99 Luftballons#Charts and certifications

{{About|the Nena song|the song's album|99 Luftballons (album){{!}}99 Luftballons (album)}}

{{Infobox song

| name = 99 Luftballons

| cover = 99 Luftballons single cover.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Nena

| album = Nena {{noitalic|and}} 99 Luftballons

| language = German

| English_title = "99 Red Balloons"

| released =

March 1983 (West Germany)
1984 (United Kingdom)

| recorded =

| studio =

| genre = * Neue Deutsche Welle{{cite magazine|last=Sheffield|first=Rob|date=27 September 2022|title=100 Best Songs of 1982|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-songs-of-1982-1234592830/|access-date=9 September 2023|magazine=Rolling Stone|quote=...the German New Wave boom that also gave us...Nena ("99 Luftballons")...)}}

synth-pop{{cite web|first=Tom|last=Breihan|title=The Number Ones: Van Halen's "Jump|publisher=Stereogum|date=10 August 2020|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2094032/the-number-ones-van-halens-jump/columns/the-number-ones/|quote=Nena’s apocalyptic German-language synthpop banger "99 Luftballons" peaked at #2 behind "Jump".|access-date=29 July 2023}}

| length = 3:53

| label = Epic

| composer = Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen

| lyricist =

Carlo Karges (German lyrics)
Kevin McAlea (English lyrics)

| producer =

| prev_title = Nur geträumt

| prev_year = 1982

| next_title = Leuchtturm

| next_year = 1983

| misc = {{External music video|header=Official video|{{YouTube|Fpu5a0Bl8eY|"99 Luftballons"}}}}

}}

"99 Luftballons" ({{langx|de|link=no|Neunundneunzig Luftballons}}, "99 balloons") is a song by the West German band Nena from their 1983 self-titled album. An English-language version titled "99 Red Balloons" ({{langx|de|link=no|Neunundneunzig Rote Luftballons}}), with lyrics by Kevin McAlea, was also released by Nena on the album 99 Luftballons in 1984 after widespread success of the original in Europe and Japan. The English version is not a direct translation of the German original and contains lyrics with a somewhat different meaning.{{cite web|title=99 Red Balloons – interview with the writer, Kevin McAlea|work=Eighty-eightynine|access-date=17 July 2014|url=http://www.eightyeightynine.com/music/99luftballoons-english.html}} In the US, the English-language version did not chart, while the German-language recording became Nena's only US hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

Lyrics

While at a June 1982 concert by the Rolling Stones in West Berlin, Nena's guitarist Carlo Karges noticed that balloons were being released. He watched them move toward the horizon, shifting and changing shapes like strange spacecraft (referred to in the German lyrics as a "UFO"). He thought about what might happen if they floated over the Berlin Wall to East Berlin.{{cite magazine|magazine=Der Spiegel|date=25 March 1984|title=99 Luftballons und das Chaos der Gefühle|url=http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-13510424.html|language=de}}Rolling Stone, 15 March 1984{{Cite web|url=https://americansongwriter.com/meaning-99-luftballons-nena-song-lyrics/|title=Balloons, Blitzkriegs, and the Berlin Wall—The Meaning Behind Nena's '99 Luftballons'|work=American Songwriter|first=Alli|last=Patton|date=8 September 2022}}

Also cited by the band was a 1973 newspaper article from the Las Vegas Review-Journal about five high school students who played a prank to simulate a UFO by launching 99 (one was lost from the original 100) aluminized Mylar balloons attached with ribbons to a traffic flare. The red flame from the flare reflected by the balloons gave the appearance of a large pulsating red object floating over Red Rock Canyon outside the Las Vegas Valley in Nevada.{{cite news|title=Strange flying object sighted over Red Rock|date=9 September 1973|newspaper=Las Vegas Review-Journal}}

A direct translation of the title is sometimes given as "Ninety-Nine Air Balloons", but the song became known in English as "Ninety-Nine Red Balloons".{{cite web|title=The New English-German Dictionary: "Luftballon"|access-date=2 June 2007|url=http://www.iee.et.tu-dresden.de/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/wernerr/search.sh?string=luftballon&nocase=on&hits=50|quote=balloon {{ndash}} der Luftballon}} {{dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}{{cite web|title=The New English-German Dictionary: "Balloon"|access-date=2 June 2007|url=http://www.iee.et.tu-dresden.de/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/wernerr/search.sh?string=balloon&nocase=on&hits=50|quote=balloon {{ndash}} der Ballon, balloon {{ndash}} der Luftballon}} {{dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}

