Reinhard Mey Reaches Number One on German Charts with Schatzhauser
Reinhard Mey has achieved unprecedented success at age 83, securing the number-one spot on the German album charts for the fifth time with his 30th studio album, «Schatzhauser». No other German artist at the same age has ever accomplished this feat.
Alongside its peak position in Germany, the album leads the album charts in Austria, while a high placement in Switzerland was expected upon the release of the updated ranking. This sustained commercial reach relies heavily on Mey’s core audience, who have maintained their loyalty across six decades in the deutschsprachigen Musikwelt.
A Musical Tribute to a Swiss Friend
A key driver of the strong regional resonance is Mey’s track «’s isch guet gsi», in which the Berlin-born singer uses Swiss German dialect and dedicates the song to a Swiss friend named Pius Regli. Regli is the proprietor of the «Manne Pahl» restaurant on Sylt, the Mey family’s adopted home, where the singer has gathered at an octagonal table with his family for nearly four decades. The two men first met in 1988 during the Christmas season when Regli accommodated Mey’s ten-person party.
In the song, Mey honours his long-time confidant, whom he describes as a wise reconciler and a lifesaver. The lyrics recall weeping and laughing together at the North Sea location, culminating in the spoken appreciation: Merci, Pius, ‘s isch guet gsi!
Decades of Musical Legacy and Recent Revivals
Mey has written roughly 500 songs exploring deep human themes such as friendship, grief, loss, love, and hope. His enduring career features iconic works like his 1974 hit «Über den Wolken», which remains a well-known anthem of freedom and longing.
The artist’s cultural footprint expanded further when his 1970 song «In meinem Garten» experienced an unexpected revival after being featured in a Netflix documentary by rapper Haftbefehl. Nevertheless, the octogenarian performer continues to drive massive commercial results independently through new releases like «Schatzhauser», anchored by the personal connections he has forged with generations of listeners.