Icelandic Music: From Björk to Sigur Rós and the Reykjavik Scene

Iceland produces musicians at a per-capita rate that has puzzled music industry observers for 40 years. For a country of 370,000 people — smaller than most European cities — it has generated a disproportionate number of internationally significant artists: Björk, Sigur Rós, Of Monsters and Men, Ásgeir, Kaleo, múm, Hljómar and dozens more. The Reykjavik music scene, centred on a cluster of venues in the old city centre, remains one of the most creative in Europe despite — or perhaps because of — the country's isolation and small size.

Understanding the Icelandic Sound

There is no single Icelandic sound, but certain characteristics recur across different artists. The influence of the landscape — vast, dramatic, inhuman in scale — appears in the spacious, unhurried quality of much Icelandic music. Sigur Rós's post-rock soundscapes, which build from near-silence to enormous walls of processed guitar and strings, create an experience often described as evoking the Icelandic interior. Björk's music draws explicitly on the Icelandic relationship with nature, technology and mythology simultaneously. Ásgeir's folk-influenced pop has the warmth and intimacy of a country where the winter is long and the indoor culture is rich.

The Reykjavik Venues

Reykjavik's music venues are concentrated around the Laugavegur and Austurstraeti area in the city centre. Harpa Concert Hall — the dramatic geometric glass structure on the waterfront — hosts classical concerts, opera and major international acts. Gamla Bíó, a converted cinema near the old harbour, hosts medium-capacity shows across genres. Húrra, an intimate venue on Tryggvagata, is the best place to see emerging Icelandic artists in a genuinely local atmosphere. Mengi on Óðinsgata hosts experimental and contemporary music.

The programming culture in Reykjavik is high by Nordic standards. Classical music from the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, jazz at small clubs, pop and indie in the bar venues, and traditional Icelandic music (Ísafoldarstríðið-era folk songs and contemporary new folk) all coexist in a scene disproportionately sophisticated for a city of 130,000 people.

Folk Music and Traditional Culture

Icelandic traditional music was long primarily vocal — the harsh Viking-age aesthetic favoured the unaccompanied voice over instrumental accompaniment, and traditional Icelandic folk song (rímur) is a unique sung poetry tradition that dates to the medieval period. Contemporary Icelandic folk artists like Ólöf Arnalds draw on this tradition while incorporating modern instrumentation. The annual Þjóðmenningarhátíð festival in August celebrates Icelandic folk culture including traditional music.

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