The lyrics of the original German version tell a story: 99 balloons are mistaken for UFOs, causing a military general to send pilots to investigate. Finding nothing but balloons, the pilots put on a large show of firepower. The display of force worries the nations along the borders and the defense ministers on each side encourage conflict to grab power for themselves. In the end, a cataclysmic war results from the otherwise harmless flight of balloons and causes devastation on all sides without a victor, as indicated in the denouement of the song: "{{lang|de|99 Jahre Krieg ließen keinen Platz für Sieger}}," which means "99 years of war left no room for victors." The anti-war song finishes with the singer walking through the devastated ruins of the world and finding a single balloon. The description of what happens in the final line of the piece is the same in German and English: "{{lang|de|'Denk' an dich und lass' ihn fliegen}}," or "Think of you and let it go."{{cite web|title=99 Luftballons, Side by Side Comparison|website=In the 80s|access-date=29 October 2014|url=http://www.inthe80s.com/redger3.shtml}}

English version and other re-recordings

The English version retains the spirit of the original narrative, but many of the lyrics are translated poetically rather than being directly translated: red helium balloons are casually released by the civilian singer (narrator) with her unnamed friend into the sky and are mistakenly registered by a faulty early warning system as enemy contacts, resulting in panic and eventually nuclear war, with the end of the song near-identical to the end of the original German version.

From the outset, Nena (the lead singer) and other members of the band expressed mild disapproval of the English version of the song, "99 Red Balloons". In March 1984, the band's keyboardist and song co-writer Uwe Fahrenkrog Petersen said, "We made a mistake there. I think the song loses something in translation and even sounds silly."{{cite magazine|title=A very good group from Germany|magazine=No.1|date=17 March 1984|page=38}} In another interview that month, the band, including Nena herself, were quoted as being "not completely satisfied" with the English version, since it was "too blatant" for a group not wishing to be seen as a protest band.{{cite magazine|first=Andy|last=Strike|title=99 Red Herrings|magazine=Record Mirror|date=10 March 1984|page=14}}

Two re-recordings of the original German version of the song have been released by Nena the singer: a modern ballad version, which was included on Nena feat. Nena (2002),{{cite web|title=Nena feat. Nena – 20 Jahre by Nena|url=https://itunes.apple.com/de/album/nena-feat.-nena-20-jahre/id79336560?l=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140121152959/https://itunes.apple.com/de/album/nena-feat.-nena-20-jahre/id79336560?l=en|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 January 2014|publisher=iTunes Store|access-date=27 June 2013}} and a 2009 retro version,{{cite web|title=99 Luftballons – Single by Nena|date=5 November 2010|publisher=iTunes Store US. Apple Inc.|access-date=27 June 2013|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/99-luftballons-single/id587139487|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140121153001/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/99-luftballons-single/id587139487|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 January 2014}} which originally aired as an animated video on the European Arte channel (as part of a special called "Summer of the '80s") and included some portions in French (specifically, the second part of the first verse and the entire final verse). Nena later formally released this rendition on her 2010 Best of Nena compilation, but the French text was omitted and replaced with the original German lyrics.

Live recordings of the song are included on all seven of Nena's live albums, dating from 1995 to 2018.{{cite web|title=99 Luftballons|website=Nena.de|date=11 May 2013|access-date=8 March 2016|url=http://www.nena.de/de/99-luftballons|archive-date=9 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309000104/http://www.nena.de/de/99-luftballons|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Live at SO36|website=Nena.de|date=4 February 1960|access-date=8 March 2016|url=http://www.nena.de/de/discografie/live-so36|archive-date=9 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309001359/http://www.nena.de/de/discografie/live-so36|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Nichts Versäumt Live|website=Nena.de|date=4 February 1960|access-date=9 November 2018|url=https://www.nena.de/en/node/2505|archive-date=9 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181109204726/https://www.nena.de/en/node/2505|url-status=dead}}

Reception

American and Australian audiences preferred the original German version, which became a very successful non-English-language song, topping charts in both countries, reaching number one on the Cashbox chart, Kent Music Report, and number two on the Billboard Hot 100, behind "Jump" by Van Halen.{{cite magazine|title=March 3, 1984 – The Hot 100|magazine=Billboard|date=3 March 1984|access-date=17 July 2014|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/1984-03-03/hot-100}} It was certified gold by the RIAA. The later-released English translation, "99 Red Balloons", topped the charts in Canada and on the UK singles chart and Irish Singles Chart.

