Rookies & Kings

Rookies & Kings is a German-Italian independent record label headquartered in Munich, Germany, and Brixen (Bressanone) in South Tyrol, Italy. It was founded in 2008 by Philipp Burger, the singer of the German rock band Frei.Wild, together with his manager Stefan Harder, a former Universal Music Group executive. The label was created after Frei.Wild's contract with Asphalt Records ended, and its first release was Frei.Wild's album "Hart am Wind," which gave the band its first entry into the German charts. Rookies & Kings describes itself as a German-Italian record label and operates as a privately held company led by Burger and Harder. The label's roster grew beyond Frei.Wild to include German rock acts such as Unantastbar, Serum 114, and Raven Henley, as well as hard rock band Spitfire and gothic rock band Mono Inc. It also handles merchandise for its artists and maintains two studios, one in Dessau, Germany, and one in South Tyrol, Italy, plus a retail store in Brixen. Distribution was handled by SPV from 2012 and by Soulfood Music Distribution GmbH from 2015. The label's catalog includes releases by Frei.Wild and solo work by Philipp Burger, such as the 2023 album "Grenzland" and the single "Nie wieder." Rookies & Kings remains active in the German-language rock and Deutschrock scene, with its official website serving as a hub for releases, news, and artist updates.

Rookies & Kings was founded in 2008 by Philipp Burger, singer of the German rock band Frei.Wild, and his manager Stefan Harder, a former Universal Music Group executive. Before the label's creation, Frei.Wild had been signed to Asphalt Records, where they released their final album for that label, "Gegen alles, gegen nichts." After that contract ended, Burger and Harder established Rookies & Kings. The label's first release was Frei.Wild's album "Hart am Wind," which marked the band's first entry into the German charts. Following this initial success, Rookies & Kings expanded its roster by signing additional artists and bands. After Raven Henley, the label took on the friendly bands Unantastbar and Serum 114. Beyond German rock acts, Rookies & Kings also signed the hard rock band Spitfire and the gothic rock band Mono Inc. In 2012, the label entered a distribution agreement with SPV. From 2015, distribution was taken over by Soulfood Music Distribution GmbH. In addition to its label work, Rookies & Kings distributes merchandise for its bands. The company operates two studios, one in Dessau, Germany, and one in South Tyrol, Italy, and also has a retail store in Brixen. The label is headquartered in Munich, Germany, and Brixen, South Tyrol, Italy, and is led by Burger and Harder. Its catalog includes releases by Frei.Wild and solo work by Philipp Burger, such as the 2023 album "Grenzland" and the single "Nie wieder." The label remains active in the German-language rock and Deutschrock scene.

• 2023

  Philipp Burger releases album 'Grenzland'; Frei.Wild release single 'Nie wieder'.

• 2022

  Frei.Wild announce 20th anniversary vinyl editions and limited box set.

• 2015

  Distribution taken over by Soulfood Music Distribution GmbH.

• 2012

  Distribution agreement with SPV begins.

• 2008

  Rookies & Kings founded by Philipp Burger and Stefan Harder.

• 2008

  First release: Frei.Wild album 'Hart am Wind', first chart entry for the band.

Independent German-Italian rock and Deutschrock label with in-house merchandise and studio operations.

• 2008

  Hart am Wind

• 2023

  Grenzland

• 2023

  Nie wieder

• 2023

  Auf alles was war

• 2022

  Wir schaffen Deutsch.Land – Best of Studio + Live + Piano Recordings

• 2022

  20 Jahre J.V.A. Edition

1. 1Home || Rookies & Kingsrookiesandkings.com
2. 2Rookies & Kingswikidata.org
3. 3Rookies & Kingsde.wikipedia.org