Why Kraftwerk are (still) amazing

1. The albums have a theme, but no message.
2. The themes are futuristic, realistic, and important.
3. The song is the theme - the music is the description.
4. They mix long melodies and short rhythms in the right way.

Notes:

1. It is more important to say what is or will be than what should be (or at least equally important).  Musicians should not aspire to be philosophers. When they try message (or moral), they often sound silly.
   
   (The notable Kraftwerk exception here is of course "Radioactivity", and the message - "Stop Radioactivity" - is certainly well-intentioned and less certainly - philosophically, scientifically - up to their standard).
   
2. (The unity of) Europe, (the influence of) computers, radioactivity (or maybe the importance of physics). Biology and biotechnology do sadly not appear.
   
   Many of these songs have interestingly turned out to be anticipating the future (again, only in a descriptive, not in a normative way). But even from the perspective of a realized future (i.e. now), they are still quite futuristic. Quasars? Still cool. The Man-Machine? Still expected to make its appearance in ca. 50 years' time.
   
3. "Metal on Metal" and "Trans Europe Express"sound like a train travelling through Europe. "We are the robots" sounds like work-singing robots. The music is the essence of the description, and vice versa. (To a limited extent, this also applies to the visuals displayed on concerts).
   
4. Kraftwerk songs have long-running background melodies and short-lived electronic elements that appear and re-appear throughout the song, so carefully mixed that the songs appear hypnotic and are fun to listen to. In the 1970s and 80s, their music (the mere composition of their music) was revolutionary. Even today, "Radioactivity" (in its Minimum-Maximum version) can claim to contain some of the finest electronic tunes ever played.
   
5. And indeed, there is an element of humour to Kraftwerk. Haha.