In his 2010 book Music: What Happened?, critic and musician Scott Miller declared that the song possesses "one of the best hooks of the '80s" and listed it among his top song picks for 1984. Nonetheless, he cautioned: "It must be admitted that this song suffers from an embarrassingly out-of-place disco funk interlude, and the word Kriegsminister."{{cite book|first=Scott|last=Miller|author-link=Scott Miller (pop musician)|title=Music: What Happened?|year=2010|page=120|publisher=125 Books|location=Alameda, CA|isbn=978-0-61538-196-1}}

Music video

The promotional video, which was originally made for the Dutch music programme TopPop and broadcast on 13 March 1983, was shot in a Dutch military training camp, the band performing the song on a stage in front of a backdrop of fires and explosions provided by the Dutch Army. Towards the end of the video, the band are seen taking cover and abandoning the stage, which was unplanned and genuine since they believed the explosive blasts were getting out of control.{{cite book|first=Rolf|last=Brendel|year=2014|title=Nena – Geschichte einer Band|publisher=Aufbau Verlag GmbH & Co|location=Berlin|pages=131–5|isbn=978-3-35105-015-3}}

VH1 Classic, an American cable television station, ran a charity event for Hurricane Katrina relief in 2006. Viewers who made donations were allowed to choose which music videos the station would play. One viewer donated $35,000 for the right to program an entire hour and requested continuous play of "99 Luftballons" and "99 Red Balloons" videos. The station broadcast the videos as requested on 26 March 2006.{{cite press release|title=VH1 Classic to Air the Classic 80s Music Video '99 Luftballons' for an Entire Hour on Sunday, 26 March|date=22 March 2006|publisher=VH1 Classic|agency=PR Newswire|access-date=28 March 2014|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vh1-classic-to-air-the-classic-80s-music-video-99-luftballons-for-an-entire-hour-on-sunday-march-26-55496712.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100907063933/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vh1-classic-to-air-the-classic-80s-music-video-99-luftballons-for-an-entire-hour-on-sunday-march-26-55496712.html|archive-date=7 September 2010|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|title=VH1 Classic to air '99 Red Balloons' music video for a full hour|newspaper=USA Today|agency=Associated Press|date=24 March 2006|access-date=11 October 2017|url=https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2006-03-24-vh1-classic-fundraiser_x.htm}}

