Rockpalast is a German music television show that broadcasts live on German television station Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR). Rockpalast started on January 22, 1976 and continues to this day. Hundreds of rock, heavy metal and jazz bands have performed on Rockpalast. Some acts were recorded for broadcast and for retail sale. All-night marathon shows called “Rock Night” (Rocknacht) were produced once or twice a year from 1977 through 1986 and simulcast throughout Europe via the Eurovision network of TV broadcasters, thereby reaching around 25 million listeners on average. Rockpalast is involved in several German pop, rock and underground music festivals, once sponsoring the Bizarre-Festival.

Westdeutscher Rundfunk Köln, shortened to WDR, is a German public-broadcasting institution based in the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia with its main office in Cologne. WDR is a constituent member of the consortium of German public-broadcasting institutions, ARD. As well as contributing to the output of the national television channel Das Erste, WDR produces the regional television service WDR Fernsehen and six regional radio networks.