TikTok, Dialekt und Club-Beats: Wie die Generation Z den 200 Jahre alten Koelner Karneval neu erfindet

Als die Band Druckluft dieser Tage auf die Buehne tritt, gleicht der Empfang dem eines Pop-Acts auf Stadion-Tournee. Frontmann Florian Hertel kommt kaum aus dem Tourbus, bevor Fans ihn fuer Fotos und Autogramme umringen — eine Intensitaet, die fuer eine Karnevalsband noch vor zwei Jahren undenkbar gewesen waere. Ihr Hit "Karnevalsmaus" ist auf Platz 35 der deutschen Singlecharts geklettert, hat auf TikTok Millionen Aufrufe gesammelt und die Maeuse-Ohren zum unbestrittenen Kostuem-Trend der Session 2026 gemacht TikTok, beats, street party: Cologne's Carnival has a new imagedw.com·SecondaryCologne's Carnival is known the world over as the epitome of German zaniness — complete with people in costumes linked arm-in-arm, swaying to the music and gleefully singing traditional songs. That part hasn't changed — but it's not the full story. The Carnival may have a new look and feel, but what's changing even more is its sound. Cologne's music scene is huge and unique in Germany. It has transformed rapidly over the past two decades — and that has impacted Carnival music, too..

Es ist ein Symptom eines groesseren Wandels: Der Koelner Karneval, das rund 200 Jahre alte Volksfest, das jaehrlich ueber eine Million kostuemierter Jecken auf die Strassen zieht, durchlebt eine musikalische Transformation, die sowohl seinen Klang als auch sein Publikum veraendert. Die nostalgischen Marschkapellen-Rhythmen im Dreivierteltakt, einst der unangefochtene Soundtrack der Session, teilen sich den Raum nun mit Club-Beats, Pop-Hymnen und Tracks, die fuer virale Verbreitung in sozialen Medien konzipiert sind TikTok, beats, street party: Cologne's Carnival has a new imagedw.com·SecondaryCologne's Carnival is known the world over as the epitome of German zaniness — complete with people in costumes linked arm-in-arm, swaying to the music and gleefully singing traditional songs. That part hasn't changed — but it's not the full story. The Carnival may have a new look and feel, but what's changing even more is its sound. Cologne's music scene is huge and unique in Germany. It has transformed rapidly over the past two decades — and that has impacted Carnival music, too..

Der Wandel vollzog sich schrittweise. Seit 2015 zieht das Sommer-Festival Jeck im Sunnesching Zehntausende junge Menschen zu Open-Air-Buehnen, wo Bands auf Koelsch ueber elektronische und Indie-Pop-Arrangements singen. Was als Nischen-Crossover begann, ist laengst zur Talentschmiede fuer Acts geworden, die heute den Karnevalsbetrieb dominieren TikTok, beats, street party: Cologne's Carnival has a new imagedw.com·SecondaryCologne's Carnival is known the world over as the epitome of German zaniness — complete with people in costumes linked arm-in-arm, swaying to the music and gleefully singing traditional songs. That part hasn't changed — but it's not the full story. The Carnival may have a new look and feel, but what's changing even more is its sound. Cologne's music scene is huge and unique in Germany. It has transformed rapidly over the past two decades — and that has impacted Carnival music, too..

Druckluft selbst verkoepert diese Entwicklung. 2009 als Schuelerband am Kardinal-Frings-Gymnasium in Bonn gegruendet, spielte die zehnkoepfige Gruppe jahrelang stimmungsvolle Brass-Coversongs, bevor sie auf eigenes Material umschwenkte . "Karnevalsmaus" entstand im Proberaum, doch die kurze, eingaengige Struktur und die verspielte Choreografie waren wie geschaffen fuer TikTok. Innerhalb weniger Wochen erreichte der Song Millionen von Zuschauern weit ueber das Rheinland hinaus TikTok, beats, street party: Cologne's Carnival has a new imagedw.com·SecondaryCologne's Carnival is known the world over as the epitome of German zaniness — complete with people in costumes linked arm-in-arm, swaying to the music and gleefully singing traditional songs. That part hasn't changed — but it's not the full story. The Carnival may have a new look and feel, but what's changing even more is its sound. Cologne's music scene is huge and unique in Germany. It has transformed rapidly over the past two decades — and that has impacted Carnival music, too.. Karnevalsgeschaefte berichten, dass Maeuse-Ohren praktisch sofort ausverkauft sind TikTok, beats, street party: Cologne's Carnival has a new imagedw.com·SecondaryCologne's Carnival is known the world over as the epitome of German zaniness — complete with people in costumes linked arm-in-arm, swaying to the music and gleefully singing traditional songs. That part hasn't changed — but it's not the full story. The Carnival may have a new look and feel, but what's changing even more is its sound. Cologne's music scene is huge and unique in Germany. It has transformed rapidly over the past two decades — and that has impacted Carnival music, too..

