Good vibes, good company, free-flowing beer... it's safe to say that après-ski is a moment that almost every skier and snowboarder looks forward to, whether it's dancing on tables or singing along lustily (and incorrectly) to corny Austrian folk songs. Winter sport enthusiasts across the Alps gather every night in umbrella huts and village bars to bop along to their favourite beats. And you can count on every good mountain hut playing some new hits and some tried-and-true classics, without which après-ski just wouldn't be après-ski! Here are our top selections for this season.
German singer Peter Wackel has a few hits to his name, including the popular "Joana". The catchy "Schwarze Natascha" was released in 2016 and will brighten up any après-ski joint.
Peter Wackel has the solution to the insane expenses incurred during a ski holiday: selling his body! And who wouldn’t want a go at those sweet, sweet abs? The going price is a cool 50 pence – as he puts it, whoever said that beauty had to be expensive? He even accepts Mastercard if you’ve no cash. Ganz ganz billig! Whatever that means.
Lorenz Büffel’s hit 2016 single reached the official singles chart in Germany, pretty good for this Austrian singer who had dropped off the radar for a while. Now... everybody jump on "Däpp"!
"Hulapalu" is a hit from the 2015 album Mountain Man by Austrian folk singer Andreas Gabalier. The lyrics might not be very high-flutin stuff but they’re perfect for belting out during an après-ski sesh.
It's always handy when the dance steps are shown in the music video – not that we can quite live up to these bobbleheads on the dance floor. Skiers and snowboarders will be instantly transported to a hot summer night in Greece with this hit that gets faster and faster and faster and come on, all together now – "Das Leben Tanzt Sirtaki!"
The German take on Despacito, this song is irritating at first but pretty soon it’s an earworm that you can’t help but hum along to. Kay One and Pietro Lombardi’s intriguing blend of Spanish and German lyrics is a surefire hit in the après-ski bars.
John Denver’s 1971 hit has become a cult classic over the years and can be found at any lively party, but especially at an après-ski party! "Take Me Home, Country Roads" has undergone various reinterpretations and we now bring you the Après-Ski Hut version!
Nena’s 80’s song "Irgendwie, Irgendwo, Irgendwann" is a catchy après-ski hit if we ever saw one. Together with American singer Kim Wilde, she also released a German-English version titled "Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime" – but we still like the original better.
This song will always be one of the great après-ski classics and a staple in every self-respecting après-ski hut. Initially a flop, Schifoan gained popularity in mountain huts across Austria and is now considered an Austrian winter sports anthem. It’s not après-ski until you’ve bellowed out "Schifoooooaaaannn!"
No top-ten list is really complete without "Sweet Caroline" (bah-bah-baaah). Enough said.
What's your favourite après-ski song? Let us know in the comments!
Born and raised in the ski paradise of Vancouver, Canada, I learned to ski before I can remember, balancing precariously on my parents’ skis as they sailed down the hill. I started snowboarding in my teens and am now delighted to be exploring everything Europe’s ski scene has to offer!
