From Mountain Studios to the Casino, Montreux gave birth to legendary albums. Listen to them, then go see where they were created.
Recorded in Montreux · 1968
Recorded at the Casino on 15 June 1968, with Eddie Gómez on double bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums. The album won the 1969 Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Album; its cover shows the Château de Chillon.
Recorded in Montreux · 1969
The concert of 22 June 1969, Ella Fitzgerald’s first appearance in Montreux, with Tommy Flanagan on piano, Frank de la Rosa on double bass and Ed Thigpen on drums. Left in the festival archives, it was only released on DVD in 2005, then on CD and vinyl on 20 January 2023.
Recorded in Montreux · 1970
The second Montreux album, recorded at the Casino on 19 and 20 June 1970 with Eddie Gómez and drummer Marty Morell, released on CTI.
Recorded in Montreux · 1971
The concert of 12 June 1971 at the Casino de Montreux, backed by King Curtis and the Kingpins, the last time Aretha Franklin performed with the saxophonist, who was murdered two months later. The hall burned down in December of the same year.
Recorded in Montreux · 1972
The most famous riff in rock, from the album “Machine Head” recorded in Montreux in December 1971 with the Rolling Stones’ mobile studio. The lyrics recount the Casino fire, the smoke over the lake and “Funky Claude” (Claude Nobs) saving the audience.
Recorded in Montreux · 1975
The third Montreux album, recorded on 20 July 1975 as a piano and double bass duo with Eddie Gómez, without drums, released on Fantasy.
Recorded in Montreux · 1976
The Stones were the very first clients of Mountain Studios: in late 1975 they put the finishing touches to “Black and Blue”, the album of the guitarist auditions from which Ronnie Wood emerged.
Recorded in Montreux · 1977
Yes settled in Montreux for months to record this album marked by Rick Wakeman’s return on keyboards, notably with “Awaken”, one of the peaks of progressive rock.
Recorded in Montreux · 1977
In the wake of “Going for the One”, the Yes keyboardist stayed on in Montreux for his solo album, recorded at Mountain Studios with Chris Squire and Alan White.
Recorded in Montreux · 1977
The progressive rock trio recorded part of this ambitious double album at Mountain Studios, where each member has a side of his own. It includes the famous “Fanfare for the Common Man”.
Recorded in Montreux · 1978
The first Queen album recorded partly in Montreux, with “Don’t Stop Me Now” and “Fat Bottomed Girls”. Won over, the band bought the studio the following year.
Recorded in Montreux · 1979
The final part of Bowie’s trilogy with Brian Eno, recorded largely at Mountain Studios in 1978-1979. Bowie, a resident of the region, would return there for five more albums.
Recorded in Montreux · 1981
Born of an improvised session at Mountain Studios in 1981, this historic duet between Queen and David Bowie, two legends intimately tied to Montreux, became a worldwide number one.
Recorded in Montreux · 1982
The kings of British boogie rock crossed the Channel to record their twentieth-anniversary album at Mountain Studios, featuring the hit “Dear John”.
Recorded in Montreux · 1982
Recorded in September and October 1981 at Mountain Studios, then owned by Queen, produced by David Richards. Set to lyrics by Jean-Loup Dabadie evoking bisexuality, the title track caused a scandal on its release in 1982 despite substantial radio play.
Recorded in Montreux · 1983
The first of the four albums Chris Rea recorded at Mountain Studios between 1983 and 1986, along with “Wired to the Moon”, “Shamrock Diaries” and “On the Beach”. The guitarist’s artistic rebirth on the shores of Lake Geneva.
Recorded in Montreux · 1983
One of David Bowie’s greatest hits was born in Montreux: he wrote and demoed it in late 1982 at Mountain Studios, with Nile Rodgers of Chic. First a folk sketch on a twelve-string guitar, the song found its dance direction there before being finished in New York.
Recorded in Montreux · 1985
The Young brothers self-produced this album at Mountain Studios in the autumn of 1984. Australian hard rock in the hushed calm of Montreux, ten years after the band’s appearance at the festival.
Recorded in Montreux · 1986
Produced by David Bowie and David Richards at Mountain Studios, the album of Iggy Pop’s great comeback, carried by the hit “Real Wild Child”. The Iguana and Bowie, partners in crime from Berlin, reunited in Montreux.
Recorded in Montreux · 1986
The melodic hard rock band from Birmingham recorded “Vigilante” at Mountain Studios, with Queen’s Roger Taylor producing.
Recorded in Montreux · 1990
The second album by The Cross, Roger Taylor’s side project, recorded at Mountain Studios from September to December 1989. Queen’s drummer was playing at home.
Recorded in Montreux · 1993
Co-produced by Nile Rodgers (Chic, “Let’s Dance”) and recorded between Montreux and New York, the album of Bowie’s solo return after Tin Machine. Funk, jazz and modernity by the lake.
Recorded in Montreux · 1995
Queen’s final album, completed at Mountain Studios around Freddie Mercury’s last vocal sessions in Montreux. Its cover shows the singer’s statue facing Lake Geneva. The circle is complete.
Recorded in Montreux · 1995
One of Freddie Mercury’s very last songs, written while gazing at Lake Geneva and the Dents-du-Midi from his Territet apartment, and recorded at Mountain Studios during the “Made in Heaven” sessions.
Recorded in Montreux · 1997
In January 1997, Michael Jackson spent two weeks in Montreux, between the Tower Suite of the Montreux Palace and Mountain Studios, to finalise this remix album and its flagship track.
Recorded in Montreux · 1997
From the concert of 19 July 1997 at the Auditorium Stravinski, released as “Live at Montreux 1997”. Ray Charles performs “A Song for You” with his big band and the Raelettes.
Recorded in Montreux · 1999
The industrial metal band from Valais, one of Switzerland’s biggest metal exports, recorded “Eternal” at Mountain Studios: Queen’s studio served music right up to its final Montreux days.
Recorded in Montreux · 2020
In 2020, Shania Twain performs “Any Man of Mine” live from Claude Nobs’ chalets, above Montreux, for the American show Good Morning America.
Recorded in Montreux · 2022
Rediscovered in 2022 in the archives of “The Miracle” sessions (1988-1989), this unreleased song carried by Freddie Mercury’s voice moved the whole world on its release in October 2022, more than thirty years after it was recorded. Its official video puts Montreux centre stage, from the lake to Freddie’s statue.
Recorded in Montreux · 2024
Acoustic version filmed in 2024 at Claude Nobs’ chalet, above Montreux, in the retreat where the festival’s founder gathered the greatest names.
Recorded in Montreux · 2025
James Blunt produced and recorded this track at the Hana Road Studios in Montreux, founded in 2010. Released in 2025 with DJ CYRIL, this single proves that the town still records today’s hits, long after the golden age of Mountain Studios.