecello/status/1258057078209470465
RIP Florian https://t.co/p4StqDljJg
— Planet Mu (@Planetmurecords) May 6, 2020
R.I.P to the extraordinary Florian Schneider of @kraftwerk.
A true innovator and pioneer of electronic music, whose music and influence will live on forever. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/Fw0yu4lx9q
— Defected Records (@DefectedRecords) May 6, 2020
Quoting Florian Schneider would be a disservice to his legacy and the intent of his work. The music says it all. Every single note. pic.twitter.com/s2Bs1lmepy
— Ghostly International (@ghostly) May 6, 2020
https://twitter.com/ninjatune/status/1258055434210082816
RIP Florian Schneider, founding member of one of the most important groups in the history of music. pic.twitter.com/wHilZcrmpQ
— Norman Records (@normanrecords) May 6, 2020
aw bummer, florian schneider, 1947-2020. the '75 kraftwerk soundboard that surfaced last week is absolutely the real deal. a mindmelter with a great stereo mix.
p.n.e. gardens, vancouver, 5/7/75, via youtube: https://t.co/g9w1AGddrx
FLAC download: https://t.co/MrLeEjLYfL— jesse jarnow (@bourgwick@heads.social) (@bourgwick) May 6, 2020
RIP Florian Schneider co founder of Kraftwerk. EVERY modern musician owes something to this mans vision. I was lucky enough to see him with Kraftwerk, with my son Gray some years ago. A magical experience.Thank you Florian.
— Lol Tolhurst (@LolTolhurst) May 6, 2020
RIP #FlorianSchneider #Kraftwerk https://t.co/0ef2T09BKs
— Kurt Loder (@kurt_loder) May 6, 2020
RIP founding Kraftwerk member Florian Schneider.https://t.co/sRi6JynnEH
— Michael Azerrad (@michaelazerrad) May 6, 2020
RIP Florian Schneider, without whom… https://t.co/JIpKnSDeHI
— Jon Savage (@JonSavage1966) May 6, 2020
What a week… now the great Florian Schneider… feeling an era passhttps://t.co/hsmc8elsuF
— . (@nigelgod) May 6, 2020
https://twitter.com/hollyherndon/status/1258070725488979970
RIP Kraftwerk founding member Florian Schneider 🤖❤️ pic.twitter.com/IJAeBPIJGm
— mark stewart (@_markstewart) May 6, 2020
The Future, The Human League, B.E.F. and Heaven 17 would never have existed without Florian Schneider and Kraftwerk
— Martyn Ware 🦉 (@martynware) May 6, 2020
The world would sound very different if Kraftwerk had never existed. They truly birthed the future.
— 🪄PICTUREPLANE🌙 (@pictureplane) May 6, 2020
https://twitter.com/hetherrfortune/status/1258064832449916931
RIP Florianhttps://t.co/6JcH0wkAjL
— American Football (@americfootball) May 6, 2020
https://twitter.com/therealelp/status/1258139610988851203