Traditional Elements in Austrian Popular Music: Three Case Studies

Folk music traditions have always played an important role in Austrian culture and are still cultivated in various aspects of everyday life. Starting in the 1990s, pop musicians began combining elements of Alpine music with Anglo-American popular music styles more frequently. An initial wave of musicians such as Hubert von Goisern, the Ausseer Hardbradler and Global Kryner achieved national success by integrating traditional elements in their music; since then, such hybridizations have proliferated in the work of musicians and ensembles like Die Seer, Global Kryner, Trackshittaz, the holstuonarmusigbigbandclub and ‘Volks-Rock’n’Roller’ Andreas Gabalier. The principal aim of this paper is to examine how contemporary Austrian pop artists successfully cultivate individual musical identities by combining traditional elements with popular music. To investigate this musical phenomenon, we analyze the structure, rhythm, melody and harmony to pinpoint central musical elements of the first hit songs by Hubert von Goisern, the holstuonarmusigbigbandclub and Andreas Gabalier, respectively: artists who have significantly influenced the contemporary popular music scene with different musical approaches. In addition, interviews, the artists’ websites, journalistic articles and the musicians’ outward appearance are considered to analyze their methods of self-presentation. The results provide insight into a central and influential aspect of contemporary Austrian popular music, contributing to an understanding of popular music as a musical, cultural and social phenomenon.