Viennese madness mourns: singer Martin Sobotka died surprisingly

Viennese madness mourns: singer Martin Sobotka died surprisingly

On September 20, 2025, the news shook the Austropop: Martin "Soberl" Sobotka, the charismatic singer of the cult band Wiener Madness, died. His sudden death came unexpectedly for many fans and colleagues, which made the cancellation of the planned concert at the Ottakringer Kirtag. The stage had already been set up, and numerous expectations were on the upcoming appearance, which should start at 7:30 p.m. and would have included hits like "Ned Gescheid but cool", "Café Hummel" and "Deppert". Instead, DJ Alex List and the group Marc Miner & Last Heroes played music after the announcement was: "For health reasons, the Viennese madness concert cannot take place".

Most recently, Sobotka celebrated his 51st birthday with his wife Nadine Michels-Sobotka on September 16. The shock about his death was hit hard, especially since Sobotka had to struggle with panic attacks in 2023, whereupon he took a 12-week break, including 6 weeks of rehabilitation in Ottenschlag. He had emphasized that he did not want to return to the same health situation.

Fateful turns

In addition, Sobotka has recently faced another stroke of fate: he had lost his driver's license after he was flashed in a radar trap. On Facebook, he announced humorously to take a "drive slowly" course in the Schwedenplatz driving school. He explained that he was not yet familiar with his new car and joked the speed at which he was flashed, he called it "speed of light". Sobotka confessed that he came to cook too late for his wife, and the upcoming anniversary show "25 Years of Wiener Madness" on November 8th plans to reach public transport.

The condolences for the family, friends and fans of Martin Sobotka are numerous and show the great gap that his death left. His music and contribution to the Austropop movement will remain unforgettable.

Austropop in change

The Austropop, a music direction that originated in the 19th century, was shaped by satirical theater, including by artists such as Johann Nestroy and Ferdinand Raimund. In the post -war period, copywriters such as Erich Meder and composers such as Hans Lang contributed to the bloom of the Austropop, who culminated in the 1960s and 1970s with artists such as Wolfgang Ambros and Georg Danzer. The term Austropop encompasses musical development over decades, from popular entertainment to contemporary sounds and topics that reflect society.

The musical landscape has changed over the years. While there was an increase to artists such as Christina Stürmer in the 2000s, bands such as picture book or Wanda are now very popular. The support of radio stations such as ORF, who have committed to quotas of domestic music, plays an important role in promoting the Austropop.

In the middle of all these musical developments, Martin's Sobotka's legacy remains as part of this exciting culture. He will not only remember as a musician, but also as a person, whose songs have shaped many.