Calimeros - Es ist Weihnacht (2025) Hi-Res

What adult contemporary is to American audiences, schlager music is to Europe - originating in Germany and centering simple, singsong melodies with nakedly sentimental lyrics. Switzerland’s own Calimeros is one of the more enduring acts of the genre: formed in the mid-’70s, the group enjoyed success early on with German-language tunes like “Du Bist Wie Die Sterne So Schön” and “Kreta,” from 1983’s Sommerwind - but they’ve only, seemingly, gotten more popular with time, placing more than a dozen albums in the top 10 of various national charts through Europe from the 2010s on.

The group formed in Uetendorf, just outside the city of Thun where singer/songwriter/guitarist Roland Eberhart grew up. He and drummer Kurt Wyss put the group together in 1976 for live appearances at dances and festivals. Only in 1983 did Calimeros - by now featuring Eberhart, Wyss, guitarist Andreas Messerli, bassist Martin Kummer and keyboardist Albert Leibi - finally make their debut on record with Sommerwind, featuring the swaying, romantic “Du Bist Wie Die Sterne So Schön” and “Meine Kleine Katharina” as well as the gentle “Kreta.” The album was a success on the Swiss charts, peaking at No. 9.

Calimeros continued to release music at a roughly annual pace, earning platinum sales from 1987’s 10 Jahre and gold records for Nur Aus Liebe (1989), the compilation Super Erfolge 2 (1990) and Gib Mir Deine Hand (1991). In 1992, the group even enjoyed a brief focus on a television variety show. Major changes were underway by the century’s end, when the group slimmed down to a trio, now including Eberhart, guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Andy Rynert and keyboardist Andy Steiner. As Calimeros continued to record and tour in the 21st century, their 2014 album Küsse Wie Feuer became their first Swiss Top 10 since Sommerwind and also reached similar heights on the album chart in Germany. The trio would top the Swiss charts with Sommersehnsucht (2015); Schiff Ahoi (2016); Aloha (2017); Sommerküsse (2018); Endlos Liebe (2019), also a German chart-topper; Sommer Sonne Honolulu (2020), Bahama Sunshine (2021), Sommersterne (2022) and Shalala (2024).