Das Phaenomen geht weit ueber einen einzelnen viralen Hit hinaus. Die Reihe "Loss mer singe" bietet ein Barometer fuer den breiteren Wandel. 2001 ins Leben gerufen, umfasst das Format inzwischen fast 70 Mitsing-Abende in Kneipen in Koeln, Berlin, Hamburg und Muenchen. Das Publikum hoert neue Songs, singt mit und waehlt seine Favoriten. Der Gewinner erhaelt den begehrten Titel "Sessionshit" — und 2026 ging diese Ehre an Druckluft TikTok and beats: Cologne's famed carnival has a new imagedw.com·SecondaryCologne's Carnival is known the world over as the epitome of German zaniness — complete with people in costumes linked arm-in-arm, swaying to the music and gleefully singing traditional songs. That part hasn't changed — but it's not the full story. The Carnival may have a new look and feel, but what's changing even more is its sound. Cologne's music scene is huge and unique in Germany. It has transformed rapidly over the past two decades — and that has impacted Carnival music, too..

Georg Hinz, der Gruender von "Loss mer singe", sagte gegenueber der Deutschen Welle, dass der Generationenunterschied, den er frueher bei seinem Publikum beobachtet habe, weitgehend verschwunden sei. Er berichte von einer breiten Altersspanne bei jeder Veranstaltung, von Mitte Zwanzig bis Mitte Sechzig, die alle auf dieselben Songs ansprechen TikTok, beats, street party: Cologne's Carnival has a new imagedw.com·SecondaryCologne's Carnival is known the world over as the epitome of German zaniness — complete with people in costumes linked arm-in-arm, swaying to the music and gleefully singing traditional songs. That part hasn't changed — but it's not the full story. The Carnival may have a new look and feel, but what's changing even more is its sound. Cologne's music scene is huge and unique in Germany. It has transformed rapidly over the past two decades — and that has impacted Carnival music, too.. Die Annaeherung fuehrt er auf eine schrittweise Verwischung der Grenze zwischen Karnevalsmusik und Mainstream-Pop zurueck. Typische Karnevalsmusik und die Musik, die Menschen im Alltag hoeren, seien immer naeher zusammengerueckt, so Hinz, und der Gesamtmarkt sei dadurch deutlich groesser geworden TikTok, beats, street party: Cologne's Carnival has a new imagedw.com·SecondaryCologne's Carnival is known the world over as the epitome of German zaniness — complete with people in costumes linked arm-in-arm, swaying to the music and gleefully singing traditional songs. That part hasn't changed — but it's not the full story. The Carnival may have a new look and feel, but what's changing even more is its sound. Cologne's music scene is huge and unique in Germany. It has transformed rapidly over the past two decades — and that has impacted Carnival music, too..

Was die Koelner Szene besonders macht, ist ihr beharrliches Festhalten am Dialekt. Die meisten Bands der neuen Generation — Acts aus der Pop-, Indie- und Elektro-Szene statt aus traditionellen Karnevalsvereinen — schreiben und performen weiterhin auf Koelsch. Fuer sie ist der Dialekt keine nostalgische Attituede, sondern eine lebendige Alltagssprache, ein Identitaetsmarker, der bei juengeren Zuhoerern verfaengt, die mit Streaming und globaler Popkultur aufgewachsen sind TikTok, beats, street party: Cologne's Carnival has a new imagedw.com·SecondaryCologne's Carnival is known the world over as the epitome of German zaniness — complete with people in costumes linked arm-in-arm, swaying to the music and gleefully singing traditional songs. That part hasn't changed — but it's not the full story. The Carnival may have a new look and feel, but what's changing even more is its sound. Cologne's music scene is huge and unique in Germany. It has transformed rapidly over the past two decades — and that has impacted Carnival music, too..

Die Texte spiegeln diese Bandbreite wider. Manche Songs erzaehlen von Liebe, Schmerz und Gemeinschaft. Andere tragen explizit politische Botschaften, werben fuer Toleranz und stellen sich gegen rechtsextremen Hass. Und viele fordern schlicht dazu auf, zu feiern, als gaebe es kein Morgen TikTok, beats, street party: Cologne's Carnival has a new imagedw.com·SecondaryCologne's Carnival is known the world over as the epitome of German zaniness — complete with people in costumes linked arm-in-arm, swaying to the music and gleefully singing traditional songs. That part hasn't changed — but it's not the full story. The Carnival may have a new look and feel, but what's changing even more is its sound. Cologne's music scene is huge and unique in Germany. It has transformed rapidly over the past two decades — and that has impacted Carnival music, too..

