Popol Vuh were one of the most singular and spiritual voices in all of Krautrock. Founded in Munich in 1969 by keyboardist Florian Fricke, they began as Moog-driven space-music pioneers before abandoning electronics for a hushed, devotional blend of piano, choir and world instruments — and forged an immortal partnership with filmmaker Werner Herzog. These are meditative, mostly wordless pieces. Here is our fellow fan’s ranking of their finest.

The short version

If you only hear a few, make them “Hosianna Mantra”, “Aguirre I (Lacrime di Rei)”, “Kyrie” and “Vuh” — the title piece of their spiritual masterpiece, the iconic choir-and-organ theme from Herzog’s film, their most memorable composition, and a great side-long organ epic. The full ranking is below.

The spiritual heart of Krautrock

Popol Vuh made some of the most transcendent music ever to come out of Germany. Founded in Munich in 1969 by keyboardist Florian Fricke — one of the first musicians in the country to own a Moog — they began as space-music pioneers on Affenstunde and In den Gärten Pharaos, then made a radical turn: Fricke abandoned the synthesizer almost entirely for piano, choir, guitar and instruments from around the world, chasing the sacred on Hosianna Mantra and beyond. Above all, their ethereal, meditative sound became inseparable from the films of Werner Herzog, scoring Aguirre, Nosferatu, Fitzcarraldo and Heart of Glass. Precursors of world, new age and ambient music alike, they sounded like no one else. These fifteen pieces are the best.

How we ranked them

This is one fan’s order, weighing atmosphere, spiritual depth, beauty and lasting influence. The facts are accurate; the order is a starting point for the debate.

The essential six

At the very top sits “Hosianna Mantra” (1972), the title piece of their spiritual masterpiece. With it: “Aguirre I (Lacrime di Rei)” (1975), the iconic choir-and-organ theme from Herzog’s film; “Kyrie” (1972), the album’s most memorable composition, Djong Yun’s soprano floating over weeping guitar; “Vuh” (1971), a great side-long organ epic; “Einsjäger & Siebenjäger” (1974), the sprawling, ecstatic title piece; and “Hüter der Schwelle” (1977), a serene highlight of the Heart of Glass score.

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Reliably great

The next tier is essential too. “Ah!” (1972) is the nervous, cascading piano opener; “In den Gärten Pharaos” (1971) is the hypnotic Moog-and-organ title piece; “Morgengruß” (1974) is a gentle, glowing “morning greeting”; “Aguirre II” (1975) is a darker, propulsive companion to the main theme; and “Engel der Gegenwart” (1977) is a shimmering, meditative opener.

Deeper cuts

For the dedicated, these reward repeat listens. “Nicht hoch im Himmel” (1972) is a tender, devotional close to their masterpiece; “Affenstunde” (1970) is the Moog-and-percussion piece that opened their story; “Vergegenwärtigung” (1975) is a vast, sixteen-minute ambient meditation; and “Through Pain to Heaven” (1978) is a haunting piece from their iconic vampire score.

Every piece at a glance

All fifteen pieces, in chronological order — each linked to the album it comes from, so you can hear it in context.

Where to start

Begin with Hosianna Mantra, their spiritual masterpiece, and the Aguirre soundtrack, home to the iconic “Aguirre I (Lacrime di Rei)”, then the early Moog work In den Gärten Pharaos and the Nosferatu score. The albums in between — Seligpreisung and Das Hohelied Salomos — and Fricke’s many later works reward deeper exploration.

The people

Popol Vuh revolved entirely around Florian Fricke, a classically trained pianist and one of Germany’s earliest Moog owners, who wrote and shaped every phase of the group’s music. His most important collaborators included Korean soprano Djong Yun, whose voice defined their spiritual masterpieces; guitarist and drummer Daniel Fichelscher and singer Renate Knaup, both of whom came from Amon Düül II; oboist Robert Eliscu; and, above all, filmmaker Werner Herzog, whose films gave the music a second life. Florian Fricke died in 2001, bringing Popol Vuh to an end.

Why they still matter

Popol Vuh proved that progressive and electronic music could be a genuinely spiritual experience. Kindred cosmic travellers of Tangerine Dream — Fricke even played the Moog on their landmark Zeit — Klaus Schulze and Ash Ra Tempel, they helped invent what we now call ambient, new age and world music. Decades on, their scores for Werner Herzog and the luminous Hosianna Mantra remain touchstones of transcendent sound.

Go deeper

Keep exploring: rank their records with our guide to the best Popol Vuh albums, find an entry point with where to start with Popol Vuh, or dig into the underrated Popol Vuh albums. You can also place them in the bigger picture with the best progressive rock songs of all time.

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