Falco Net Worth

What was Falco's net worth?

Falco was an Austrian singer and songwriter who has a net worth equal to $10 million at the time of his death.

Falco was known for such hit songs as "Rock Me Amadeus," "Der Kommissar," "Jeanny," and "The Sound of Musik." His most successful single "Rock Me Amadeus" reached #1 in the US as well as in Austria, Germany, Sweden, Ireland, New Zealand, Canada, and the UK. With 20 million albums and 40 million singles sold, he is the best-selling Austrian singer in history. Falco died in a car crash in the Dominican Republic in early 1998, and three posthumous studio albums were released after that.

Early Life and Education

Falco, whose real name was Johann Hölzel, was born on February 19, 1957 in Vienna, Austria to Maria and Alois. His mother had been pregnant with triplets, but due to a dizygotic pregnancy had a miscarriage and lost her identical twins. Because he was conceived through a separate ovum, Hölzel survived. He was raised by his mother after his father left the family. Hölzel was educated as a youth at a Roman Catholic private school before transferring to Rainergymnasium in Margareten. Aspiring to become a pop star, he went on to attend the Vienna Conservatoire, but became frustrated there and soon left. Subsequently, Hölzel was conscripted for eight months of military service in the Austrian army.

Career Beginnings

Hölzel began his career in the late 1970s as a prominent figure in the Vienna underground club scene. In addition to performing music, he frequently did stripteases and performance art pieces. Hölzel played the bass guitar in various Viennese bands, including Drahdiwaberl. Around this time, he started using the stage name Falco.

Photo of Falco Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Falco

As Falco, Hölzel was signed by music manager Markus Spiegel in 1981. He subsequently hired Robert Ponger as his songwriter. Falco had his first commercial hit with his song "Der Kommissar," which was originally the B-side of his intended first single, "Helden von Heute." Highly innovative for its mix of rap verses with a sung chorus, the German-language track reached number one on the singles charts in Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and Japan. "Der Kommissar" was subsequently included on Falco's 1982 debut studio album, "Einzelhaft." Although the original version of the song wasn't able to break through on the charts in the US or UK, an English-language version of the track recorded by the British rock band After the Fire made it to number five on the US Billboard Hot 100. In 1984, Falco released his second album, "Junge Roemer." The album was a commercial disappointment worldwide, leading Falco to part ways with his songwriter Ponger and team up with Dutch brothers Rob and Ferdi Bolland.

Falco had his single greatest commercial success with his single "Rock Me Amadeus," which came out in 1985 before becoming a global smash in 1986. The song reached number one on the charts in over a dozen countries, including the US and UK. "Rock Me Amadeus" was featured on the album "Falco 3," the artist's highest-charting album in the US, at number three. The album also spawned the hit singles "Vienna Calling" and "Jeanny." The commercial performances of Falco's albums declined from that point on with such releases as "Emotional," "Wiener Blut," "Data de Groove," and "Nachtflug." However, he managed to have a considerable international hit with the single "The Sound of Musik." Falco was planning a comeback in the late 1990s, but was killed before he could release his album "Out of the Dark (Into the Light)." The album was released posthumously in 1998. It was followed by two more posthumous albums, "Verdammt wir leben noch" and "The Spirit Never Dies."

Personal Life and Death

Falco was known by his acquaintances as being simultaneously ambitious, eccentric, narcissistic, caring, and insecure about himself. He was also known as a womanizer. In the 1980s and into the 90s, Falco became addicted to alcohol and cocaine, making him particularly erratic and at times abusive. He repeatedly ignored entreaties from his manager and various collaborators to seek help. Falco's personal problems caused a strain on his relationship with Isabella Vitkovic, whom he married in 1988. While the two were together prior to the marriage, Vitkovic gave birth to a daughter named Katharina. Falco was convinced Katharina was his daughter until a paternity test proved otherwise. Katharina would later publish a memoir entitled "Falco Was My Father."

Falco lived in the Dominican Republic in the 1990s. In February of 1998, he died after his Mitsubishi Pajero collided with a bus on a road between the towns of Villa Montellano and Puerto Plata. A decade later, a film entitled "Falco: Damn It, We're Still Alive!" was released in honor of him. Written and directed by Thomas Roth, the film features musician Manuel Rubey as an adult Falco.