Johann Hölzel was born in Vienna, but he was mostly known as Hans. As a young boy, he was considered a musical prodigy, reminiscent of Mozart, and he decided to pursue a career in music. He started playing the bass guitar in local bands such as "Drahdiwaberl" and "The Hallucination Company". Around that time, he changed his name to Falco, inspired by the German ski jumper Falko Weisspflog.
However, Falco felt that playing in these bands couldn't bring him the success he desired, even though his single "Ganz Wien" was a huge success. His first solo album, "Einzelhaft", was a huge commercial success, and the single "Der Kommissar" was also a hit. The next album, "Junge Römer", was not as successful, but it was appreciated by many critics.
Falco's third album, "Falco 3", was a major success, and the single "Rock Me Amadeus" reached number one in several countries, including Austria, Germany, England, South Africa, and Canada. The song stayed at the top of the Billboard 100 for four weeks.
Despite his success, Falco's personal life was marked by problems with his wife, marriage troubles, and drug addiction. He released several less successful albums between 1986 and 1992. However, he made a comeback in 1992 with the album "Nachtflug", and the single "Titanic" became a huge hit in Austria.
In 1993, Falco performed at the Donauinselfest in Vienna, and in 1995, he released the single "Mutter, Der Mann Mit Dem Koksist Da", which was successful in Germany. He later moved to the Dominican Republic, citing the intrusive media and cold winters in Austria.
Falco released his last single, "Naked", in 1996, and he worked on a new album, "Egoisten", before his death in 1998. The album was released posthumously, and a final album, "Verdammt Wir Leben Noch", was released in 1999. Falco's tombstone was inaugurated in Vienna in 1998.