Charts

=German version=

==Weekly charts==

scope="row"\|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite web\|title=Australia No. 1 hits {{ndash}} 1980's\|website=World Charts\|url=http://www.worldcharts.co.uk/chartfeatures/aus/aus80.htm\|url-status=dead\|archive-date=9 January 2017\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170109053925/http://www.worldcharts.co.uk/chartfeatures/aus/aus80.htm}} \|1
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !Chart (1983–1984) !Peak position
{{single chart\|Austria\|1\|artist=Nena\|song=99 Luftballons\|rowheader=true\|access-date=4 June 2013}}
{{single chart\|Flanders\|1\|artist=Nena\|song=99 Luftballons\|rowheader=true\|access-date=4 June 2013}}
scope="row"\|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite web\|title=UK, Eurochart, Billboard & Cashbox No.1 Hits\|website=MusicSeek.info\|url-status=dead\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060614052149/http://musicseek.info/no1hits/1983.htm\|archive-date=14 June 2006\|url=http://musicseek.info/no1hits/1983.htm}} \|1
scope="row"\|Finland (Suomen virallinen lista){{cite book\|url=https://musiikkiarkisto.fi/oa/_tiedostot/julkaisut/sisaltaa-hitin.pdf#page=267\|first=Timo\|last=Pennanen\|year=2021\|title=Sisältää hitin – 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021\|section=Bonnie Tyler\|page=267\|publisher=Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava\|location=Helsinki\|access-date=11 July 2022\|language=fi}} \|5
scope="row"\|Italy (Musica e dischi){{cite web\|url=http://www.musicaedischi.it/classifiche_archivio.php\|title=Classifiche\|work=Musica e dischi\|language=it}} Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Nena". \|23
scope="row"\|Japan (Oricon){{cite web\|title=Japan #1 IMPORT DISKS by Oricon Hot Singles\|website=Hbr3.sakura.ne.jp\|access-date=17 July 2014\|url=http://www.hbr3.sakura.ne.jp/JPP1_e.htm\|language=ja\|archive-date=11 September 2010\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100911211711/http://www18.ocn.ne.jp/~hbr/JPP1_e.htm\|url-status=dead}} \|16
{{single chart\|Dutch40\|1\|year=1983\|week=13\|rowheader=true\|access-date=4 June 2013}}
{{single chart\|Dutch100\|1\|artist=Nena\|song=99 Luftballons\|rowheader=true\|access-date=17 July 2014\|refname="Ducth100"}}
{{single chart\|New Zealand\|1\|artist=Nena\|song=99 Luftballons\|rowheader=true\|access-date=4 June 2013}}
{{single chart\|Norway\|4\|artist=Nena\|song=99 Luftballons\|rowheader=true\|access-date=4 June 2013}}
scope="row"\|Peru (UPI){{cite news\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yDhEAAAAIBAJ&dq=la+opinion+canciones+mas+populares&pg=PA63&article_id=1604,3092197\|title=Las canciones más populares en América Latina\|newspaper=La Opinión (Los Angeles)\|language=es\|access-date=30 September 2024\|date=20 January 1984}} \| 1
scope="row"\|Spain (AFYVE){{cite book\|first=Fernando\|last=Salaverri\|date=September 2005\|title=Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002\|edition=1st\|publisher=Fundación Autor-SGAE\|location=Spain\|isbn=84-8048-639-2\|language=es}} \|10
{{single chart\|Sweden\|1\|artist=Nena\|song=99 Luftballons\|rowheader=true\|access-date=4 June 2013}}
{{single chart\|Switzerland\|1\|artist=Nena\|song=99 Luftballons\|rowheader=true\|access-date=4 June 2013}}
{{single chart\|Billboardhot100\|2\|artist=Nena\|artistid=5287\|rowheader=true\|access-date=4 June 2013}}
scope="row"\|US Billboard Dance Club Play{{cite web\|title=Nena – Awards\|publisher=AllMusic\|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/nena-mn0000395187/awards\|archive-date=28 May 2016\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160528051608/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/nena-mn0000395187/awards}} \|22
scope="row"\|US Cashbox{{cite magazine\|title=CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending MARCH 10, 1984\|magazine=Cashbox\|url=http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19840310.html\|archive-date=30 September 2012\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120930235101/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19840310.html}} \|1
{{single chart\|West Germany\|1\|artist=Nena\|song=99 Luftballons\|songid=922\|rowheader=true\|access-date=4 June 2013}}

==Year-end charts==

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !Chart (1983) !Rank
scope="row"\|Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40){{cite web\|title=Jahreshitparade 1983\|publisher=Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien\|access-date=17 July 2014\|url=http://www.austriancharts.at/1983_single.asp\|language=de}} \|17
scope="row"\|Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders){{cite web\|title=Jaaroverzichten 1983\|publisher=Ultratop. Hung Medien\|access-date=17 July 2014\|url=http://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1983\|language=nl}} \|27
scope="row"\|Germany (Official German Charts){{cite web\|title=Jahrescharts – 1983\|publisher=Offiziellecharts.de. GfK Entertainment charts\|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1983\|archive-date=9 May 2015\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150509000529/https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1983\|language=de}} \|2
scope="row"\|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40){{cite web\|title=Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1983\|publisher=Dutch Top 40\|access-date=17 July 2014\|url=http://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1983\|language=nl}} \|14
scope="row"\|Netherlands (Single Top 100){{cite web\|title=Jaaroverzichten – Single 1983\|publisher=Single Top 100. Hung Medien\|access-date=17 July 2014\|url=http://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1983&cat=s\|language=nl}} \|5
scope="row"\|Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade){{cite web\|title=Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1983\|publisher=Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien\|url=http://hitparade.ch/year.asp?key=1983\|access-date=17 July 2014\|language=de}} \|6

