The verdict
Cleared After Dispute
A real, settled dispute: Kraftwerk sought compensation from Tommy Boy for the unlicensed use of this beat AND “Trans-Europe Express” together in “Planet Rock” (both already in this catalog), settled at $1 per record — one joint settlement covering both songs.
Quick Facts
Released1981
AlbumComputer World
GenreElectronic, Electro
LabelKling Klang / EMI / Warner Bros.
ProducerRalf Hütter · Florian Schneider
Recorded atKling Klang Studio, Düsseldorf
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The songwriters of record — Karl Bartos, Ralf Hütter & Florian Schneider
Songfacts → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — originally No Nonsense Music (ASCAP); needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Unknown · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
Yes — widely credited with inspiring the electro genre; sampled through the 1980s (Dr. Dre, Sir Mix-a-Lot, Ultramagnetic MC’s, Biz Markie, 2 Live Crew, Run-DMC). Its Planet Rock use was settled.
Do they allow reuse?
The famous Planet Rock use was a real, settled dispute (joint with Trans-Europe Express); Kraftwerk are known to guard their catalog.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
Used this beat (with Trans-Europe Express) — one joint settlement covered both (already in this catalog)
Covered together with this song in the same Planet Rock settlement (already in this catalog)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Karl Bartos, Ralf Hütter & Florian Schneider
A real, confirmed joint settlement (with Planet Rock)Kraftwerk contacted Tommy Boy for compensation over the unlicensed use of this beat AND “Trans-Europe Express”’s melody together in Afrika Bambaataa’s “Planet Rock” (both already in this catalog). The settlement — $1 per record sold, with Tommy Boy raising the single’s price to offset it — covered BOTH Kraftwerk songs jointly, in one matter, not separately.
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
They recorded a computer album without owning a computer
Contrary to what the deeply computer-themed “Computer World” might suggest, Kraftwerk recorded it without actually owning a computer at the time.
Songfacts (Computer World) · read it →
A separate layered chain, best understood as influence — not a literal sample
J.J. Fad’s “Supersonic” is widely associated with “Numbers,” but its producer Arabian Prince has said the Kraftwerk-like “click” was an independently invented Roland TR-808 trick, not a sample of this recording — a genuine stylistic influence. Fergie’s “Fergalicious” later drew on that lineage and separately sampled another Kraftwerk track, “It’s More Fun to Compute.”
Songfacts · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
—
Times sampled
A foundational electro record
Covers
—
First flip
Big names who used itAfrika Bambaataa · Dr. Dre · 2 Live Crew
Who to Contact
NU
Kraftwerk (Bartos, Hütter, Schneider)
The confirmed songwriters of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 7)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass