Tónlist

Icelandic music is something that makes me proud of my home country. Many of our musicians and bands are known worldwide, starting with Mezzoforté who became popular for their song Garden Party in 1982 and now more recently Kaleo and Of Monsters and Men becoming mainstream global artists.

In between this period Björk has promoted her country both with The Sugarcubes and also as a soloist; Sigur Rós gained a worldwide popularity with iconic tracks, Gus Gus with their electronic vibes and many more. Not to forget contemporary artists as Ólafur Arnalds and Víkingur Ólafsson as well as the Golden Globe awarded composer Jóhann Jóhannsson (d.2018) and the Oscar winner Hildur Guðnadóttir.

Icelandic Inspiration

Most Icelandic musicians agree that their main inspiration comes from the magnificent Icelandic nature, which is both beautiful and dramatic and the unpredictable weather we grow up with. Those factors constantly remind us of the power of nature and that we must be respectful and humble towards it. That is exactly what our life is about here at this island, to live in peace and harmony with nature, enjoy it but respect it and listen... whether it's to the nature itself or the music created with its influence.

Tune in

You can find musical history everywhere around Iceland, and to showcase our Icelandic soundtracks to the masses, we share our music through various events every year, such as Iceland Airwaves and the Secret Solstice Midnight Sun Festival. Playlists of various styles can also be found at Iceland Music, you never know, you might find your new favourite artist.