German synthpop musician Peter Schilling frequently incorporates science fiction elements into his songs, such as aliens, astronauts, and natural disasters. He is well known for the international smash tune "Major Tom," which he released in 1983. His 1983 album Error in the System gave rise to "Major Tom," a cover of David Bowie's timeless 1969 tune "Space Oddity," which became his lone international hit single. The song was originally recorded in German, but the English-language version that became a global smash. Schilling released the albums 120 Grad and Things to Come in 1984 and 1985, respectively, in both German and English. Schilling put out non-album singles from 1986 through 1989 and his 1988 compilation The Different Story. Schilling took a vacation in 1991 after experiencing burnout in 1990.
Peter Schilling