Cologne pop music on the rise: Holger Czukay Prize honors new talent

Cologne pop music on the rise: Holger Czukay Prize honors new talent

In the city of Cologne, the landscape of pop music has changed noticeably in recent years. While local music greats are often celebrated far away, unknown bands have achieved international fame. The desire for more recognition for the local music scene became loud, and so Till Kniola was appointed speaker for pop and film culture. He heard the call for change and developed the concept for the Holger Czukay Prize, named after the world-famous bassist from Can. This prize is the best-paid award for pop music in Germany and was awarded for the seventh time this year. Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger reports that Kniola not only brings a breath of fresh air to the local scene, but is also convinced that pop plays a role in everyday life in the city like a seismograph.

However, the roots of pop promotion in Cologne are still young. Knieola is only the second commissioner for this area; Previously, the position of rock representative was more of a temporary solution and originally served as a job creation measure in the youth welfare office. Manfred Post, who held the office for over 23 years, made a decisive contribution to making the city an important center for rock music by founding the rock support association and organizing events such as the “Six-Pack” concert series. His efforts also led to the establishment of Popkomm, which eventually moved to Berlin, and the c/o pop festival, which brought the electronic music scene into focus.

Awards ceremony 2025

Back to the award ceremony: This year Ozan Ata Canani received the Holger Czukay Prize. The artist is considered the inventor of “Turkish rock'n'roll” and was honored for his most famous song “Deutsche Freunde” and his debut album “Wait my country, wait”. The Cologne reggae singer Tilmann Otto, known from the 90s, received the honorary prize of 5,000 euros. The punk rock band The Red Flags were also happy about the future prize of 2,500 euros. The entire event illustrates the diversity and creativity that is bubbling in Cologne.

However, the pressure on the city's budget is palpable, and Kniola emphasizes that more financial support for pop culture is urgently needed. Through initiatives and offers of help, he would like to offer both newcomers and established artists a platform to realize their projects. The funding is already continuing: The Cologne Cultural Office has made a selection from 91 applications with ten funded projects, including the band “The Red Flags” and the musician Elektro Hafiz, in order to promote creative work on site. Juana von Stein, head of the cultural office, emphasizes how important a functioning infrastructure is for the local scene and that such initiatives can sustainably revitalize the music scene. You can find out more about this in the cultural news on WDR.

Cologne as a cultural center

Cologne, Germany's fourth largest city, is known as a major cultural center and offers an exciting mix of tradition and modernity. The city was founded in 38 BC. BC from the Ubier tribe, as an Anglespanzer of a local trading community. Cologne is famous not only for the impressive Cologne Cathedral, which was for a long time the tallest building in the world, but also for its colorful carnival celebrations and a dynamic musical scene. Despite the destruction of the Second World War, in which 80% of the city center was lost, the city shows that it has risen again with energetic festivals and events. The multicultural population with significant Turkish and Italian communities contributes to the rich cultural diversity that characterizes Cologne.

Overall, Cologne shows that there is still a lot of room for improvement when it comes to promoting pop music. With the right resources and initiatives, the city can provide a stage for both local artists and international talent and further establish its own culture on a global scale.