Start for the “Summer of Music” in ORF 1: from July 30, 2025, exciting documentaries are devoted to successful documentaries of pop and rock history- from 8:15 p.m. on ORF 1 and on ORF artists such as Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Adele, Madonna, Elton John or Beyoncé. The documentary formats shed light on both artistic success and personal challenges-from the early beginning to the world successes of the artists to forming crisis moments. The large “Summer of Music” final forms the four-part documentary “40 years of live AID” on August 27, which the ORF itself synchronizes and shows as a German-language TV premiere from 8:15 p.m.
The programs in detail:
“Milli Vanilli” (Wednesday, July 30, 8:15 p.m., ORF 1)
The documentation illuminates one of the biggest scandals in the history of pop music: The focus is on Fabrice Morvan and Robert Pilatus, the Duo Milli Vanilli, which celebrated great success in the 1980s with songs such as “Girl You’s True” and “Girl I’m Gonna Miss You” as “Best New Artist” became. But the highlight ended abruptly when it became known that the two artists did not sing their songs themselves. A breakdown in the middle of the concert made the Playback decline public and led to one of the most spectacular fraud cases in the music industry.
“Tina” (Wednesday, July 30th, 9:55 p.m., ORF 1)
The documentation is devoted to the extraordinary life of the legendary “Queen of Rock” Tina Turner in 2023 – from her beginnings in the 1960s to her success as a rock singer in the 1980s to her withdrawal from the stage 2009. The film conveys an intimate insight into personal moments in Tina Turn’s life.
“The True Story of Taylor Swift” (Wednesday, August 6th, 8:15 p.m., ORF 1)
Taylor Swift broke records worldwide with her music. Her world tour “The Eras Tour” is considered the most commercially successful concert series and brought sales of over a billion US dollar. With her songs and albums, she regularly dominates the international charts and is a permanent favorite on streaming platforms such as Spotify. The documentation illuminates its artistic development, the legal arguments for musical rights with their former label and their strategic use of social media. Her close relationship with her fans, the so -called Swifties, is particularly emphasized.
“The True Story of Harry Styles” (Wednesday, August 6th, 9:05 p.m., ORF 1)
Harry Styles is one of the most formative pop artists of today. The documentation follows his way from the member of the boy band One-Direction to his successful solo career, in which he has continuously developed artistically. In addition to styles music, his social commitment is also the focus, as is his courageous handling of gender rollers and fashion, which ensures attention worldwide.
“The True Story of Justin Bieber” (Wednesday, August 6, 10 p.m., ORF 1)
Justin Bieber was discovered in childhood through YouTube videos and then internationally known. He achieved his breakthrough in 2010 with the song “Baby”. As a teenager, he became a global pop icon, broke sales records and filled the largest concert halls worldwide. Drug problems, scandals and his on-off relationship with Selena Gomez made headlines. Today Bieber seems to have succeeded in finding a balance between public space and private life together with his wife Hailey Bieber.
“Whitney – The True History of a Legend” (Wednesday, August 13, 8:15 p.m., ORF 1)
Whitney Houston’s path illuminates the portrait-from her childhood as daughter of singer Cissy Houston until her breakthrough as an internationally celebrated pop icon. In addition to musical highlights, the documentary also shows Whitney’s personal battles with drugs and their relationship with Bobby Brown. The filmmakers give an insight into the life of a legend that died on February 11, 2012. On the occasion of its 62nd birthday in August, ORF 1 also shows the Biopic “I Wanna Dance with somebody” (Sunday, August 10, 8:15 p.m.) and “Bodyguard” (Sunday, August 10, 10:35 p.m.).
“The True Story of Adele” (Wednesday, August 13, 10:15 p.m., ORF 1)
Adele is one of the most successful singers of the present with her voice and successes such as “Someone Like You” or “Hello”. The multi-award-winning artist conquered the charts worldwide with soulful ballads, celebrated success to Hollywood and was honored with an Oscar for the James Bond song “Skyfall”.
“Rebel of Pop: Madonna” (Wednesday, August 20, 8:15 p.m., ORF 1)
Madonna is considered a stylish icon of pop. She has been breaking social norms for decades and has repeatedly defined new artistic standards. It revolutionized music and pop culture with provocative demeanor, political messages and artistic changeability. It is not afraid of taboos or controversy. With the help of archive recordings, the documentation shows one of the most extraordinary careers in pop history.
“The True Story of Elton John” (Wednesday, August 20, 9:10 p.m., ORF 1)
The impressive success story of Reginald Dwight, as Elton John is called with a bourgeois name, is unique: for over 50 years he shapes the music scene, his album “The Lockdown Sessions” again reached top positions in the UK charts in 2021. He has already received two Oscars for his musical achievements. But there are also dark sides in the life of Elton John: for years he fought against his drug addiction – ultimately successfully. After the marriage to Renate Blauel, he finally found his personal luck alongside his husband David Furnish.
“The True Story of Beyoncé” (Wednesday, August 20, 10:05 p.m., ORF 1)
Beyoncé, managed by her father, began her musical career as early as childhood. As a member of the teen girl band “Girls Tyme”, she achieved first fame, she later achieved her international breakthrough with “Destiny’s Child”. With songs like “Run the World (Girls)” and “Single Ladies”, she shaped pop culture. As a solo artist, she successfully connects R&B, Pop and Country and, with over 200 million records sold and 32 Grammys, is one of the mostly award -winning artists in music history.
“40 years of live AID” (in four parts, Wednesday, August 27, from 8:15 p.m., ORF 1)
On July 13, 1985, a major musical event took place with the live AID concert: a global benefit concert that was launched by Bob Geldof-with the aim of fighting the famine in Africa. Using interviews, archive material and background reports, the four -part documentation traces the impressive and emotional history of this global solidarity movement. World stars like David Bowie, Sting, U2 and Queen as well as many other musicians and musicians joined this call. Under the banner “USA for Africa”, a similar project was created in the USA a little later, from which the single “We are the world” emerged. The ORF synchronizes the four-part CNN/BBC documentation and shows it as a German-language TV premiere.