Icelandic Music

Icelandic Music

Music has always been an integral part of Icelandic life. From the unique chanting sounds of Viking rhymes to the merry notes of a happy horse rider, music and song have filled the air for centuries. The deep national appreciation for tuneful rhythms is reflected in the number of music schools in the country. Even the smallest village will have someone teaching children to play a musical instrument. Choirs are popular as a pastime and there is most likely a recorder or guitar somewhere in every house. Given the exposure to this art form, it is not surprising that Iceland is a nation of music lovers and music makers. A song is a means by which one reveals the heart‘s desire and Icelanders have embraced this medium of expression with a passion.

Today this tiny population hosts several music festivals a year, boasts a number of international stars and has record companies promoting local artists on the international scene. Smekkleysa created by the 80‘s band Sykurmolarnir (The Sugarcubes) is the pioneer company that has promoted Icelandic talent both here and overseas since Björk’s rise to fame. 12 Tónar is another record company which has had international success with Mugison and Retro Stefson. While the music scene is vibrant and engaging, the market here is small scale, so many talented musicians leave the island and invariably make it big elsewhere.

Björk was the pioneer who exposed Icelandic talent internationally and since then there have been many popular bands that have risen to fame on a world-wide scale, such as Sigur Rós, Of Monsters and Men, Gus Gus, Ásgeir Trausti and Kaleo, to name a few.

Many an Icelandic musician has been heard on the soundtrack of blockbuster movies: Emiliana Torrini sings ‘Gollum’s Song’ in The Lord of the Rings and Of Monsters and Men have ‘Dirty Paws‘ in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and Sigur Rós is heard in The Game of Thrones.

These names are all familiar to international visitors but local talent is unending as various competitions such as Battle of the Bands (Músiktilraunir) or Iceland Got Talent reveal. A new rising star and local celebrity, Glowie, shot to fame after winning such a talent contest and has just been awarded a recording contract with Columbia.

Stones of Iceland. Photo by Olga

Despite all these familiar names, much Icelandic talent is still woven intothe national fabric. Páll Óskar, Bubbi Morthens, Andrea Gylfadóttir, Jóhanna Guðrún, Lay Low and Björgvin Halldórsson are just a few of the big names Icelanders have been listening and dancing to for years. The raw talent of Iceland is discovered at music festivals dotted around the country all year round. Major festivals featuring international stars are concentrated in Reykjvaik and include Secret Solstice, Icelandic Airwaves and Sónar. If you want to hear home beats, go to a village 2here nature plays a huge role in the acoustics of outdoor festivals. Aldrei fórég suður in the west fjords is a popular free festival held over Easter. This festival is a celebration of Icelandic music, Icelandic style where locals and radio heroes rock away for free.

Over on the east coast Bræðslan is a festival celebrating Icelandic country, folk and indy music with an artsy feel in a spectacular setting. Further east, there is an indoor festival of hard core rock, heavy metal and punk, called Eistnaflug, which goes on for four days. (go to pg. 234 for list of festivals in Iceland).

A true friend whom you trust well and wish for his good will: Go to him often exchange gifts and keep company. (From Hávamál Eddaic poems (AD 700-900).