Editing Modern Talking (section)

===1983–1987: Beginning===
[[File:Modern Talking.svg|thumb|Modern Talking's logo since they released their second single, "[[You Can Win If You Want]]"]]

First formed in [[West Berlin]] in early 1983, they unexpectedly became popular at the beginning of 1985 with "[[You're My Heart, You're My Soul]]", with which they occupied top ten positions in 35 countries, including their homeland, where the single perched at the top of the charts for six consecutive weeks.<ref name="AM"/><ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/rap-music-and-the-far-right-germany-goes-gangsta-5347284.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220515/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/rap-music-and-the-far-right-germany-goes-gangsta-5347284.html |archive-date=15 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title= Rap music and the far right: Germany goes gangsta |newspaper= [[The Independent]] |date= 17 August 2005 |access-date= 28 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title= Modern Talking (You're My Heart, You're My Soul) |url= https://www.offiziellecharts.de/titel-details-1217 |publisher= Offiziellecharts.de. GfK Entertainment Charts |access-date= 29 July 2016 |language= de}}</ref> The single would go on to sell eight million copies worldwide.<ref name="dw"/> It was followed by another chart-topping hit, "[[You Can Win If You Want]]", which was released in the middle of 1985 off the debut album ''[[The 1st Album (Modern Talking album)|The 1st Album]]''. The album was certified platinum in Germany for selling over 500,000 units.<ref name="dw"/><ref name="BVMI">{{cite news|title= Gold-/Platin-Datenbank: Modern Talking |work= [[Bundesverband Musikindustrie]] |access-date= 23 February 2019 |url= https://www.musikindustrie.de/markt-bestseller/gold-/platin-und-diamond-auszeichnung/datenbank/?action=suche&strTitel=&strInterpret=Modern_Talking&strTtArt=alle&strAwards=checked}}</ref>

Soon after their second hit, Modern Talking released the single "[[Cheri, Cheri Lady]]" which also quickly climbed to number one in West Germany, Finland, Greece, Spain, Switzerland, Austria and Norway, and made it into the top ten in Denmark, Belgium, Sweden and the Netherlands.<ref>{{cite web|title= Discographie von Modern Talking (You're My Heart, You're My Soul) |url= https://www.offiziellecharts.de/suche?artistId=modern%20talking |publisher= Offiziellecharts.de. GfK Entertainment Charts |access-date= 29 July 2016 |language= de}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title= Modern Talking – Cheri, Cheri Lady |publisher= Swisscharts.com. Hung Medien |url= http://www.swisscharts.com/song/Modern-Talking/Cheri,-Cheri-Lady-1320 |access-date= 7 May 2015}}</ref> As the sole track released from ''[[Let's Talk About Love (Modern Talking album)|Let's Talk About Love]]'', it procured that second album's platinum status in West Germany (for sales over 500,000).<ref name="dw"/><ref name="BVMI"/> Success continued with two further number-one singles, "[[Brother Louie (Modern Talking song)|Brother Louie]]" and "[[Atlantis Is Calling (S.O.S. for Love)]]", from the third album, ''[[Ready for Romance]]''. The duo also charted high with their sixth single, "[[Geronimo's Cadillac (Modern Talking song)|Geronimo's Cadillac]]", from the fourth album, ''[[In the Middle of Nowhere]]'', and "[[Jet Airliner (Modern Talking song)|Jet Airliner]]" from their fifth album, ''[[Romantic Warriors]]''.

Due to the lacklustre reception accorded the [[In the Garden of Venus|sixth album]], Bohlen announced the project's termination in a German interview given while Anders was away in Los Angeles.<ref name="Anders">{{cite book|first= Thomas |last= Anders |year= 2011 |title= 100% Anders. Die Wahrheit über Modern Talking, Nora und sein Leben |edition= 1st |publisher= Koch |isbn= 978-3708105178 |language= de}}</ref> The two had had a relationship that was quarrelsome, if not tumultuous, and this only worsened the animosity. Bohlen cited Anders' then wife Nora as the main reason for breaking up: she'd forbidden her husband from being interviewed by female reporters and repeatedly demanded major changes to shows, videos and recordings,<ref name="Bohlen">{{cite book|first= Dieter |last= Bohlen |year= 2002 |title= Nichts als die Wahrheit |edition= 1st |publisher= [[Heyne Verlag|Heyne]] |isbn= 978-3453861435 |language= de}}</ref> a fact that Anders would admit to in his biography.<ref name="Anders"/> After a last phone call, heavily laden with profanity and insults, they broke off all contact for over ten years.<ref name="Anders"/><ref name="Bohlen"/>

During their early era, Modern Talking knew success in Europe, Asia, South America, the Middle East and Iran. In Britain, they only entered the chart with 4 songs, with "Brother Louie" being their highest at number 4.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/22589/MODERN%20TALKING/ |title= Modern Talking |publisher= [[Official Charts Company]] |access-date= 7 May 2015}}</ref> In 1985, RCA signed Modern Talking for a US deal and released their first album there, but they remained virtually unknown there, and certainly didn't make the US charts.<ref>{{cite news|first= Roger |last= Kaye |title= McCartney back to Capitol |newspaper= [[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]] |page= 4E |date= 17 November 1985 |access-date= 3 January 2021 |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65862398/forth-worth-star-telegram-17-nov-1985/}}</ref>

They released two albums each year from 1985 to 1987, while also promoting their singles on television across Europe, eventually selling 65 million records in three years.<ref name="sonymusic">{{cite web|title= Modern Talking |publisher= [[Sony Music Entertainment|Sony Music Entertainment Germany]] |url= http://www.sonymusic.de/Modern-Talking/Biographie |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130606223038/http://www.sonymusic.de/Modern-Talking/Biographie |archive-date= 6 June 2013}}</ref>

Notably, Modern Talking were one of the first [[Western bloc]] bands sale of whose records was allowed in the [[Soviet Union]]. After four decades of [[Cold War]] censorship and import restrictions, Chairman [[Mikhail Gorbachev]]'s [[glasnost]] reforms in the USSR in 1986 opened up the Soviet sphere to western bands, including Modern Talking at the height of their popularity. As a result, they nurtured a large, enduring fanbase in Eastern Europe.<ref>{{cite magazine|first= Ann-Dorit |last= Boy |title= Die Russen mögen's Anders |magazine= [[Der Spiegel]] |date= 24 April 2009 |access-date= 1 April 2019 |url= http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/musik/modern-talking-die-russen-moegen-s-anders-a-620893.html |language= de}}</ref>