Scorpions
Scorpions are one of Germany's most popular rock exports. As part of the first wave of 1970s heavy metal, the band played a tight melodic version of the increasingly harder and heavier rock that was becoming popular at the time. Scorpions would go on to influence hair-metal acts like Motley Crue, as well as more aggressive bands like Megadeth and Metallica. The band's 1989 Cold War power-ballad "Winds of Change" was an international smash and sold several million copies worldwide.