Das Muster ist kein Koelner Alleinstellungsmerkmal. In New Orleans praesentieren Mardi-Gras-Paraden zunehmend Hip-Hop und elektronische Beats neben traditionellen Brass Bands. Londons Notting Hill Carnival, einst ein ueberwiegend folkloristisches Ereignis, wird heute von Soundsystemen mit Reggae, Dancehall und Bass-Musik bestimmt. In jedem Fall ueberleben traditionelle Feste, indem sie die musikalische Sprache der Gegenwart aufnehmen, statt in der Vergangenheit zu erstarren TikTok, beats, street party: Cologne's Carnival has a new imagedw.com·SecondaryCologne's Carnival is known the world over as the epitome of German zaniness — complete with people in costumes linked arm-in-arm, swaying to the music and gleefully singing traditional songs. That part hasn't changed — but it's not the full story. The Carnival may have a new look and feel, but what's changing even more is its sound. Cologne's music scene is huge and unique in Germany. It has transformed rapidly over the past two decades — and that has impacted Carnival music, too..

Kritiker des Wandels sorgen sich um den Verlust des Eigenstaendigen — dass ein Karnevalslied, das von einem Mainstream-Pop-Track nicht zu unterscheiden sei, die kulturelle Spezifik verliere, die die Tradition bedeutsam mache. Andere weisen darauf hin, dass der kommerzielle Druck viraler TikTok-Verbreitung Neuheit ueber Tiefe belohnen koenne und Songs hervorbringe, die fuer 15-Sekunden-Clips statt fuer anhaltendes gemeinschaftliches Singen konzipiert seien.

Doch die Evidenz von der Strasse legt nahe, dass die Transformation weitgehend angenommen wird. Waehrend des Strassenkarneval — den sechs Tagen zwischen Weiberfastnacht und Veilchendienstag — feiern Hunderttausende ohne feste Programme oder Buehnen. Die Musik muss spontan zuenden, und nach allen Berichten tut sie das. Die Kostueme haben sich entsprechend verschoben: weniger an traditionellen Karnevalsfiguren orientiert, mehr an Popikonen, Internet-Memes und politischen Statements TikTok, beats, street party: Cologne's Carnival has a new imagedw.com·SecondaryCologne's Carnival is known the world over as the epitome of German zaniness — complete with people in costumes linked arm-in-arm, swaying to the music and gleefully singing traditional songs. That part hasn't changed — but it's not the full story. The Carnival may have a new look and feel, but what's changing even more is its sound. Cologne's music scene is huge and unique in Germany. It has transformed rapidly over the past two decades — and that has impacted Carnival music, too..

Fuer Koeln stehen kulturelle wie wirtschaftliche Interessen auf dem Spiel. Die Karnevalssaison generiert Hunderte Millionen Euro an Tourismuseinnahmen und stuetzt ein Oekosystem aus Veranstaltungsorten, Kostuemlaeden und Produktionsfirmen. Ein juengeres, digital vernetztes Publikum, das sich das ganze Jahr ueber mit Karnevalsmusik beschaeftigt — nicht nur waehrend der offiziellen Session —, stellt eine erhebliche Erweiterung dieses Marktes dar TikTok, beats, street party: Cologne's Carnival has a new imagedw.com·SecondaryCologne's Carnival is known the world over as the epitome of German zaniness — complete with people in costumes linked arm-in-arm, swaying to the music and gleefully singing traditional songs. That part hasn't changed — but it's not the full story. The Carnival may have a new look and feel, but what's changing even more is its sound. Cologne's music scene is huge and unique in Germany. It has transformed rapidly over the past two decades — and that has impacted Carnival music, too..

Ob die Karnevalsmaus in einem Jahrzehnt noch in Erinnerung sein wird, bleibt offen. Doch die Kraefte, die sie hervorgebracht haben — Verbreitung ueber soziale Medien, genreuebergreifende Produktion, Dialekt als Identitaet statt als Nostalgie — veraendern Koelns fuenfte Jahreszeit auf eine Weise, die von Dauer sein duerfte. Wie Hinz es formulierte: Eine Pop-Ballade aus Koeln, die ebenso gut von einem internationalen Popstar gesungen werden koennte, verbinde heute Menschen ueber Generationen hinweg TikTok, beats, street party: Cologne's Carnival has a new imagedw.com·SecondaryCologne's Carnival is known the world over as the epitome of German zaniness — complete with people in costumes linked arm-in-arm, swaying to the music and gleefully singing traditional songs. That part hasn't changed — but it's not the full story. The Carnival may have a new look and feel, but what's changing even more is its sound. Cologne's music scene is huge and unique in Germany. It has transformed rapidly over the past two decades — and that has impacted Carnival music, too.. Die Musik hat sich gewandelt. Die Party, nach allem was man hoert, nicht.