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1983)

!Rank

scope="row"|Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40){{cite web|title=Jahreshitparade 1983|publisher=Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien|access-date=17 July 2014|url=http://www.austriancharts.at/1983_single.asp|language=de}}

|17

scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders){{cite web|title=Jaaroverzichten 1983|publisher=Ultratop. Hung Medien|access-date=17 July 2014|url=http://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1983|language=nl}}

|27

scope="row"|Germany (Official German Charts){{cite web|title=Jahrescharts – 1983|publisher=Offiziellecharts.de. GfK Entertainment charts|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1983|archive-date=9 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150509000529/https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1983|language=de}}

scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40){{cite web|title=Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1983|publisher=Dutch Top 40|access-date=17 July 2014|url=http://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1983|language=nl}}

|14

scope="row"|Netherlands (Single Top 100){{cite web|title=Jaaroverzichten – Single 1983|publisher=Single Top 100. Hung Medien|access-date=17 July 2014|url=http://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1983&cat=s|language=nl}}

scope="row"|Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade){{cite web|title=Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1983|publisher=Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien|url=http://hitparade.ch/year.asp?key=1983|access-date=17 July 2014|language=de}}

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !Chart (1984) !Rank
scope="row"\|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite web\|url=https://i.imgur.com/MyookoA.jpg\|title=Kent Music Report No 548 – 31 December 1984 > National Top 100 Singles for 1984\|publisher=Kent Music Report\|via=Imgur\|access-date=23 January 2023}}{{cite web\|title=Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s\|publisher=Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien\|url=http://australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=40275\|url-status=dead\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006134948/http://australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=40275\|archive-date=6 October 2014}} \|18
scope="row"\|France (IFOP){{cite web\|title=TOP – 1984\|website=Top-france.fr\|access-date=17 July 2014\|url=http://www.top-france.fr/html/annuel/1984.htm\|language=fr}} \|16
scope="row"\|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web\|title=Top 100 Hits for 1984\|website=The Longbored Surfer\|access-date=17 July 2014\|url=http://longboredsurfer.com/charts/1984}} \|28
scope="row"\|US Cashbox{{cite magazine\|title=The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1984\|magazine=Cashbox\|url=http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/1984YESP.html\|url-status=dead\|archive-date=30 September 2012\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120930234839/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/1984YESP.html}} \|31

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1984)

!Rank

scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite web|url=https://i.imgur.com/MyookoA.jpg|title=Kent Music Report No 548 – 31 December 1984 > National Top 100 Singles for 1984|publisher=Kent Music Report|via=Imgur|access-date=23 January 2023}}{{cite web|title=Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s|publisher=Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien|url=http://australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=40275|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006134948/http://australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=40275|archive-date=6 October 2014}}

|18

scope="row"|France (IFOP){{cite web|title=TOP – 1984|website=Top-france.fr|access-date=17 July 2014|url=http://www.top-france.fr/html/annuel/1984.htm|language=fr}}

|16

scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web|title=Top 100 Hits for 1984|website=The Longbored Surfer|access-date=17 July 2014|url=http://longboredsurfer.com/charts/1984}}

|28

scope="row"|US Cashbox{{cite magazine|title=The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1984|magazine=Cashbox|url=http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/1984YESP.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=30 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120930234839/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/1984YESP.html}}

|31

=English version=

==Weekly charts==

scope="row"\|South Africa (Springbok Radio){{cite web\|title=South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (N)\|website=Rock.co.za\|access-date=21 June 2013\|url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(N).html}} \|3
class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !Chart (1984) !Peak position
{{single chart\|Canadatopsingles\|1\|chartid=4454\|access-date=6 July 2011\|rowheader=true\|refname="Canada"}}
{{single chart\|Ireland2\|1\|artist=Nena\|access-date=6 July 2011\|rowheader=true\|refname="IRL"}}
{{single chart\|UK\|1\|date=19840303\|access-date=17 July 2014\|rowheader=true\|refname="UK"}}

