Falco, best known for his 1986 hit, "Rock Me Amadeus," has died in a motor vehicle accident while vacationing in the Dominican Republic.

He suffered severe head injuries when the sport utility vehicle he was driving pulled out onto a highway and was hit by a bus Friday evening near the resort of Puerto Plata, according to AP. He died at a Puerta Plata hospital. Born Johann Holzel in 1957, Falco was two weeks shy of his 41st birthday.

The synth-oriented artist was originally a classical prodigy before turning to the pop field. Although he had just a few hits in America, including most notably "Der Kommissar" and "Vienna Calling," he remained popular through remixes, and in his homeland, he had well over a dozen CDs and videos on the market.

• Falco