Apart from advertising reaching German radios for the first time, RTL also introduced Germans from both East and West to rock-and-roll, bebop/cool jazz and other types of American popular music which contrasted to the classical repertoire that had dominated mainland services.
RTL's introduction of American musical styles like rock-and-roll, bebop/cool jazz, and other forms of popular music to Germans from both East and West Germany was a significant shift from the classical music that had been prevalent on mainland radio stations.