Opening of the Austropop Museum: A celebration of music history!

Opening of the Austropop Museum: A celebration of music history!

On September 14, 2025, the “Austropop Museum” was ceremoniously opened in Fürstenfeld. This new institution is dedicated to the history of Austropop and wants to make the many facets of this music genre tangible. The opening was not only the start of a large number of exhibitions, but was also a class reunion of greats from the Austrian music scene, including STS, Boris Bukowski, EAV, Magic, Opus and Carl Peyer. Günter Timischl from STS expressed his pride in the new museum and the associated appreciation of the region's musical past.

The museum features a variety of interactive experiences as well as over 40 hours of video footage featuring music greats. Visitors have the opportunity to admire gold records and guitars from Styrian music legends. The architect Friedrich Ohnewein, who is behind the design of the museum, has a strong passion for music and has created a summer exhibition that highlights the importance of recordings and the big names in the music scene. This initiative aims to preserve the Austropop heritage, which has been firmly anchored in Austria since its origins in the 19th century.

The history of Austropop

Austropop has its roots in the satirical theater of the 19th century and was significantly influenced by artists such as Johann Nestroy and Ferdinand Raimund, who wrote well-known politically and socially critical texts in dialect. Hans Moser, a popular actor known for his song “Die phylloxera”, and in the post-war period Erich Meder and Hans Lang, who celebrated success with their insulting songs, are just a few of the pioneers of this style of music.

In the 1950s, Austropop experienced a heyday, while artists like Udo Jürgens and Peter Alexander dominated the hit scene. The duo Pirron and Knapp also performed cabaret music in dialect, building an important bridge to the later pioneers of Austropop. The 1970s are considered the peak of Austropop with artists such as Wolfgang Ambros and Georg Danzer, who integrated the dialect into their music. Danzer in particular achieved his breakthrough in 1975 with “Jö Schau”, while the Worried Men Skiffle Group attracted attention with environmentally critical texts.

A look into the future of Austropop

Austropop has evolved over the last few decades. While the 1980s were characterized by the influence of the Neue Deutsche Welle, artists like Falco achieved international success, particularly with hits such as “The Commissioner” and “Rock Me Amadeus”. In the 1990s, Hubert von Goisern established himself with his alpine rock and combines tradition with contemporary sounds. The beginnings of bands like Bilderbuch and Wanda from 2013 onwards show that this tradition lives on and that younger artists continue to operate successfully in the Austrian music market.

The “Austropop Museum” in Fürstenfeld not only offers an insight into the rich history of Austropop, but also a glimpse of its future and the legacy that the coming generation can preserve and develop. The opening of the museum is seen as a significant step towards emphasizing the cultural significance of this musical style and preserving it for future generations.

For more information, stay tuned to the reporting crown, Small newspaper as well as a comprehensive overview of the development and importance of Austropop Wikipedia referred.