The world’s biggest music stars come from the U.S. or the U.K. and produce their work in their home countries—or so one might think. In fact, however, numerous international hits from the 1970s and 1980s were created in beautiful Munich. Back then, the legendary Musicland Studios were located in the basement of the Arabellahaus, where the industry’s biggest names were regular guests. Now there are new plans for the iconic high-rise, which had actually been threatened with demolition.
Munich Makes Music History
Where sheep once grazed, the Arabellahaus in Bogenhausen was built between 1966 and 1969, modeled after American boarding houses. Over the years, the Arabellapark developed around the 75-meter-tall, 23-story residential building—essentially a small town within the city. To mark the start of the 1972 Olympic Games, a large portion of the apartments in the Arabella House were converted into a hotel, which, with its 446 rooms, remains one of the city’s largest to this day. At the same time, Musicland Studios began operations in the building’s basement and would quickly achieve legendary status.
The founder of the recording studio was producer Giovanni Giorgio Moroder, whose story Daft Punk immortalized in their song “Giorgio by Moroder.” Moroder recorded numerous songs and albums with major stars in his Munich studio and made music history there. Musicland Studios hosted artists such as Deep Purple, Elton John, Queen, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Falco, and Iron Maiden. Freddie Mercury’s solo album “Mr. Bad Guy” was also recorded here while he was living in Munich.
In 1977, Moroder collaborated with Donna Summer to create the song “I Feel Love,” which was considered a pioneering work of Eurodisco and a forerunner of genres such as techno and house. In the mid-1980s, the Italian producer moved to the U.S., and Reinhold Mack took his place at the Arabellahaus. However, when the rent for the studio was set to increase by 100% in 1987, Mack also moved to America, and Musicland Studios became a thing of the past.
The New Plans for the Arabellahaus
Although Musicland Studios have been gone for nearly 40 years, the Arabellahaus in Munich has achieved almost cult status. Its façade dominates the cityscape, making it one of the most iconic buildings of the 20th century. This made the shock all the greater when talk of demolition suddenly arose. After 50 years, the building was said to have reached the end of its life cycle and was to be replaced by a new structure. Demolition had been planned for this year, but to the delight of many, things turned out differently. A new assessment revealed that the high-rise’s structural integrity is in better shape than originally assumed. As a result, a comprehensive renovation is possible, which is scheduled to be completed by 2034.
Currently, in addition to the Sheraton Hotel and 500 apartments, the building also houses various retail stores and Munich’s tallest spa. After the renovation, the goal is to once again bring various facilities together under one roof, if possible. The rooftop terrace will then be accessible to the public via the new outdoor escalator and offer a place to relax. Current tenants must vacate the Arabellahaus by 2030, after which the plans will be implemented.