==Year-end charts==

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !Chart (1984) !Rank
scope="row"\|Canada Top Singles (RPM){{cite magazine\|title=Top 100 Singles of 1984\|magazine=RPM\|volume=41\|issue=17\|date=5 January 1985\|access-date=17 July 2014\|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.9638&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.9638.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.9638}} \| 13
scope="row"\| UK Singles (OCC){{cite web\|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-official-top-40-best-selling-songs-of-1984__32765/\|title=The Official Top 40 best-selling songs of 1984\|publisher=Official Charts Company\|access-date=13 January 2023}} \| 15

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1984)

!Rank

scope="row"|Canada Top Singles (RPM){{cite magazine|title=Top 100 Singles of 1984|magazine=RPM|volume=41|issue=17|date=5 January 1985|access-date=17 July 2014|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.9638&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.9638.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.9638}}

| 13

scope="row"| UK Singles (OCC){{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-official-top-40-best-selling-songs-of-1984__32765/|title=The Official Top 40 best-selling songs of 1984|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=13 January 2023}}

| 15

=2002 re-release=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (2002)

!Peak
position

{{single chart|Flanders Tip|17|artist=Nena|song=99 Luftballons %5b2002%5d|rowheader=true|access-date=4 June 2013}}

{{single chart|Germany|28|artist=Nena|song=99 Luftballons|songid=922|rowheader=true|access-date=4 June 2013}}

{{single chart|Dutch100|82|artist=Nena|song=99 Luftballons %5b2002%5d|rowheader=true|access-date=17 July 2014}}

{{single chart|Switzerland|77|artist=Nena|song=99 Luftballons %5b2002%5d|rowheader=true|access-date=4 June 2013|refname="swi2002"}}

Certifications

=German version=

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|type=single|artist=Nena|title=99 Luftballons|award=Platinum|relyear=1983|certyear=2022|id=11598|access-date=23 August 2022}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=France|type=single|artist=Nena|title=99 Luftballons|award=Gold|relyear=1983|certyear=1983|source=infodisc}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|type=single|artist=Nena|title=99 Luftballons|award=Gold|relyear=1983|certyear=1983}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Netherlands|type=single|artist=Nena|title=99 Luftballons|award=Gold|relyear=1983|certyear=1983|access-date=26 June 2019}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Nena|title=99 Luft Ballons|award=Gold|relyear=1984|certyear=1984}}

=English version=

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=single|artist=Nena|title=99 Red Balloons|award=Platinum|relyear=1984|certyear=1984}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Nena|title=99 Red Balloons|award=Platinum|relyear=2011|certyear=2022|id=168-1955-1|access-date=24 June 2022}}

Goldfinger version

{{Infobox song

| name = 99 Red Balloons

| cover =

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Goldfinger

| album = Stomping Ground

| language = English/German

| released = 2000

| recorded =

| studio =

| genre = Pop-punk{{cite web|url=https://loudwire.com/pop-punk-covers-80s-songs-2/|title=12 Pop-Punk Covers of '80s Songs|website=Loudwire|date=July 26, 2022|last=Selin|first=Alicia}}

| length = 3:49

| label = Jive/Mojo

| composer = Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen

| lyricist =

Carlo Karges (German lyrics)
Kevin McAlea (English lyrics)

| producer =

| prev_title = My Head

| prev_year = 1997

| next_title = Counting The Days

| next_year = 2000

| misc = {{External music video|header=Official video|{{YouTube|p-qfzH0vnOs|"99 Red Balloons"}}}}

}}

American rock band Goldfinger released their version of the song as the first single for their album Stomping Ground in 2000. The verses are sung in English, while the bridge of the song is sung in German.

They rerecorded the song for the deluxe edition of their album Never Look Back in 2022, with Travis Barker on drums.{{cite web|url=https://preludepress.com/news/2022/08/05/goldfinger-never-look-back-deluxe/|title=Goldfinger Release Deluxe Version of "Never Look Back"|website=Prelude Press|date=August 5, 2022|last=Vigil|first=Dom}} The song was used in the 2024 film Sonic the Hedgehog 3.{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-soundtrack-songs-guide/|title=Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Soundtrack Guide: Every Song & When They Play|website=Screen Rant|date=December 19, 2024|last=Zachary|first=Brandon}}